Holy Week: Wednesday, a stay at home day

 One of the twelve went to the chief priests

   in order to betray Jesus. (Mark 11:12)

Jesus and the disciples decide to stay home. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday have been exhausting days. Jesus relaxes at the home of Simon in the village of Bethany just east of Jerusalem on the other side of the Mount of Olives. Lazarus, Simon’s son, and Simon’s two daughters Mary and Martha live there as well. It must have been quite an estate to accommodate Jesus and the twelve—maybe a vineyard with worker’s quarters made available for Festival guest. Anyway, Simon’s home was their home.

Lazarus was Jesus’ friend (philos). The week before, Jesus had raised him from the dead. Those who saw it said, “See how much Jesus loves (phileō) him” (Jn 11).  Jesus wanted his friend around. It was his last miracle until the Big One that comes from the Father. There are no miracles or signs during Holy Week—just Jesus riding on a donkey, entering the city, messing with the temple, and arguing with the religious powers. Arguments, storytelling, and persuasion have run their course. Talk will now turn to violence.

While Jesus was enjoying Simon’s hospitality, “a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment. She breaks the jar open, and pours the precious ointment on Jesus’ head.” The disciples fuss about it and “scold the woman.” Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She has done a beautiful thing.  …Wherever the Gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her." That must be why the story of Jesus’ anointing is told in all four Gospels. You can’t tell the Gospel story without telling the story of the anointing.

Meanwhile, maybe during the anointing hubbub, Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, slips away and enters the city to meet with the chief priests in order to betray Jesus. Maybe he doesn’t like what he sees; or, maybe it is just the money. Whatever the reason, it puts in motion what has to be put in motion.

Meanwhile, back at Simon’s house, the unnamed woman, one suspects it was Mary of Bethany (John, writing later, confirms, 12:3), continues her extravagant anointing fit for a King—for her King. The Hebrew word “Messiah” and the Greek word “Christ” means “The Anointed One.” Somehow, she knows. Who would have thought that it would be Mary of Bethany who anoints the Anointed One? We will see her again, along with other faithful women, bringing spices to the tomb hoping to anoint him still.