Unvarnished Jesus: A Lenten JourneyMuestra

Holy Wednesday, April 17

Mark 14:1–11

Jesus Is Anointed in Bethany

According to John, the woman who anoints Jesus is Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha. Mary anoints Jesus with her costly perfume to demonstrate her conviction that Jesus really is the Messiah — the Anointed One. Mary seems to be saying it’s time for Jesus to be publicly acknowledged as Messiah — an event that will launch the revolution of God’s kingdom. But Jesus mysteriously says that Mary has anointed Him for burial, which is certainly not what Mary was thinking. Of course Jesus is the anointed Messiah, and His coronation did launch the revolution of God’s kingdom, but it also involved the burial of Jesus, because His coronation came by crucifixion and the revolution came by the cross. This is the gospel that is to be proclaimed in all the world.