Last Week Matthew 26

I. The Plot against Jesus, Matthew 26:1-5
II. Jesus anointed at Bethany, Matthew 26:6-13

Matthew 26:6-9
Bethany was a small village about 2 miles southeast of the Mount of Olives. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus had their home there. The village was close enough to Jerusalm that Jesus and His disciples would often spend the night in Bethany and walk to Jerusalm the following morning. (Mark 11:1,12).
Bethany was also home to Simon the Leper. We don't know much about him. He is mentioned only here and in the parallel passage in Mark 14:3. In Jesus' day leprosy was a term for a wide range of skin diseases. Some were not contagious others were relatively minor, allowing a person to fully recover. Other's like we call leprosy today were both contagious and deadly. Either type of disease made the ill person unclean. (Lev. 13:3). Leprosy made the leper's whole house unclean as well. The disciples surely would have objected to eating in such a household but no objection is recorded.

1. What might have been Jesus' relationship to Simon? (Jesus possibly had healed him.)

2. What might have prompted Simon to invite Jesus to dinner? (possibly to show appreciation for help)

During dinner a woman approached Jesus. This woman was Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus of Bethany.
I find it interesting that in John 12:1-8 does not mention the house of Simon the Leper but does mention Mary and in Matthew it does not name the woman. Perhaps he felt that her act was more important that her identity.
She carried a very expensive alabaster jar of very expensive perfume.

Alabaster from Egypt was a crystalline form of calcium carbonate. The fine, pure white appearance of such a vessel is consistent with very expensive contents. The perfume in the jar is literally “myrrh”. Myrrh was one of the gifts brought to the baby Jesus by the wise men. (Matthew 2:11). It was valuable, highly aromatic substance used in oils and perfumes. The people of Jesus' day commonly included myrrh as one of the “spices and perfumes” used to prepare a body for burial. (Luke 23:56). The cost of the perfume was equivalent to a years worth of wages. (Mark 4:5).
3. How do we know when extravagant devotion in proper?
4. How do you think the disciples might have felf about the anointing after Jesus was crucified? (The cost of perfume was comparable to the cost of properly anointing a body for burial).

Matthew 26:10-12

Jesus appreciated the woman's great gift and referred to her action as a beautiful thing because:
a. The value of the gift revealed the great value she placed on Jesus. She was expressing her love in a appropriate, sacrificial way.
b. Her thoughtfullness and expression of love prepared Him for the hard times ahead. Her service fit into the unfolding plan of God.
c. It provided an example for the church.

Why did Jesus need special understanding and comforting at this particular time?
a. He was facing His darkest hours. Death was imminent.
b. He knew she was the only one who prepare his body for the grave.
c. He knew the one disciple would betray Him, another deny Him, and all desert Him.


5. How do we show love to people who are facing dark days?
6. What are some areas in your/our own lives that demand great sacrifice? (new building, mission trip, ect.)
7. What is the difference between busy work and genuine service? How do we guard against busywork?
8. Which is more important being devoted to Christ of having factual knowledge of Him? (Jesus commended devotion more than knowledge of Him, which is what the disciples had. Though they had been with Him three years, none had preformed such an act of devotion as this.

Matthew 26:13
9. Why did Jesus choose to honor this woman along with His gospel message? (The woman provided a perfect example for us to follow. What she did was more important tha who she was.) 10. What effect do you think Jesus' comments had on the disciples?
11. What can we do to show our devotion to Christ?
12. How can our devotion or lack of it, affect the lives of believers and unbelievers with whom we come in contact with?

List in the margin of your Spirtual Journal the names of people or a person who inspired you to a greater height of service.
How has that person's actions inspired you to express your love for Jesus?

If I were to die tonight, an appropriate memorial for me would be________________________________________. (How about a living memorial by leading someone to the Lord.)

What occupies most of our time and out thoughts on a day to day basis? Job, school, relationships, spouse, kids, ect. Maybe some of all of these and even more. Common everyday events in our lives can easily detract us from giving attention to the Lord, making it difficult to express our love for Him.
Like the woman in todays lesson, we need to take stock in our priorities in life. She had here priorities right. Spending time with Jesus and expressing our love for Him not only impacts our lives, but it also inspires other believers to express their love for Jesus.