MARY’S LOVE AND DEVOTION

Mark 14:1-11

Key Verse: 14:3

 

 

 

1.      Read verses 1-2. What did the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread commemorate (Dt 16:1,16)? What did this Passover mean to Jesus? (1Co 5:7) What were the religious leaders plotting? Why did they need to plot so slyly?

 

1Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him. 2"But not during the Feast," they said, "or the people may riot."

 

<Dt 16:1,16> 1 Observe the month of Abib and celebrate the Passover of the LORD your God, because in the month of Abib he brought you out of Egypt by night. 16 Three times a year all your men must appear before the LORD your God at the place he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles. No man should appear before the LORD empty-handed:

 

<1Co 5:7> 7Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.      Read verses 3-5. What happened at the dinner table? What might have motivated this woman to do this? How did those present react to this woman's action? What does their reaction reveal about them? 

 

3While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. 4Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, "Why this waste of perfume? 5It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor." And they rebuked her harshly.

 

3.      Read verses 6-9. How did Jesus view her action? What do you learn about Jesus? What is important about the timing of the woman’s action? How did Jesus draw her action into gospel history?

 

6"Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.      Read verses 10-11. Who was Judas Iscariot? In what way was he a contrast to this woman? What do you think motivated him to betray Jesus? (1Ti 6:10; Jn12:6)

 

10Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. 11They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

 

<1Ti 6:10> 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

 

<Jn 12:6> 6He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.      Think about whether you are a Judas-like disciple or Mary-like disciple. What precious things do you have and to whom or to what do you devote them?