Yesterday, Jim made some profound observations about the woman with the alabaster box from Mark 14. If you didn;t get a chance to read it, I would encourage you to do so. Today, I’d like to springboard off of that post and share Matthew 26, which tells about the same event.

Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her. Matthew 26:6-13 (KJV)

If you read in both accounts (Matthew and Mark), scripture tells us that this occurred just two days before passover. Given that the crucifixion took place on Passover, we know that she poured this perfumed oil on his head just a couple days before His death. After all, He said she was preparing Him for burial. The oil likely was distributed liberally through His hair and ran down onto his neck and shoulders. One could logically conclude that everywhere Jesus turned His head, He smelled that perfume.

Personal hygiene was handled differently in those days and it is doubtful that Jesus had an opportunity to wash that perfume off before His death. Jim mentioned in his post that her act of worship encouraged the Lord while He was being tortured and killed. What he did not say was that it is very possible that, as Jesus endured the pain and suffering, the aroma of her sacrifice was still present on His body.

Blood has a very distinct, sickening smell- you might call it the smell of death. As Jesus was mercilessly beaten and His blood flowed, the stench of blood was in the air, mingled with the sweat from those who whipped and abused Him. How precious to Jesus was the ability to turn His head as He was being brutalized, and even while He was on the cross, and smell the remnants of the sweet perfume of her worship in His hair and on his shoulders. While the odors of death penetrated the atmosphere, Jesus could catch the scent of her love-filled adoration. Yes, the perfume cost a year’s wages and was very valuable- but its real value in comforting our Savior in His darkest hour truly cannot be measured.

Today, what do you have to give the Savior? Will it be your best? Will it be something that cost you dearly? As Jim said yesterday, let’s give our all for the One who gave His all for us. Can I get an amen?