COMMENTARY ON MARK


LESSON NUMBER 148

 

      Mark 14:6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on Me. 7 For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but Me ye have not always. 8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint My body to the burying. 9Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.”

(Mark 14:6-9; Matt 26:10-13; John 12:7-8)



JESUS SPEAKS OF MARY’S DEED

 

 

INTRODUCTION

               While in the house of Simon the leper, Mary had brought an alabaster box of very precious ointment, had broken the container, poured the ointment upon Jesus’ head, anointed His feet, and dried them with her hair. Prior to this, during the first part of His ministry, another woman – a sinner – had washed Jesus feet with tears of penitence and thankfulness (Lk 7:38). For her, the presence of the Lord provoked great sorrow for sin, and a great thankfulness for being forgiven (Lk 7:47). This accenting Christ’s Saviorhood. Both women anointed His feet with ointment (Lk 7:38; John 12:3). The ointment brought in by the first woman was not said to be precious, nor is it said that she broke the container. The ointment Mary used is declared to be “veryprecious,” and she broke the container. For Mary, the deed was one of great thankfulness and insight, and Jesus will assign a cause to it that was not assigned to the first woman. Both women ministered to Jesus, both were criticized for what they had done, and both were defended by Jesus. We learn from this that no ministry to Jesus will be overlooked (Matt 25:40). Even a ministry to one of the least of His followers will be rewarded – down to a cup of cold water (Mk 9:41). As it is written, “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward His name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister” (Heb 6:10). All the more, this is true of those who ministered to Jesus Himself – such as Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the less, and Salome (Mk 15:41); Joanna, Suzanna, and others (Lk 8:3).

 

LET HER ALONE! SHE HATH WROUGHT ON GOOD WORK

               Mark 14:6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on Me. 7 For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but Me ye have not always.”

 

               LET HER ALONE! The Lord comes to the defense of those who love and serve Him. It is obvious that Mary was not distracted by the aspersions that were cast at her – at least not in any obvious way. Notwithstanding, when men speak against the godly, for whatever reason, it is troubling to the sensitive soul. Thus David spoke of those who rose up against him as troubling him (Psa 3:1). He also spoke of those who were aggressive against him, but not because of any sin he had committed (Psa 59:3). So the disciples in general, and Judas in particular, have charged Mary with wasting the precious substance she expended upon the Lord. Now, Jesus rises to her defense. “Let her alone,” or “Leave her alone,” NIV He demands. Other versions read, “Let her be in rest,” TNT confirming that their words did have an effect upon this tender woman.

 

               WHY DO YOU TROUBLE HER? Matthew says that Jesus said these words when “He understood” what they were saying (Matt 26:10). This does not suggest He was oblivious to what was going on around Him, then suddenly became aware of it. Rather, it means that He was receiving what Mary was giving, focusing upon her. The words of the disciples then fell upon His ears as an intrusion. Other versions read, “why are you bothering her?” NIV “Why do you molest her?” DOUAY “Why do you make trouble for her?” NAB Why are you upsetting her?” NJB and “Why criticize her?” NLT How serious is it to trouble a soul who is absorbed with the Lord’s Christ? What does heaven think of those who introduce agitation when a person is giving their attention to the Lord? What soul is there who would attempt to answer that question? Who is there that would seek to justify making trouble for someone who was pouring themselves out for Jesus? And who of you has not experienced such troubling distractions – often from those who were close to you, as the disciples were to Mary? You may rest assured that Jesus has taken due note of it, and will not let it pass. Often, when such thoughtless souls back away from their actions, it is actually owing to the rebuke of the Lord, though unheard by mortal ear.

 

               SHE HATH WROUGHT A GOOD WORK ON ME. The contrast between the judgment of Mary’s critics and the Lord Jesus is most arresting. They said she had wasted a precious commodity. Jesus said “She has done a good deed to me.” NASB Other versions refer to the deed as “a kind act,” BBE “a beautiful thing,” NIV “a noble thing,” CSB “an excellent act,” MRD “a good service.” NET The Amplified Bible says the act was “praiseworthy and noble.”

 

               And what made this deed so “good,” “noble,” and “praiseworthy”? Rest assured, if this had been done to anyone or anything other than Jesus, it would not have been so described. It was the love that Mary had for Jesus, and the faith that she had in Him, that sanctified what she did. For her, there was nothing too valuable to give to Jesus. Here is an example of a “good work” – an expression that is never used in a derogatory sense in Scripture. The expression “good work” is used thirteen times in Scripture, and “good works” is used sixteen times. No a single one of them is used in a bad or questionable sense. This is a category of works that is recognized by, and honored in, heaven.

 

               YOU HAVE THE POOR WITH YOU ALWAYS. Here is a statement that confirms Jesus did not come to eradicate poverty. Throughout the history of the world, “the poor” would maintain a perpetual presence. Therefore Jesus added, “you can help them anytime you want.” NIV No bold initiative will ever rid the world of the poor. Their presence is like a constant opportunity to “do good unto all men” (Gal 6:10). And yet, this is not the principle work of the people of God. Although this can be a sensitive subject, there remains a tendency in men to overstate the value of ministering to the poor. In recent years there has been a marked shift in missions work to the ministration of temporal needs of those outside of Christ. While such a work must not be criticized, neither must it be given the preeminence.

