Spy Wednesday: Matthew 26:6-16
This Wednesday of Holy Week we’ll remember a couple of events which illustrate two extreme reactions to Jesus.
Take a moment to quiet yourself and become aware of Jesus’ presence with you. When you are ready read Matthew 26:6-13.
Matthew and Mark both write of a woman who enters Simon the house of Leper and pours expensive perfume over Jesus’ head. This seems to be a separate event from those described in Luke’s and John’s Gospels in which “a sinful woman (Luke)” and “Mary of Bethany (John)” respectively anoint Jesus’ feet.
Matthew doesn’t tell us anything about the woman in this story, but her gesture speaks volumes. Either she has been around Jesus enough to hear and believe what he said about his death, or she is especially close to God and sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Either way, it is she who declares by her actions that Jesus is King and that what he said will come to pass.
This woman has a singular focus. So great is her love for Jesus that she boldly enters someone else’s house and in an extravagant act of devotion she freely pours out her treasure over Jesus.
Stop to imagine this scene using all of your physical senses. Take notice of your reactions as you see, hear, taste, touch and smell. Then take a while to let Jesus speak to you through the actions of the woman.
Read Matthew 26:14-16 with all of this in mind.
We know a few things about Judas from Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus chose him to be one of the twelve male disciples, and he was with Jesus from very early on in Jesus’ ministry. Matthew also tells us that Judas had been looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus. Either he became disillusioned when Jesus didn’t meet his expectations, or Judas allowed envy or some other destructive emotion to blind him to Jesus’ divinity. Whatever the case, by his actions Judas now declares that Jesus is not to be trusted and not to be believed.
Judas’ singular focus is to expose Jesus. In an act of complete duplicity, he solicits earthly treasure from the religious leaders and pours out his contempt over Jesus.
Take a moment to imagine the inner narrative and accompanying emotions that drove Judas to the ultimate betrayal.
Our reaction to Jesus is never neutral. We will either open up to his truth and transforming power or we will allow the seeds of apathy, doubt and disillusionment to drive us apart from him.
Get quiet and contemplate the reactions of the woman and Judas to Jesus. Then listen to see what Jesus might say to you about your own reactions to him.
Is there anything Jesus is calling you to do or do differently today?
Will you?
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