Mark 12:41-44 (NRSV)
He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
Jesus takes a seat across from the most important thing in the temple. Nobody actually admits this, but then as now a fair bit of grace is given in the way people live out their faith, but, there is zero tolerance for anyone who messes with the money. Jesus has a crowd and they are delighted with him. The chief priests and teachers are enraged. An important distinction is made by Jesus though; he doesn't condemn the wealthy who give generously or take issue with the gathering of gifts for the purpose of supporting the temple. This isn't going to be about greedy religiosity today. Instead he explains that we should give with our hearts fully engaged. The widow had two pennies and she gave it all. Jesus had a life and he gave it all. I think he's asking us to at least stop grumbling when we're asked to give some.
As Jesus was leaving the temple a disciple (probably one of those rubes from the sticks who is easily impressed by his first trip to the big city) starts going on about how wonderful it all is. Jesus replies by painting a fairly awful picture of what the end of things looks like. At the end of this prophetic message he tells the disciples, who aren't even aware that he is leaving, that he'll be back. Always...Jesus brings hope. All you have to do is watch for it.
Mark 14:1-10 (NRSV)
It was two days before the Passover and the festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him; for they said, “Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people.”
While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. But some were there who said to one another in anger, “Why was the ointment wasted in this way? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.”
This anointing was a big deal. No one had any idea how much Jesus deserved to be honored in such a way. They also wouldn't know until later just how poignant and sad this moment is. As a songwriter I can tell you that some songs come easy and some songs cost me dearly. The dear songs are like alabaster jars full of the perfume of my wretchedness - all made holy and perfect as it is poured out for him. God remembers his people. He hasn't forgotten you.
Mark 14:11 (NRSV)
Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. When they heard it, they were greatly pleased, and promised to give him money. So he began to look for an opportunity to betray him.
0 comments:
Post a Comment