 

               ME YE HAVE NOT ALWAYS. In the case of Jesus, men were not going to have many more opportunities to minister to Him. It would not be long until Jesus would be inaccessible to all of them. Within a day or so Jesus would tell His disciples, “I go away,” beyond the reach of their senses (John 14:28; 16:7). Until then, the most important activities of men related to their response to Him, and how they ministered to Him. While Jesus did not come into the world “to be ministered unto”(Mk 10:45), at this time that activity outranked any purported good done to others. The essence of true religion relates to the response of men to the Lord Himself. When they have access to Him and do nothing about it, they may very well have missed an opportunity they will never have again. There is such a thing as seeking the Lord “while He may be found,” and calling upon Him “while He is near” (Isa 55:6). Many a poor soul has fallen back into sin, or retrogressed spiritually, simply because they did not avail themselves of the presence of the Lord. When they were, so to speak, conscious that He was in the house, unlike Mary, they failed to do anything about it.

 

SHE ANOINTED HIS BODY FOR BURYING

                8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.”

 

               How does Jesus regard the response of people to Himself? The wicked one attempts to lead people away from this consideration, tempting them to become occupied with themselves or other things. However, Jesus is acutely aware of how people respond to Him. Earlier in His ministry when He was in the house of Simon the leper, another woman had anointed him, and Simon thought inappropriately of the incident. Jesus said to him, “thou gavest Me no water for My feet . . . thou gavest Me no kiss . . . My head thou didst not anoint” (Lk 7:44-46). Not only had Jesus taken note of what the woman did, He also was acutely aware of what Simon did not do. Now, Jesus reacts in much the same manner in the house of Simon the Pharisee. He has taken due note of what Mary has done, but He has also observed what the others did not do. He did not say Mary would not have other opportunities to minister to Him, but that they would not have them: “but Me YOU do not have always.” NKJV

 

               SHE HATH DONE WHAT SHE COULD. Notice the value that Jesus places on Mary’s deed. He does not think in terms of the least thing she could have done: i.e. at least she did something. The person who is covetous is governed by things, and does not view valuables as something to expend on Jesus. A philanthropist of the world does not think in terms of what he can do for Jesus. A worldly musician does not think of what he can play for Jesus. A speaker who is of the world does not think in terms of what he can say for Jesus. For the widow who cast two mites into the Temple treasury, doing what she could involved giving all that she had (Mk 12:44). For Mary, it involved pouring all of her costly ointment upon Jesus. For those who want to follow Jesus, it involves denying themselves taking up their cross, and following Jesus (Lk 9:23).

 

               A person who does only a little for Jesus, giving a paltry percentage of themselves and what they have, has not done what they could. When we are dealing with Jesus, the “What can I afford” mentality is not acceptable. It would not have been right for Mary to think in this manner, and it is not right for us to do so. Just how does a person evaluate what they can do to or for Jesus? Would it really have been appropriate for Mary to consider giving Jesus a portion of her ointment? After all, the Law had not specified how she should dispense her ointment – and Jesus had certainly not spoken to her about the matter.

 

               Here, Mary doing what she could, was doing all that she could do. It was doing the maximum, not the minimum. How would you go about justifying giving some of what you have to Jesus, keeping some of it for yourself, and giving some of it to others? And, how would you go about making such a determination. Now, in Christ, the way we think about Jesus is on this manner: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20). That is equivalent to breaking the container, and pouring our all out for Christ. Paul referred to it as “being poured out as a drink offering” NKJV (Phil 2:17). That is doing what you can do!

 

               SHE IS COME AFOREHAND. Jesus is now thinking in terms of laying down His life as a ransom for many. Although Mary was probably not aware of the events that would soon transpire, the Holy Spirit moved her to minister to Jesus, sanctifying His body. When Jesus died and was taken down from the cross, Nicodemus brought about seventy-five pounds of myrrh and aloes, winding Jesus body in linen with the spices (John 19:39-40). After Jesus was buried, women brought sweet spices to anoint His body (Mk 16:1). However, as they tarried in honor of the Sabbath day, Jesus rose from the dead, and they had no opportunity to anoint His body. But before them all, Mary anointed Him for His burial, signifying that Jesus offered Himself to God as a “sweet-smelling savor” (Eph 5:2).

 

               At this point, the disciples were more concerned with what Mary did. Jesus was more concerned with what He was going to do, and Mary’s deed blended well with that. He therefore takes a favorable view of what Mary did because of how it harmonized with what He was doing. Whether or not she was conscious of this, or to what degree this was even possible, is not the point. It was her value of Jesus and love for Him that moved her to do what she did. The sanctifying association, however, was made by Jesus, not by Mary. It was how He viewed her deed that gave it true worth. Notice how Jesus shifted the attention of His hearers from what Mary did to what He was going to do – “aforehand.”

