The Last Anointing by Mary Magdalene.
1. NOW, on the evening (of the Sabbath) before the Passover, as Iesus was in Bethany he went to the house of Simon (the leper) and there they made him a supper, and Martha served while Lazarus was one of them that sat at table with him.
2. And there came Mary (called Magdalene) having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard, very precious and costly, and she opened the box and poured the ointment on the head of Iesus, and anointed his feet, and wiped them with the hair of her head
3. Then said one among his disciples (Judas Iscariot) who was to betray him,
Why is this waste of ointment which might have been sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor?
And this he said not that he cared for the poor but because he was filled with jealousy and greed, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. And they murmured against her.
4. And Iesus said,
Let her alone, why trouble ye her? For she hath done all she could; yea, she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor always with you, but me ye have not always. She hath anointed my body for the day of my burial.
5. And verily, I say unto you, wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world there shall also be told this that she hath done for a memorial of her.
6. Then entered Satan into the heart of Judas Iscariot and he went his way and communed with the chief priests and captains how he might betray him. And they were glad and covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver (the price of a slave) and he promised them, and after that sought opportunity to betray him.
7. And at that time Iesus said to his disciples
Preach ye unto all the world, saying, Strive to receive the mysteries of Light, and enter into the Kingdom (of Light) for now is the accepted time and now is the day of Salvation.
8. Put ye not off from day to day, and from cycle to cycle and eon to eon, in the belief, that when ye return to this world ye will succeed in gaining the mysteries, and entering into the Kingdom (of Light).
9. For ye know not when the number of perfected souls shall be filled up, and then will be shut the gates of the Kingdom (of Light) and from hence none will be able to come in thereby, nor will any go forth.
10. Strive ye that ye may enter while the calls is made, until the number of perfected souls shall be sealed and complete, and the door is shut.[1]
LECTION 65. 2. -It has been supposed by some, and not without some reason from the words of the Gospel, that envy and jealousy, and not greed of money, were the cause of Iudas' treachery, because he desired Mary Magdalene, and she had given all her love and devotion to her Master. This inner feeling seems to be concealed beneath the cloak of zeal for the poor. "From that hour he sought to betray him." It is as probable that all three motives urged him, as they do the multitudes nowadays, who grudge magnificence of architecture, music, etc., under the cloak of "unity." "These things ought ye to have done and not left the other undone." But such show their hypocrisy by their reckless contributions to war, and to all manner of pleasures and amusements and luxuries which minister to self. By the spirit of Iudas Iscariot are all such led and dominated.
Read: Pisitis Sophia ch. 125