The Man Judas

The Lord said to me…”I will test my people with a Plumbline, Amos 7:8 (TLB)

The Plumbline is a blog to bring hope and encourage to the Body of Christ.

The Man Judas

Jesus went to Bethany about a week before the Passover. Bethany was the hometown of Lazarus whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Martha made preparations for meal to be served. Lazarus was one of a number who had joined Jesus at the table for supper. Mary moved toward Jesus while taking a pound of expensive spikenard and anointed the feet of Jesus and whipped His feet with her hair. Immediately the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. What a beautiful act of worship this represents.

But not everybody was impressed with Mary’s sacrifice of worship. One of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, the one who would one day betray Jesus the Christ, made this statement; “Why was this fragrant oil not sold which was worth a year’s wages and the money given to the poor?” The truth is, Judas didn’t really care about the poor because the Bible tells us he was a thief and the treasurer of the moneybox and helped himself to what was put in it.

I’m sure you have picked-up on the contrast of heart between Mary and Judas. The Holy Spirit has stunningly unveiled in this passage Mary’s spirit of generosity, and Judas’ spirit of selfishness.

Why did Mary do this? Why did she give such an extravagant generous gift to the Lord? Judas defined the value of her gift, a sum of money, equivalent to a whole year’s wages. Think of it, the perfume was irretrievably poured out. It was all gone. Why was Judas so bent-out-of-shape? After all it wasn’t his money.

This incident zero’s in on the fact, wherever you find generosity, you’ll find selfishness scrambling for supremacy. This is an ongoing challenge in our own hearts. We need to make periodic checkups regarding our condition – am I generous or am I selfish? Our self-examination we help us to determine which one of these is in control. What rules you, generous or selfish?

John 12:1-8 (NKJV) 1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. 2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. 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. 4 Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said, 5 "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the moneybox; and he used to take what was put in it. 7 But Jesus said, "Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. 8 For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always."