Good Friday

Stafford Greer, Lead Site Pastor

“Preaching without spiritual aroma is like a rose without fragrance. We can only get the perfume by getting more of Christ.” - A.B. Simpson

When I was younger, just emerging and clumsily navigating the transition from child to teen, I raided the toiletries cabinet in my parents bathroom; in an effort to appear ‘grown up,’ I literally applied my father’s cologne before heading off to school. Thinking I was stealthy, I vastly underestimated the potency of cologne in the clumsy hands of a 13-yr old. Somehow, my mother quickly picked up on my bathroom raid and questioned if I was indeed wearing my dad’s, Stetson cologne. Baffled by how she knew, I had to confess. My scent had betrayed my actions.Mark 14 tells the story of Jesus’ anointing at Bethany by an unnamed woman. The whole scene is a reversal of norms and expectations for the day: Jesus is attending a party, “reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper” (Mk. 14:3). The religious establishment objected to Jesus’ table manners and the company he kept. He ate with outcasts and sinners. Not only that, Simon, due to his leprosy, would have been banned from the temple as well as full participation in the community of Israel. While everyone is breaking bread, and dipping into olive oil and enjoying the evening, a woman crashes the party, breaks the alabaster jar of expensive nard (worth WAY more than my dad’s Steston cologne), and pours the whole thing over Jesus’ head.

John’s gospel records that “The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume” (Jn 12:3). No joke! That would have been overwhelming! The price of the perfume caught the disciples off guard, “saying indignantly, ‘Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.’ And they rebuked her harshly” (Mk 14:4-5).

Here was a woman who broke into the company of men, not carrying food from the kitchen, but carrying the most expensive perfume of the ancient world. She took it upon herself to anoint Jesus during the meal. The disciples - the ones who should have understood Jesus the best - didn’t get it. But this woman did. 

J.C. Ryle wrote of her, “She did it so liberally and profusely that ‘the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.’ She did it under the influence of a heart full of love and gratitude. She thought nothing too great and good to bestow on the Saviour. Sitting at His feet in days gone by, and hearing His words, she had found peace for her conscience, and pardon for her sins… Having freely received, she freely gave.”

The disciples were indignant, but Jesus was having none of it: “Leave her alone… she has done a beautiful thing to me” (Mk. 14:6). Jesus would then continue  "Truly I tell you , wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her” (Mk 14:9). Aroma was part of worship of the Hebrews (and continues throughout Christian worship practices today); the altar of incense would be placed in front of the veil as the priests would offer sacrifices at the temple. Smells trigger memories: a whiff of fresh baked bread, wood chips, coffee and even laundry detergent trigger strong memories and strong emotions. When I would hug my daughter after a significant time away at school or away over the summer at camp, she would exclaim, “You smell like daddy.” Memories. Comfort. Emotions. All come back instantly.

In a day where daily baths or showers were not a thing, the smell of this perfume would have lingered everywhere Jesus went. I could imagine that people would walk into rooms and the lingering scent would instantly bring to mind this woman’s actions. I wonder if in the days and years after this moment, those who were in the room at Simon the Lepers house, whenever they caught a whiff of that perfume were instantly transported back to that scene of extravagant love poured out over the messiah? Jesus entered the world smelling like… a barnyard? Straw, animals, shepherds? He left the world smelling like perfume.

As followers of Jesus, we approach Good Friday remembering Jesus’ sacrifice and love poured out for the world. We have received newness of life, forgiveness of sins, and reconciliation with God and man through his actions, and as such we share in his fragrance. And the more time we spend with him, the more fragrant we become.

Let’s gather together this Easter weekend to worship and celebrate what the Lord has done for us! Information about all Easter weekend events can be found on the events tab of the RockPointe website.

Grace and peace to you.

Stafford