Read Matt 26:1–19
Mat 26:1-2 When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, (2) “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” Mat 26:6-13 Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, (7) a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. (8) And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? (9) For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” (10) But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. (11) For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. (12) In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. (13) Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
Jesus is preparing his disciples for what is to come. He has told them on many occasions that he was going to be delivered to the chief priest and to the gentiles to be crucified, dead, buried and on the third day rise again. His disciples never seemed to get it. Of course in the gospels it seems those who ought to understand these things do not, while those who we might think wouldn’t understand these things do.
Such is the account in today’s reading. The disciples still do not get it. Even Judas who is going to betray Jesus into his enemies’ hands does not seem to get it. But here this woman seems to understand and believe what is going to happen. There is not going to be time to anoint Jesus’ body after the crucifixion according to Jewish custom. She understands that Jesus is going to be crucified and understand all that means. She believes Jesus will be risen from the dead on the third day and won’t be available for anointing when there is time. So, in faith in what Jesus has been teaching his disciples, she anoints Jesus ahead of time. Her act of faith is recorded for all time, even as we are reading it today, Jesus’ word is fulfilled.
This will set up Judas’ betrayal of Jesus. For thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave, the Prince of Peace, the Author of Life, the Lord of Glory will be betrayed by his own disciple. This must happen of course if we are going to be saved. If we are going to be ransomed from death to life, the life of the eternal God must be shed upon the altar of the cross. If the seed of the woman is going to crush the head of the serpent, he must be struck on the heel and be brought to death by the fangs of the devil.
And so we know it happens. Jesus is betrayed. Jesus is crucified, dead and buried just as he predicted. Jesus is risen from the dead on the third day as he has said. What Jesus has said concerning you must also come to pass. What is that? He who believes and is baptized will be saved but he who does not believe will be condemned. So what about you? Do you believe Jesus has done this for you? Have you been raised to newness of life in baptism? Or do you reject the gift of Christ? Choose life, believe on Jesus.
Lord Jesus Christ, grant us faith through your Spirit by this Word that we may be joined to your life, death and resurrection through baptism and live out your life in this world. Amen.