Woman at bethany Matthew 26:6
I had been following Jesus at a distance for weeks, ever since my friend had been healed by him as he passed through our village. She had been suffering from headaches and fatigue for months and as soon as Jesus touched her all her pain vanished and she was completely well. From that moment both of us wanted to know more, everything, about Jesus so we joined the crowd which followed him everywhere. We got to know some of the women who were close to him, Mary and Joanna and offered to help with buying supplies for the diciples and anything else tht was needed. We were welcomed into the community of followers, which was pretty large by that time. As we travelled around the countryside we got to witness many miracles and hear some revolutionary and radical teaching. Jesus was always teaching. Everything he said was a story which contained a lesson. I wish I had been able to write so that I could remember everything he said.
The day I met Jesus properly was a busy day. He had arrived in Bethany and spent some time with his friend Lazarus. Then later that day was out in the marketplace healing and teaching and talking to people. I loved to watch him with small children and old folk. He was so kind, so thoughtful. He didnt behave like the Rabbis - parading their wealth and status wherever they went. He was understated, dressed like anyone else, quietly spoken for the most part. He was funny too. He often had the whole big crowd of us in stitches. We all loved him. In Bethany the people knew him as he had visited there often so there were always big crowds gathered to hear him speak.
As he took children on his knee and blessed them and spoke to their parents about the Kingdom of God I had a strange thought. As I looked at him I suddenly realised that Jesus was a true priest. He was like Aaron and Moses and the High Priest who enters the Holy Place. He had a clear and unhindered relationship with God - I could imagine him speaking with Yaweh face to face. He spoke of himself as the Son of God and that afternoon I suddenly believed it and understood it in a new way. I sat at a distance watching him and my heart was full of thankfulness that I was here and that I knew him.
Simon the leper - well he used to be a leper until Jesus had healed him miraculously the previous spring - had invited Jesus and the disciples to his house for supper that evening. The rest of us were either staying with friends or sleeping in barns and outbuildings which the locals were happy to let us use. As Jesus finally finished praying for and talking to all the people I thought he looked tired. He got up from the wall on which he had been sitting and stretched his legs. Then he turned to Matthew and told him to gather up the guys so they could head off to Simon's house. He said he was hungry and slapped Matthew on the back, sharing some joke I couldnt quite hear. I got up from the ground where I had been sitting watching and listening and made my way to Martha's barn where I had made myself a bed for the night. As I passed Martha's door she looked out and saw me passing and asked if I wanted to come in for a drink. I was thirsty and gladly accepted. I entered the cool of the house and sat down at the table whilst Martha got me some water.
I had met Martha a couple of times whilst with Jesus. I had been in Bethany the day Lazarus, her brother,had been raised from the dead!! The news had quickly reached the town and everyone had been amazed and intrigued and excited at every detail of the story . Three days he had been in the tomb. And then he walked out right as rain when Jesus called to him. Amazing. I asked Martha if she wouldnt mind telling me the story again ,and she happily recounted every detail of that day. It got me back to thinking that Jesus really was the Son of God and I told Martha what I had realised that afternoon about Jesus being a true High Priest - one who could stand face to face before God in the Holy place. Martha listened and nodded her agreement. We both agreed that only the Son of God could have authority over death.
As I was sitting in her kitchen I had an idea. Would Martha be kind enough to give me a little cinnamon, olive oil and any other spices she might have to hand? She happily agreed and went off to find the oil while I went out to the barn where I had my belongings and fished out the alabaster jar of perfume I had hidden there. I went back to the kitchen with the perfume and opened the jar. I added the olive oil and the spices and mixed them together until the whole house was full of a wonderful smell. I wasnt sure if the spices we had added and the oil and the perfume bore any real resemblance to anointing oil. But I did know that a High Priest needed to be anointed - all the Levites who served in the temple were anointed before they were appointed to their positions. It somehow felt urgent and necessary that Jesus should be anointed too. I was trembling as I put the stopper back in the jar and wiped my hands. I asked Martha if she thought I was crazy. She smiled and told me that being around Jesus made people do crazy things and that she was sure that if God was telling me to do this then it was the right thing to do.
I didnt know if God was telling me or if it was just a mad notion on my part. I wasnt usually an extrovert and I certainly wasnt interested in drawing any attention to myself. I didnt really know how I was going to proceed but Martha suggested I go to Simon's house and ask if I could speak to Jesus. She felt sure he would agree and just told me to explain to him that I felt he should be anointed. It sounded a bit .... ridiculous. But having made the oil and used all Martha's spices I felt I really had to follow through with my mad plan. So I changed into a clean dress, brushed my hair and took my little bottle of perfune to Simon's house where I was welcomed in by Matthew who was at the door.
