After two days it was the Passover and [the Feast] of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put [Him] to death. 2 But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people.” 3 And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured [it] on His head. 4 But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? 5 “For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply. 6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. 7 “For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. 8 “She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. 9 “Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” 10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them. 11 And when they heard [it], they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.

– Mark 14:1-11 (NKJV)

There were those who were seeking to put Jesus to death. These men were ready to silence Jesus for good. In their perverse minds there was only one way to bring the public ministry of Jesus to a close… murder. They were careful though, they didn’t want a public uproar so they had decided that when the opportunity presented itself, they would do it privately. The scene is set. If anyone, such as Judas were to betray Jesus, there is opportunity.

In the middle of the festivities Jesus and his disciples recline at a table for dinner and as they do a woman pours a costly vial of perfume on Jesus’ feet. It is an extravagant show of honor and hints at worship. This is where the signs of division appear. Some (Judas) see that what the woman did was a waste. They suppose the money could have been better spent on the poor. There is a difference of opinion.

Can that be true? Is money spent on the honor of Jesus a waste? Is it better spent on the poor? Is that our mission, to feed the poor?

Jesus interjects. He defends the woman. She was right. He won’t always be around. Her sacrifice is appreciated. There will always be poor people until Jesus comes. The primary focus should be on Jesus. (the church should learn well from this, even in our benevolence the aim is to honor Jesus). There is a mild rebuke.

This is where Judas should have fallen on his face in repentance. This is where he should have noted that they will always have the poor. This is where he should have thanked Jesus for the mild rebuke and correction. This is where the story could have been different but it isn’t because sin had grabbed hold of Judas’ heart. He was like Cain in Genesis chapter 4 when the Lord rejected his sacrifice. His heart was hardened and evil entered his heart like never before. Judas leaves out the door to betray Jesus.

We like to be shocked at Judas. We wonder out loud about who could do such a thing, but the truth is that we are all capable. Like Cain and Judas, we all are capable of taking offense when someone corrects our ideas of worship. We all have the capacity to want to worship God in our own terms and in ways that WE think are appropriate. We have the capacity to be master craftsmen in our fallen logic and presume the guilt of those who are worshipping Jesus honestly.

We should examine our hearts when our logic is confronted with loving truth and mild rebukes. These things are given us for our good. It’s when our hearts fail to receive loving correction that we realize we aren’t really seeking Jesus after all. How do you receive mild correction?

Father, We love you and want to grow in knowledge of you and your word. We are grateful for those you place in our lives who point us to your truth. We are grateful for the many wonderful examples we see of your truth lived out among us. We are grateful for teachers and role models who help us grow in our faith. Guard our hearts from pride, error, and narcissism that would seek to hijack our offerings and ideas of worship to make it more about us than it is about you. Let us love you freely and truthfully with all of our hearts that we might glory in good, sincere, right, and true correction. Give us discernment as we apply your word to our lives. In Jesus Name, Amen.