Spikenard or Spittle?

Spikenard or Spittle?

There were a variety of perfumes and ointments on the shop shelves in elegant jars and flasks. We can only imagine how the purchase was made. Maybe it went something like this: “Sir, what’s the best ointment I can buy,” she asked the perfumer.

He knew his stuff. He carefully lifted the long-necked flask off the shelf and explained: “A botanist friend of mine told me this beautiful fragrance is an ointment extracted from the Nardostachys jatamansi plant in India – commonly known as the picita. This is top-of-the-line. The Perfumers’ Guild endorses this product as one of exclusive and outstanding value. Of course, it is not cheap. It’s the best we have.”

“That’s exactly what I want. The best for the best,” the shopper thought. Her mind was flooded with emotion. She had heard the Master say He would die at the hand of those who rejected Him. If this happened she wanted to be sure she had the very best ointment she could ever buy to anoint His body for burial. After all, He meant everything to her.

Sure the cost was high. But one year’s wages was not too big a price to pay for such a product for such a man. The best for the best.

Even when Mary’s brother Lazarus died, she did not use the spikenard on him.  As much as she loved her brother, her love for Jesus was deeper. He held the highest place in her heart.

Did Mary discover, while sitting at His feet, that He in fact would rise from the dead and His body would need no preserving balm or ointment after all? Is that what prompted her to use it beforehand?

Carefully carrying the elegant spikenard flask into Simon the Leper’s house for the supper meal, Mary’s heart throbbed with love and devotion for Jesus. She could see the dark clouds of hostile opposition swirling around her Master with intensifying ferocity. Now was her opportunity.

And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious;

and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.

(Mark 14:3)

Mary breaks open the flask and pours out the rich ointment upon Christ – His head and His feet (John 12:3) The fragrance fills the house. While others perceived the act to be a waste of money – Jesus Himself accepted it as an outstanding act of love, devotion and worship to be remembered down through the ages. Now read the contrast at the end of the same chapter:

“…they all condemned him to be guilty of death.

And some began to spit on him,

and to cover his face, and to buffet him…”

(Mark 14:64-65)

Spikenard over His head at the beginning of the chapter and spit in His face at the end of the chapter. Two camps. Two sides. Two extremes.

As you step out of your home today remember the world is still divided. There are those who say He is worthy of the best spikenard available while others treat Him as dirt, worthy of nothing more than their spittle. Make sure you are not gradually cooling off in your affections for Christ and warming up to the world.

In recent times, in what way have you shown your love to Him and in what ways has it been obvious that He has the first claim on your life?

Walk carefully and closely with the Lord today.

Warmly in Christ

Peter Ramsay

peter@heaven4sure.com

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