I told him that I would like to speak to Jesus and he smiled at me and showed me in.
Jesus was sitting at the table with his disciples and Simon and some of his friends. The meal was in full flow and everyone looked as though they were having a nice time. Matthew caught Jesus's eye across the room and Jesus motioned for me to approach him. He smiled at me and said hello. I smiled back and introduced myself. And then I told him that I believed he was the Son of God and a prophet and a priest and I told him that I had some perfume that I believed I was meant to give him.
He listened carefully and then he said ' Give to me? Or anoint me with? ' I was somewhat taken aback by this. I hadnt mentioned anointing - it was as though he was reading my mind.
' Yes, anoint' I stammered. ' I think that would be a lovely idea' he said and he knelt down on the floor beside the table with his hands outstretched and his eyes closed. Everyone in the room suddenly went quiet. All eyes were on us as I took the stopper out of the bottle and poured some of the perfume/oil/spice mixture on his head. I didnt know if I was supposed to say something or do something so I just quietly prayed a blessing. Jesus too seemed to be praying. Everyone else was silent and watching. After a minute or two Jesus took the corner of his robe and wiped away some of the perfume which was running down his neck and onto the collar of his clothes. He stood up and embraced me - there was a bit of a gasp from some of the men in the room who were clearly not used to a Rabbi associating with a woman at all , let alone in such a familiar way. Jesus thanked me. I thanked him - I felt that something profound and holy had just happened and I had been a part of it. I put the stopper back in the bottle, left it on the table and left the room.
I ran back to Martha's kitchen and told her what had happened. She smiled and patted me on the back. ' Well done' she said. ' Since I met Jesus Ive started to realise that God is everywhere all the time and He is always speaking. Yes, He does often speak through the Torah and through Rabbis, but sometimes he speaks through flowers and stars and streams. If we listen we can hear Him much more than we think. And sometimes He speaks clearly and tells us to do or say things. I have learned so much from Jesus. This kingdom of which he speaks is close, so close we can reach out and touch it. Or rather it can touch us. Im not quite sure what you did today but I believe it was something God told you to do and because of that He is pleased with you. Well done'
I felt exhilerated and pleased and thankful for these kind and wise words and I went to bed that night with the smell of perfume lingering on me and dreams of oil running down the beard of Jesus onto his clothes.
The day I met Jesus properly was a busy day. He had arrived in Bethany and spent some time with his friend Lazarus. Then later that day was out in the marketplace healing and teaching and talking to people. I loved to watch him with small children and old folk. He was so kind, so thoughtful. He didnt behave like the Rabbis - parading their wealth and status wherever they went. He was understated, dressed like anyone else, quietly spoken for the most part. He was funny too. He often had the whole big crowd of us in stitches. We all loved him. In Bethany the people knew him as he had visited there often so there were always big crowds gathered to hear him speak.
As he took children on his knee and blessed them and spoke to their parents about the Kingdom of God I had a strange thought. As I looked at him I suddenly realised that Jesus was a true priest. He was like Aaron and Moses and the High Priest who enters the Holy Place. He had a clear and unhindered relationship with God - I could imagine him speaking with Yaweh face to face. He spoke of himself as the Son of God and that afternoon I suddenly believed it and understood it in a new way. I sat at a distance watching him and my heart was full of thankfulness that I was here and that I knew him.
Simon the leper - well he used to be a leper until Jesus had healed him miraculously the previous spring - had invited Jesus and the disciples to his house for supper that evening. The rest of us were either staying with friends or sleeping in barns and outbuildings which the locals were happy to let us use. As Jesus finally finished praying for and talking to all the people I thought he looked tired. He got up from the wall on which he had been sitting and stretched his legs. Then he turned to Matthew and told him to gather up the guys so they could head off to Simon's house. He said he was hungry and slapped Matthew on the back, sharing some joke I couldnt quite hear. I got up from the ground where I had been sitting watching and listening and made my way to Martha's barn where I had made myself a bed for the night. As I passed Martha's door she looked out and saw me passing and asked if I wanted to come in for a drink. I was thirsty and gladly accepted. I entered the cool of the house and sat down at the table whilst Martha got me some water.
