THE ANOINTING OF THE LORD
[p. 321] THE ANOINTING OF THE LORD
Matthew 26: 6 - 13; Mark 14: 3 - 9; John 12: 3 - 8
Matthew gives great prominence to the house, beginning with chapter 2: 11. His great presentation of the Lord’s service, linking it up thus with the position in the house, would indicate the dispensation of God referred to in 1 Timothy 1: 4, “God’s dispensation, which is in faith”. The dispensation is house-wise. The anointing of the Lord’s head in Mark was intended to save the saints from recognising any man in an official way, save such as are according to the Christ, and involving the anointing. The woman discovered who was entitled to it. Coming at the end of His service she expresses her appreciation by anointing His head. The memorial would save us from recognising or committing ourselves to any other service. This anointing is at the end of His service. It is handed down by way of a memorial as a standing testimony to us that all other services are to be repudiated. It would deliver the Lord’s people from all those systems which anoint men for service, from theology to law or medicine. She would not anoint any of those; she would not commit herself to them. The Lord can express His mind of the service which He approves. In this act she shows her appreciation of Christ. A woman’s name is tacked on to the gospel; a wonderful honour! She represents the subjective state formed by the teaching of the gospel. The servant must be in keeping with what he ministers. Paul was in keeping. “Thou hast been thoroughly acquainted with my teaching, conduct ...”, 2 Timothy 3: 10.
Rem This act of the woman shows her own state.
JT That is the thing the Lord commends. Mark says, “What she could she has done”.
Rem The Lord sees that in her.
JT It shows that what seems to be a very small incident may mean much by way of testimony. You cannot commit yourself to a testimony based on fleshly attainments. This is the end of a course, the end of His service here. She seems to represent that experience of His service. The wise men had light, they saw His star, that of the King of the Jews. They followed it and entered into the house. They brought forth things suitable at the time to do Him honour and homage. The pursuit in Matthew leads a soul into liberty and leads it to perform this service. There was not any experience yet with the wise men, as the Lord was a child. But as He comes down from the mount, He cleanses the leper, and the centurion sends to Him about his servant. He then enters into Peter’s house and relieves the mother-in-law of the fever, which is the beginning of relief to the soul. Matthew 8:14: “He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she arose and served him”. Again in the next chapter, verse 10, it says, “He lay at table in the house, ... the Pharisees seeing it, said to his disciples, Why does your teacher eat with tax-gatherers and sinners? But Jesus hearing it, said, They that are strong have not need of a physician, but those that are ill ... . I have not come to call righteous men but sinners”. This is the position here in the house. He is there as a Person available to sinners. Then in verse 23 He came to the ruler’s house and said, “Withdraw, for the damsel is not dead, but sleeps. And they derided him. But when the crowd had been put out, he went in and took her hand; and the damsel rose up. And the fame of it went out into all that land”. In the one house He is in the midst of sinners and publicans; in the other He puts everybody out. In the next paragraph it says, “Two blind men followed him, ... And when he was come to the house, the blind men came to him”, and they got their eyes opened in the house. In chapter 13 after He had spoken the parables, He comes into the house and the disciples come and ask Him to expound the parable of the sower. Then He opens up to them the truth of the assembly. He would have them to be as householders. At the end of chapter 17, He is again in the house. Peter comes to Him about the tribute. The Lord anticipates Simon in the house, saying, “Then are the sons free”. He brings in divine resources to relieve from bondage. How are we as to the light of it? The freedom has to be maintained. One piece of money is enough, “for me and thee”. In the course of instruction with regard to the house we are brought into liberty with Christ. This woman is in liberty in Simon’s house.
We get the anointing on the head in both gospels, Matthew and Mark, “God’s dispensation” (1 Timothy 1: 4) has reference to the house. In Matthew it is the administration of the house. When God dispenses His bounty the service used must not be after the flesh, but as the Lord shows the pattern. This woman’s memorial would keep us from that, both in administration and in service, in teaching and preaching. 1 Timothy is to teach us how to behave in the house of God. So 1 Timothy 3: 16 says, “The mystery of piety is great. God has been manifested in flesh ... has been received up in glory”. The house has that in view.
