At the feet of Jesus

What a wonderful service I attended this morning in Nashville. The pastor
spoke on the contrast between Judas and Mary the sister of Lazarus, whom
Jesus raised from the dead. I am giving this additional information about
Lazarus because John thought it was important. In fact, Matthew gives us an
inside look that there were at dinner at Simon the leper (probably a former
leper, or they would not have been eating there!), the twelve disciples, as
well as Lazarus as I have mentioned, and the woman who poured out precious
ointment (equal to a years savings) on Jesus's feet and hair. This woman is
made known to us only by John, (Mary) probably to protect her identity early
on when the gospels were first written but later revealed by John when it
was safe to do so (she either had died or she would no longer be endangered
by her name being recorded).

Picture a house full of people at dinner. One former leper, one recently
raised from the dead, 11 called but confused men, one wolf in sheep's
clothing, one woman (Martha was probably there but the text doesn't reveal
this), and the Son of God. What a dinner party! I wish I could have listened
in on their conversation. Possibly you would have heard: "And Simon, what
was it like when your nose grew back?" "Lazarus, did you see the white
light?!" "Hey Simon, it must be good to be back home. What was it like when
you lived in the leper colony all those years?" "Lazarus, after you rose
from the dead, did you still stink?" Well, who knows?

This Mary is mentioned four times in the gospels and every time she is
referred to, she is sitting at Jesus feet. In contrast, the gospel writers
portray Judas as one who betrays Jesus with a kiss to his face. She is
sacrificing all, he is hording and stealing. She is openly worshipping, he
is stealthily plotting. She is silently serving, he is voicing his
disagreements. And then there is crowd of on lookers. Three groups...