This week we continue our series on Holy Week as we look at Chapter 4 of Amy-Jill Levine’s book Entering Christ’s Passion: Holy Week for Beginners, “Risking Rejection.” The Scripture passage this week is from John 12:1-8 (see below), which is the story of a woman anointing Jesus’ feet. This story can be found in different forms in Mark 14:3-9, Matthew 26:6-13, and Luke 7:36-50.
We may recall this story of a woman in its various forms. Perhaps we think of Mary as the one anointing as depicted below, or perhaps as an unnamed woman. Perhaps this is the home of Lazarus as we read in this week’s text, perhaps the home of a Pharisee. These differences surely do not need to trouble us.
We have an opportunity to learn not only from where these stories are different but from where they are similar. Jesus is recognized and celebrated. He is anointed, perhaps reminding us of Psalm 23 (thou anoints my head with oil; my cup runneth over).
Professor Levine reminds us that, no matter the name or background of this woman or what location this takes place, she is taking a risk. On Scouting Sunday our Praise Band brought a song telling the story of a traveler coming into worship and experiencing judgement from the congregation members such that “his chances are better out on the road.” Imagine the risks of rejection that are taken in order to follow the Messiah.
John 12:1-8
1 Six days before Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, home of Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Lazarus and his sisters hosted a dinner for him. Martha served and Lazarus was among those who joined him at the table. 3 Then Mary took an extraordinary amount, almost three-quarters of a pound, of very expensive perfume made of pure nard. She anointed Jesus’ feet with it, then wiped his feet dry with her hair. The house was filled with the aroma of the perfume. 4 Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), complained, 5 “This perfume was worth a year’s wages! Why wasn’t it sold and the money given to the poor?” (6 He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He carried the money bag and would take what was in it.)
7 Then Jesus said, “Leave her alone. This perfume was to be used in preparation for my burial, and this is how she has used it. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you won’t always have me.”
Consider these questions:
- Read the four versions of this text (one in the paragraphs above and the rest linked at the top of this page). What are the differences? What are the similarities? What to these differences and similarities mean to you?
- In what ways have you seen others risk rejection in their faith? In what ways have you seen others risk rejection in this congregation? Do you think these were big risks? Small risks? Something in between? What were the potential consequences of these risks and what ended up happening?
- Where have you taken risks in your faith or in this congregation? What are you willing to risk in your faith or in this congregation?