Matthew 26: 1-13 – Extravagant love

Jesus had completed His teaching and had begun moving toward the climax of His mission. He solemnly announced that He would soon be delivered over to death on a cross. His death would be connected to the Passover, for in reality, He would be the sacrificial lamb at the Passover. There would usually be widespread excitement among devout Jews at this feast because they expected the Messiah to appear. In this instant, the Messiah did appear, but not in the glorious manner many had expected. He would soon be shamefully humiliated and enthroned on a cross. As widespread volatility among the crowd, gathered in Jerusalem at this time, was expected, extra troops were usually assigned to Jerusalem to control any agitation.

Thus, the thicken plot to arrest Jesus had to be planned in secret. The chief priests and elders all felt politically challenged by Jesus and to them, His death was inevitable. He had defied their power and caught the imagination of the crowd, and He must not get away with it. They did not think He was a prophet, much less the Messiah. So they gathered at the hall of the High Priest Caiaphas to plot Jesus’ death. They had to plan carefully for they did not want any riot when they arrest Jesus, for the people already had great admiration for Him.

Here we are also told that Jesus was in Bethany, at a party in the house of Simon the leper. An unnamed woman came expressing her love and admiration, not merely in words but in action. She brought with her an alabaster vial of costly perfume, broke the box and poured the costly perfume over the head of Jesus. What an extravagant act of love! When one is truly captured by a true love for Jesus, extravagant admiration, adoration and adulation will be the natural outflow. Have we been there? More importantly, are we there?

The account was stained by the disciple’s misplaced focus. They did not see sense in that woman’s action and were angry with her. They felt that the perfume of such great cost should be sold, and the money received through the sale to be given to the poor. What they saw as a waste, to that woman, Jesus is worthy of her most expensive possession. Jesus, aware of the disciples’ uneasiness and grumbling, addressed their disquiet. He accepted her devotion and praised her action. They failed to see Jesus as the central figure. From the perspective of His coming suffering and death on the cross, she was indeed anointing Him for burial. Praising her, Jesus said her act of extravagance will be spoken of with each sharing of the Gospel. How so? The Gospel is about God’s extravagant love for us. God gave us His one and only begotten son - that’s extravagant love! Jesus poured out His life for us – that’s extravagant love! God sent His Spirit into our hearts to guide and empower us – that’s extravagant love!

The question each one of us must ask ourself is, “What is my alabaster vial of costly perfume that I must bring to freely pour on the Lord, to express my extravagant love for Him?” Don Moen puts it succinctly in his song to our wonderful, magnificent God. He said, “We offer our lives to You, Oh Lord, for everything You have given to us.”