Hello my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends,
We’re now a little more than 3 weeks away from Easter 2026, and as you know, recently I’ve been trying to lead us on a chronological journey with Jesus. We’ve been following Jesus and His disciples through the Gospels toward Passover/Easter weekend. Yesterday we were in the ancient, historic city of Jericho.
Yes, this is the very same Jericho of the famous story with Joshua when the Hebrews walked around the city once each day for six days, and then on the seventh day seven times…, and the Jericho city walls fell and the city was captured, remember? (Joshua 6) That event would have taken place about 1400 years BEFORE Jesus healed blind Bartimaeus in Jericho. (Mark 10:46-52)
And this is the very same Jericho you could visit today in Israel, although it is in what is called “the West Bank” thus under Palestinian control and not easily accessible to Christians or Jews. Jericho is a few miles northwest of the Dead Sea in a very rugged, dry region of Israel. The Jericho Road, going west to Jerusalem, winds its way about 17 miles through very rugged, dry canyons and what some would call ‘a wasteland’. Little grows here, for rain is rare.
It’s a steady climb from Jericho, about 850 ft BELOW sea level, to Jerusalem about 2500 feet ABOVE sea level! Jesus once told a parable about the “good Samaritan” coming to the rescue of a traveler attacked by bandits along this road, do you remember? (Luke 10:25-37) If you walk or even drive today this rugged Jericho road, especially in the heat of the day, it’s not difficult to imagine bandits jumping from their hiding places along the cliffs, on either side of the Jericho road.
I assume there was likely a small crowd walking along with Jesus and His disciples toward Jerusalem. Why? Well, considering the two events we’ve witnessed in Jericho, don’t you suppose people would walk along with Jesus waiting to see what He might do next? Perhaps formerly blind Bartimaeus was walking with them, excited to be going to Jerusalem, maybe for the first time in his life to experience Passover in Jerusalem, this time SEEING this spectacular event.
John tells us people in Jerusalem were wondering where Jesus was and if He’d risk His life by coming to Passover in Jerusalem? Why do I say, ‘risk His life’? Because as John records: “The chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so they might arrest Jesus.” (John 11:57) Jesus knew it, and His disciples suspected it, yet Jesus was determined to hike that Jericho Road with His disciples, heading for the Passover festival in Jerusalem. Nothing would deter Jesus from completing His mission here on earth.
Only a few days before Jesus had said to His disciples: “We are going to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock Him, insult Him and spit on Him, they will flog Him and kill Him. On the third day He will rise again.” (Luke 18:31-33) So what do you suppose they talked about with each other and with Jesus, as they walked this hot, dusty, Jericho Road, heading for Jerusalem?
John tells us, “Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.” (John 12:1) Bethany and Bethpage were two towns very near each other on the East side of the ridge of hills called “the Mount of Olives”, only a few miles from Jerusalem. During the approximately three years Jesus walked the roads of Israel speaking God’s Kingdom truth and doing the miracles which proved His identity as God incarnate, Jesus stopped often here at the home of His dear friends, sisters Mary, Martha and their brother Lazarus.
Yes, here, perhaps only a few weeks before, Jesus had called Lazarus out of his tomb, having been dead at least five days. Remember? (John 11) As Jesus and His disciples came closer, I’m sure their excitement for an evening with these friends was rising. Martha was a great cook, and time at this welcoming home was always a refreshing respite!
John tells us Jesus and His disciples were not disappointed: “Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with Jesus.” (John 12:1,2) You’ll remember, my friends, the tables were low and people reclined at the table rather than sitting in chairs. Meals were prolonged experiences, with lots of time for talking, laughter and often entertainment.
“Fast food” did not exist in Jewish culture in those days! We can safely imagine neighbors were peering in the windows wanting to get a glimpse of Jesus, the miracle worker, and the living phenomenon Lazarus, raised from the dead, reclining near each other at the table! (John 12:9)
John tells us suddenly the meal was interrupted by something surprising: “Mary took about a pint of pure nard, a very expensive perfume, and she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of this perfume.” (John 12:3) Oh my, what’s happening here? Nard, or ‘spikenard’, was a very rare and expensive oil perfume produced in the distant Himalayan mountains of northern India. It is mentioned several times in the Bible, usually in association with Kings or other royalty. (Song of Solomon 1:12; 4:13,14)
It is presumed nard was among the precious perfumes used to prepare Esther and other women for their encounter with the King. (Esther 2:12) It was also used as part of the care of the dead body of royalty, especially by the Egyptians, and thus may have been part of the care of both Jacob (Gen. 50:2,3) and Joseph (Gen. 50:26) when they died. And yes, it is presumed Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea may have used nard in preparing Jesus’ body for burial. (John 19:38-42)
Nard was extremely expensive, yet Mary had a container of almost a full pint and as she poured it on Jesus’ feet it was an outrageous expression of adoration, love, devotion, even worship. You’ll remember Mary and Martha had both declared their confidence that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God, when Jesus had come to Lazarus’ tomb. (John 11:27,32)
As Mary wiped Jesus’ perfume anointed feet with her hair it was a sign of profound humility and humble service. Pause. Can we see the significance of this moment near the end of Jesus’ life, as compared to a similar moment at the beginning of Jesus’ life when Magi from the east brought precious gifts and placed them before Mary and infant Jesus, as they worship what they understood to be the newborn “king of the Jews”? (Matt. 2:11,12)
Let’s pause here. Tomorrow, we’ll see that not everyone in the room was enamored with this moment. One person even objected! But for today, let’s enjoy this remarkable, outrageously generous expression of love and adoration of Jesus, and let’s add our own praise as we worship with the song I have found, at the link below.
Of course, “lessons learned” notes are ready for further study of this very significant evening in Jesus’ life. And let’s meet right back here tomorrow.
Today’s Scripture: John 12:1-3.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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