John 11:54-12:1-8
“Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but
went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim,
and there he stayed with the disciples.” (John 11:54 ESV) We need to understand that this solitude was
not because He feared death, but was a time to prepare for His death. It was a time to pour more truth into twelve
men, and one of them He knew would betray Him.
If you examine the life of Jesus after His ministry began, you will see
a pattern of solitude; an example is found in Matthew 14:23, “And after he had
dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,” this
is the account of feeding five thousand.
This account of Jesus withdrawing to a quiet place is common in the
gospels, and we often forget how popular Jesus was. Do you recall this event, the return of the
twelve after Jesus had sent them out two by two, and they were telling Jesus
all that had happen. “And he said to
them, “Come
away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many
were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.” (Mark
6:31)
Now it was Passover time and many of the Jews came from all
over to Jerusalem to purify themselves.
And the talk of the town was, will Jesus show-up and the chief priest
and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew of His whereabouts they were
to tell them so they could arrest Him.
Six days until Passover and Jesus and the twelve show-up in
Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus raised from the dead. So they had a dinner party with Martha
serving and Lazarus was one of the ones reclining with Jesus at the table. It was at that time that Mary took a pound of
expensive ointment and anointed the feet of Jesus. It was at this point that Judas Iscariot showed
his true colors in that he ask why would Mary waste such ointment on Jesus when
he could have sold it and given it to the poor?
(Note: Judas, like many in our government did not give a hoot for the poor,
he was a thief, and thieves like to be in charge of the money, and like Judas,
they often steal from the money bag.)
This was Jesus reply to Judas in this manner; “Leave
her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. The poor you always have with you, but you do
not always have me.” (John 12:7,8,)
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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