Bible Reading
Mark 14:3 — “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.”
[07:07]Mark 14:4-5 — “But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, ‘Why was this fragrant oil wasted? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.’ And they criticized her sharply.”
[31:17]Mark 14:6 — “But Jesus said, ‘Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me.’”
[36:37]Mark 14:7 — “For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always.”
[41:28]Mark 14:8 — “She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.”
[21:31]Mark 14:9 — “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.”
[41:28]John 12:1-2 — “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.”
[08:53]John 12:3 — “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.”
[19:10]John 12:4-6 — “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.”
[27:33]John 12:7-8 — “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.’”
1 Corinthians 5:7 — “Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.”
[05:13]Romans 5:8 — “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
[50:19]Observation questions
- What details in Mark 14 and John 12 show the contrast between Mary’s response to Jesus and the response of Judas and the other disciples? [21:31]
- What did Mary do to the alabaster flask, and why does breaking it make her offering appear complete rather than partial? [16:58]
- According to John 12:6, what was Judas’s stated reason for criticizing Mary, and what was the real condition of his heart? [27:33]
- What does Jesus call Mary’s act in Mark 14:6, and what two reasons does He give for it in verses 7-8? [36:37]
Interpretation questions
- Christ was crucified at Passover, and 1 Corinthians 5:7 calls Him “our Passover.” What does this timing show about God’s control over the cross, even while religious leaders and Judas made sinful choices? [05:43]
- Mary’s offering was not an attempt to earn salvation but a response to Jesus’ mercy and love. How does that distinction help a believer tell the difference between worship that flows from grace and religious activity that tries to earn God’s favor? [17:27]
- Jesus does not dismiss care for the poor in Mark 14:7, yet He tells the disciples not to miss the unique moment before them. How can believers faithfully care for people in need without allowing busy service to replace love and attention toward Jesus? [37:29]
- Judas used compassionate-sounding words to cover greed. What makes it possible for pride, greed, or selfishness to sound responsible or spiritual, and how might those motives eventually show up in a person’s choices? [28:47]
Application questions
- Mary saw Jesus as worth everything, while Judas looked at Jesus and asked what he could get from Him. In this season of life, where are you most tempted to treat Jesus mainly as a way to get something you want rather than as your greatest treasure? [30:17]
- The broken flask pictured a life with nothing held back. Is there an area—money, time, career plans, relationships, comfort, reputation, or a private habit—that you tend to keep in reserve rather than surrendering to Christ? What would a faithful next step look like? [17:14]
- Genuine worship fills the house; it affects the people nearby. What would it look like for your love for Christ to bring a clearer “fragrance” into your home, workplace, school, or church this week? [19:43]
- Judas’s concern for the poor sounded noble, but it hid a heart ruled by greed. Are there explanations you have used to protect a selfish choice, avoid obedience, or make a wrong attitude sound wise? How can you bring that honestly before Jesus? [28:50]
- Jesus said Mary “has done what she could.” What has God already placed in your hands—an opportunity to pray, serve, encourage, give, share Christ, or obey—that you may be overlooking because you cannot do everything? [39:17]
- Judas was physically near Jesus for years without truly surrendering his heart. What habits of outward Christianity can make it easier to appear close to Jesus while avoiding real heart-level surrender? [49:20]
- Jesus knew every hidden heart and still willingly went to the cross for sinners. How does Romans 5:8 give hope when you become aware of sin, mixed motives, or brokenness in your own heart? [50:19]
