Then, six days before the
Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He
had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but
Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound
of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet
with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”
Family
Discussion:
Look up other passages in the Bible that discuss “anointing with oil”. Research and learn what you can about the origin and meaning of this custom.
** THINK ABOUT IT**
Wouldn’t it have been wonderful to be a guest at Martha and Mary’s house the night they prepared supper for Jesus! Martha served the meal and Mary anointed His feet with oil. Oh how they must have loved Him! What joy and comfort they must have felt just to bask in His presence.
Sadly, not all the guests who sat with Jesus treasured the precious moments. Instead, one particular guest treasured money more than he did Jesus. It is called covetousness when someone loves money more than they love spiritual things, or more than they love souls or the well being of other people. Judas loved money more than he did Jesus. In fact, Judas stole money from Jesus and the other disciples. Judas wished that he could have taken the expensive oil that Mary used to anoint Jesus and sell it. His greed kept him from appreciating or understanding how important it was to honor Jesus.
TRUE OR FALSE
1. Jesus went to Bethany 6 days before Pentecost.
2. Lazarus, the one who had been raised from the dead, was in Bethany.
3. Martha served supper to Jesus.
4. Lazarus sat at the table and ate with Jesus.
5. Our lesson text says that Mary washed the dishes.
6. Mary used a very costly soap called Spikenard to wash Jesus feet.
7. Mary wiped Jesus’ feet with her hair.
8. The house was filled with the fragrance of the Spikenard.
9. Judas complained because Mary wiped Jesus’ feet with her hair.
10. Jesus told Judas to let Mary alone.
~~MATCH~~
11. Martha __ Box
12. Lazarus __ Simon’s son
13. Costly oil __ Feet of Jesus
14. Anointed __ Denarii
15. Judas Iscariot __ Sat
16. Three hundred __ Served
17. Money __ Of Spikenard
‘ ‘ ‘CRACK THE CODE ’ ’ ‘
V=B M=E J=S K=A N=T Z=R C=H L=I
VAN BMJAJ JKLP, “DMN CMZ KIWFM; JCM CKJ YMGN NCLJ UWZ NCM PKQ WU HQ VAZLKI....”