John 12:1-11 KJV
1 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.
2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.
3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,
5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.
8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.
9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.
10 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;
11 Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

Lazareth had been sick and was raised from the dead on the fourth day, Jesus had the stone rolled away and called Lazareth to come forth from the grave. Six days before the passover he is seen dining with Lazareth, his sisters and friends. Mary took and poured a pound of ointment of spikenard a expensive perfume on the feet of Jesus and she wiped his feet with her hair. Judas Iscariot wants to know why the perfume was not sold and money given to the poor. Judas said because he was a thief and in charge of the money bags.

Judas thief, label already, he was a tax collector. Yet label a sinner in this story even before the betrayal of Christ. Did Judas believe ever who Jesus was, if so, why was he labeled a thief and not one saved by grace. Judas seen Jesus as gold and silver only valuable perhaps because money would be given to disciple for Christ preaching perhaps. Was it not religious meeting to be with Jesus. Where did money in the bag go to help the poor and need and cover any expense Jesus and disciples had. Things are not free in the world we live in, but Jesus needed no money from the people considering he sent Peter fishing and he pulled out the first fish he caught and pulled out a dracma(coin) to pay the tax. Money not important to Jesus. To a thief that cost of that anointment was like a treasure of pure gold or silver. When Jesus said to leave her alone it would of been insult to Judas. Jesus explains what she is doing is preparing his body for burial, and this is about the last week even before the week to the cross. Right before the Triumphal entry, so no talk beyond the fact the Pharisees and Sadducees wanted to kill Jesus and wonder if they could also put lazarus to death. Now the story to the cross begans to unfold, it events speeding up for our benefit to tell of his cross for you and me. That God cared enough to prepare a woman's heart to anoint the feet of Christ for burial.

The anointing important because a normal burial would include those in care of the body putting oinment and spice on the body to keep it from stinking. For those that do not know dead body after several days stink with decay. Yet this anointing was important because it would precede his triumphal entry as kings in correlation with Palm Sunday. He would ride into Jerusalem. This one thing sets the stage for Palm Sunday and the week of Passion for Christ crucifixion. All these thing for memory of the woman that anoint Jesus for his burial. A very act of love and compassion for caring for her and her sister for raising up Lazarus. Did Mary know it was for his burial probably not. Yet for Jesus it was for burial, for his death to come.

Dear Heavenly Father, prepare our hearts for the journey to the cross, for the week before Palm Sunday and the week after. Open our hearts to hold your Son in memory of death and life through the memory of his death and resurrection. Let us hold to the fact he is still alive today. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Another place the story is recorded:Mark 14:1-10 KJV
1 After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.
2 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.
3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.
4 And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?
5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.
7 For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
10 And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.