I had met Martha a couple of times whilst with Jesus. I had been in Bethany the day Lazarus, her brother,had been raised from the dead!! The news had quickly reached the town and everyone had been amazed and intrigued and excited at every detail of the story . Three days he had been in the tomb. And then he walked out right as rain when Jesus called to him. Amazing. I asked Martha if she wouldnt mind telling me the story again ,and she happily recounted every detail of that day. It got me back to thinking that Jesus really was the Son of God and I told Martha what I had realised that afternoon about Jesus being a true High Priest - one who could stand face to face before God in the Holy place. Martha listened and nodded her agreement. We both agreed that only the Son of God could have authority over death.
As I was sitting in her kitchen I had an idea. Would Martha be kind enough to give me a little cinnamon, olive oil and any other spices she might have to hand? She happily agreed and went off to find the oil while I went out to the barn where I had my belongings and fished out the alabaster jar of perfume I had hidden there. I went back to the kitchen with the perfume and opened the jar. I added the olive oil and the spices and mixed them together until the whole house was full of a wonderful smell. I wasnt sure if the spices we had added and the oil and the perfume bore any real resemblance to anointing oil. But I did know that a High Priest needed to be anointed - all the Levites who served in the temple were anointed before they were appointed to their positions. It somehow felt urgent and necessary that Jesus should be anointed too. I was trembling as I put the stopper back in the jar and wiped my hands. I asked Martha if she thought I was crazy. She smiled and told me that being around Jesus made people do crazy things and that she was sure that if God was telling me to do this then it was the right thing to do.
I didnt know if God was telling me or if it was just a mad notion on my part. I wasnt usually an extrovert and I certainly wasnt interested in drawing any attention to myself. I didnt really know how I was going to proceed but Martha suggested I go to Simon's house and ask if I could speak to Jesus. She felt sure he would agree and just told me to explain to him that I felt he should be anointed. It sounded a bit .... ridiculous. But having made the oil and used all Martha's spices I felt I really had to follow through with my mad plan. So I changed into a clean dress, brushed my hair and took my little bottle of perfune to Simon's house where I was welcomed in by Matthew who was at the door.
I told him that I would like to speak to Jesus and he smiled at me and showed me in.
Jesus was sitting at the table with his disciples and Simon and some of his friends. The meal was in full flow and everyone looked as though they were having a nice time. Matthew caught Jesus's eye across the room and Jesus motioned for me to approach him. He smiled at me and said hello. I smiled back and introduced myself. And then I told him that I believed he was the Son of God and a prophet and a priest and I told him that I had some perfume that I believed I was meant to give him.
He listened carefully and then he said ' Give to me? Or anoint me with? ' I was somewhat taken aback by this. I hadnt mentioned anointing - it was as though he was reading my mind.
' Yes, anoint' I stammered. ' I think that would be a lovely idea' he said and he knelt down on the floor beside the table with his hands outstretched and his eyes closed. Everyone in the room suddenly went quiet. All eyes were on us as I took the stopper out of the bottle and poured some of the perfume/oil/spice mixture on his head. I didnt know if I was supposed to say something or do something so I just quietly prayed a blessing. Jesus too seemed to be praying. Everyone else was silent and watching. After a minute or two Jesus took the corner of his robe and wiped away some of the perfume which was running down his neck and onto the collar of his clothes. He stood up and embraced me - there was a bit of a gasp from some of the men in the room who were clearly not used to a Rabbi associating with a woman at all , let alone in such a familiar way. Jesus thanked me. I thanked him - I felt that something profound and holy had just happened and I had been a part of it. I put the stopper back in the bottle, left it on the table and left the room.
I ran back to Martha's kitchen and told her what had happened. She smiled and patted me on the back. ' Well done' she said. ' Since I met Jesus Ive started to realise that God is everywhere all the time and He is always speaking. Yes, He does often speak through the Torah and through Rabbis, but sometimes he speaks through flowers and stars and streams. If we listen we can hear Him much more than we think. And sometimes He speaks clearly and tells us to do or say things. I have learned so much from Jesus. This kingdom of which he speaks is close, so close we can reach out and touch it. Or rather it can touch us. Im not quite sure what you did today but I believe it was something God told you to do and because of that He is pleased with you. Well done'
I felt exhilerated and pleased and thankful for these kind and wise words and I went to bed that night with the smell of perfume lingering on me and dreams of oil running down the beard of Jesus onto his clothes.
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