John 12:1-11
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
12 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”
9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.
Even though Judas Iscariot was with Jesus and as close as he was to his Teacher, he somehow did not recognize Him for who He is...And even if Judas was the least closest of the Twelve, he could daily see His Miracles and listen to His Teachings about God and Himself for His entire ministry...So Jesus' close friend, whom He trusted and who He had made a disciple, and who He had shared bread with, would lift up his heel against the One who had come to earth to save the world from sin...And satan entered into him, the one who would betray Jesus...
In one of the few discourses with Judas, we learn that Judas is concerned for the treasury...Being in charge of the moneybag Judas would help himself to what was put into it...It is written that six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead...So the family gave a dinner for Him there...Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table...Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair...The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume...But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples (he who was about to betray Him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”...He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it...Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial...For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have Me.”...
Judas must not have been convinced that Jesus was the Anointed One from God...That He had authority from God...That Jesus was the One who fulfilled Old Testament prophecy of the Prophet that was to come...And that Jesus always spoke the Truth...Judas must have lacked faith in the Messiah and thought of Him as only a Teacher and failed to recognize the Divinity in Him...
Let us pray that we do not lack faith, and that we can recognize the One who called Himself the Son of God and the Son of Man...Jesus spoke many times of His relationship to His Father...Jesus and the Father are One...If you have seen Jesus, you have seen the Father...Judas must have not understood that Jesus came from God, full of Grace and Truth, and did many miracles to help show His Divinity...He certainly saw most, if not all of them...Because if we fail to see that Jesus is Divine, we have no one else to go to...Jesus has the Words of Eternal Life....Where else would we go to learn about eternal life, if we do not believe in Jesus?...For salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we can be saved...God has given proof of this to everyone by raising Jesus from the dead...And although we are sure about the timing of Judas' death and Jesus' resurrection, we as believers know that Jesus has risen...God has set a day when He will judge the world with Perfect Justice by the Man He has appointed...