 

               This provides us a sterling example of something that was “pleasing in the sight” of the Lord (1 John 3:22). The deed itself is not the point, but its relationship to what the Lord is doing. That relationship is determined by the Lord Himself. As for men, when they place a proper value on Jesus, know Him in truth, and are willing to sacrifice themselves for Him, that will move the Lord to view their deeds in association with what He is doing.

 

MEMORIALIZED WHEREVER THIS GOSPEL IS PREACHED

               9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.”

 

               Here we see that there is more to preaching the Gospel that reaching the people – although that is a primary aim. The Gospel also extols Jesus (Rom 16:25) and glorifies God (1 Tim 1:11). Additionally, the righteousness of God is made known through the preaching of the Gospel (Rom 1:17), as well the wisdom of God (1 Cor 2:7). The Gospel also provides a context for the proper evaluation of certain saints, who are given special recognition; i.e. Mary, Joseph, Simeon, Anna, etc. Of course, when the Gospel is not preached, not only are souls not reached, all of the other objectives realized through the preaching of the Gospel also come short of their fulfillment.

 

               WHERESOEVER THIS GOSPEL SHALL BE PREACHED. Some versions read “the Gospel.” NASB/NASB/NRSV But this is not a proper representation of the case. The word “this” is a proper translation of the word employed here. The word used means “absolutely, this one.” THAYER While Jesus is the Center of the Gospel, the deed that Mary did is included with it. It provides a picture of the worth of Jesus Himself, and of the value of “the body of His flesh” (Col 1:22). Much is made of Christ’s body. Salvation is traced to “the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Heb 10:10). It was in “His own body that Jesus bore our sins “on the tree” (1 Pet 2:24). In our preaching care must be taken not to so represent Christ as to make His body less significant than it really is. When He came into the world, God prepared a special “body” for Him (Heb 10:5). That arrangement was particularly for “the suffering of death” (Heb 2:9).

 

               Here, the point is that few people ever made this association prior to Christ’s death. So far as the masses of people were concerned, and even the disciples themselves, Christ’s bodily presence was largely associated with teaching and doing good. However, Mary saw something more in Jesus than this. She attached a value to His Person, and it moved her to do something that Jesus said related to the preparation of His body for burial.

 

               WHAT SHE HATH DONE SHALL BE SPOKEN OF. Now, the preaching of the Gospel is, in part, defined by the inclusion of this deed – a deed that spoke of Christ’s death more than any other deed done unto Him – even the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. No matter where the real Gospel is preached, mention is made of Mary’s deed. Mary had lived out what it means to make one’s boast in the Lord. As it is written, “But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” (2 Cor 10:17; 1 Cor 1:31). She did it with a deed, not a word. She did it by giving to the Lord that which was most precious. She did it publically, not privately. She lived out what it means to be thankful. She demonstrated what spiritual insight moves a person to do, and the extent to which there is no shame connected with loving and following Jesus.

 

               Therefore, where the Gospel is preached, mention is made of what Mary did She displayed her profound love for Jesus when others were not doing so. She did it in a timely manner, when others were obtuse. She even did it in a way that ministered to the Lord Jesus Himself.

 

               FOR A MEMORIAL OF HER. Other versions read, “in memory of her,” NASB “in remembrance of her,” NRSV and “remembered and discussed.” NLT How vividly the truth of Hebrews 6:10 is confirmed in the words of Jesus: “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward His name”(Heb 6:10). In this case, the “work and labor of love” was wrought on the Lord Jesus Himself. Now, wherever the Gospel is preached, there will also be a recollection of what Mary did. Those who fasten their attention upon the Gospel will find the Holy Spirit directing their attention to the “good work” of Mary, so they will not overlook what she did. Men will memorialize her because they will be directed by the Lord to do so. This is more than a mere academic exercise. Jesus does not command that this be done, but says it will happen.

 

               Jesus wanted Mary to be remembered for what she did. Her deed rose above what others had done. He does not say that the feast Simon the leper held would be declared. Nor, indeed, does He say that the serving of Martha would be declared, or the presence of Lazarus. None of their deeds were despised, to be sure. But it was the deed of Mary that sanctified the moment. It is what she did that moved the Spirit to provide this account. Among men, her deed did not rank high, but it did with Jesus. Thus we see how God has “chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” (1 Cor 1:27). Were it not for this fact, no person would receive recognition by the God of heaven. Therefore, this arrangement ought to be a cause for thanksgiving.

 

               GOOD WORKS HONORED. The response of heaven to Mary is a prelude to the recognition that will be given to every person who responded appropriately to Christ. That is precisely why there is coming a time when every faithful servant will receive “praise from God” (1 Cor 4:5). This will be a very precise and extensive praise, with nothing being overlooked – just as nothing that Mary did was overlooked. Mention is made of the container she broke – an alabaster box; the value of the ointment – very precious; what she did – poured it upon His head, anointed His feet, and wiped them with her hair. All Divine recognition will be just that precise.