John’s record does not attach any memorial to the anointing. He has the locality in view. The house was filled with the odour of the ointment, but there is no memorial mentioned. John has in view passing over into the spiritual realm. John’s gospel has no Supper, and no baptism, for all is inside.
“What this woman has done shall be also spoken of for a memorial of her”. There could be no greater distinction than to have one’s name tacked on to the gospel by the Lord Himself.
Rem In Malachi “a book of remembrance” was to be written.
JT That is for Jehovah; He says, “And they shall be unto me a peculiar treasure”, Malachi 3: 17. “Wheresoever these glad tidings may be preached in the whole world, what this woman has done shall be also spoken of for a memorial of her”. The fact that the name is not given makes it evident that it is the thing she did that was to be the memorial. Where there is an administration connected with the Lord you give the anointing a place. This saves us from a radical spirit, putting all on the same level.
Ques What is the difference between Mark’s account and Matthew’s account?
JT Mark makes much of the house too, but more in connection with the gospel, with teaching and preaching. Mark says, “What she could she has done”. She breaks the flask too in Mark. In both gospels she pours it upon His head. In John you get the exact measure and the exact price, three hundred denarii. Mark says “more than three hundred denarii”, and Matthew says “much”. All the house gets the benefit.
Ques Why is it His feet in John, and His head in the other gospels?
JT Anointing the Lord’s feet refers to the Lord carrying Himself to the grave. Not like Peter, of whom it was said, “another shall gird thee, and bring thee where thou dost not desire”, John 21: 18. This is John’s way of presenting the truth of the Lord’s death. The woman is intelligent. It is not here a question of His Person or His office but rather that He was going out through death.
Ques Does the breaking of the flask [p. 325] speak of committal?
SJBC We are to be subject to the claim of one Person only, in the Lord’s interests. Barnabas exercised a claim over Mark which really detached him from the Lord’s interests.
Rem “The house was filled with the odour of the ointment”.
JT All get the good of an intelligent spiritual service rendered to the Lord in the way of giving thanks, or whatever it may be, “Suffer her to have kept this” (in John); “done it for my burying” (Matthew); “she has beforehand anointed my body” (Mark). In John she had thought of it long before. Affection thinks of Him as dying. Burial is what touches your heart. Death and burial go together, resurrection speaks of joy. Others bring spices after He died. She had really preserved what she might have expended on herself. It was the outcome of thoughtfulness beforehand. John brings out the spirituality and affection which were there. Angels can have no such appreciation of the Lord; they are not called upon to go through death.
Ques Was it customary to anoint a person in this way?
JT No. She had seen His power in the resurrection of her brother, and now she sees Him as the One who was about to die, although He had no need to. The thought in her soul in keeping this pound of ointment was His going out in death, and it was to be a real death. She had heard Him groan; she had seen Him weep. She has really now transferred her affection from Lazarus to Christ, the One who raised Lazarus. Death coming into our families greatly helps us in the apprehension of the Lord’s death.
Rem She really went with Him.
JT This is the last of her as far as records go. There is no memorial of her mentioned. She has gone into another world after Christ; she is not seen at the grave. The other woman’s memorial is for us, in order that we should become like her, and not be subject to any leader after the flesh. How important it is to have things measured, “In the assembly I desire to speak five words with my understanding, that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue” (1 Corinthians 14: 19), namely, things are to be spiritually measured and suitably expressed, I would not accept Judas’ estimate of it. It is remarkable how John pours supreme contempt on the spirit of the man, “Not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief and had the bag, and carried what was put into it”. Even in service, or in addressing the Lord we should be measured. You do not go beyond that. She waited her opportunity when they made Him a supper. John always takes advantage to pour supreme contempt on Judas’ estimate. Measure too makes room for others. It speaks of the preciousness and rarity of the gift. It could only be done under the influence of such an One; One who was going into death. The apostle Paul said, “If ye should have ten thousand instructors in Christ” (it is astonishing how men have heaped to themselves teachers!), “yet not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the glad tidings”, 1 Corinthians 4: 15, and “I desire to speak five words with my understanding ... than ten thousand words in a tongue”, 1 Corinthians 14: 19.
Rem “This is my beloved Son”; that was the Father’s description of His Son. God cannot say more than that.