108. Beginner Bible Course: Jesus is anointed, celebrated in the 'triumphal entry'

EPISODE 108  A simple Bible overview of...MARY ANOINTS JESUS, AND THE TRIUMPHANT ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM.

Look at the events in Jesus' life. The last week prior to the crucifixion, the gospel writers tell us it's Passover time. The city is jammed and everyone is talking about Jesus. The people wonder if he's going to show up and the Prius, those were the Sadducees and the Pharisees have word out. You see them, you better turn them in or else. Having traveled from Jericho, Jesus arrives in Bethany. Jesus was hosted at the home of Simon. The leper for dinner, we should say Simon, the former leper at some point, Simon had been healed and declared clean by the priests. You didn't go to a home of a leper with leprosy. There were considered unclean and that wasn't by the Pharisees with their hoity toity rules.

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That was God's rule in Leviticus. God, to care for his people issued the laws of quarantine for contagious diseases. Simon had been healed of this and the likely Culpeper was, it was the hand of Jesus that did it. You can understand why he threw the party and Lazarus and his sisters are there were told once again, no shocker. Martha's helping prepare the food. Meanwhile, Mary has other plans. She enters the room and breaks a flask of perfume. She pours it over Jesus' head and then moves to his feet and begins to anoint those as well. We're told it's pure Nard spike, Nard. It was a pungent essential oil.

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One that lasted, I'm guessing a very pleasant version of skunk spray made from the root of a plan in the Himalayas. It was extremely costly. It's spoken of in the song of Solomon, an essential oil that these lovers use to symbolize the best for each other. Some speculate. It may have been Mary's dowery. All. She really had a value and it was valuable 300 days wages for a common laborer. Laborers worked 12 hour days. And even at today's minimum wage that had been close to $30,000, several in the room object to this use of this perfume, Judas voices.

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The objection, why this waste ouch. This is the first time we hear from Judas Iscariot and the gospels he continues. This money could have been given to the poor were told Judas observation was not driven by compassion. It was driven by greed. It was Judas who carried the disciples money bag and he often helped himself to it. Which makes you ask the question, why would they choose Judas to carry their common money bag? I would have chosen Matthew he's the accountant. After all I asked my students, why would they choose Judas? Maybe because he was the one they trusted the most. This comment really upsets Jesus.

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Leave her alone. You'll always have the poor to help, but you won't have me. Mary has done this to prepare me for burial and she will be remembered forever for this deed. It's very likely this pungent Nard perfume, lingered on Jesus all the way through his crucifixion. After this dinner at Simon, the former lepers house, Jesus heads toward Jerusalem. He approaches Jerusalem from the East side, from the Mount of olives. There was a little Hamlet there, maybe just a wide spot in the road, but Jesus sends two of his disciples to pop in there on an errand. He tells them, you'll find a young Colt, a donkey there on tie it and bring it to me.

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If the owners ask what you're doing, just tell them the Lord has need of it. And they'll loan it to you. And that's precisely what happens. They on tie it, the owners ask, they give them the Lord's message and the owners nod their head. In episode 77, a study of the prophet Zachariah and his sticky note. Your King is coming. God gives Zachariah a very specific prophecy about how the Messiah would come to his temple in Jerusalem, Zachariah nine nine. Tell the daughter of Zion fear, not behold. Your King is coming to you, meek and mounted upon a donkey. Even a Colt, the foal of a donkey. And here Jesus is mounted.

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Heading down, Mount olive it toward Jerusalem. Some skeptics object. That's no big deal. Jesus is doing this on purpose. Hey, I could rent a donkey and ride down Mount olive it toward Jerusalem today that doesn't make me the Messiah. You're right. Jesus did this on purpose. Jesus wanted people to think he was the promised King in Zachariah nine nine. And we'll discover this. Isn't the only thing Jesus did to fulfill old Testament prophecies on purpose. But before you conclude, this was all a ruse. The Jesus made up, hang in there to hear all the old Testament prophecies that were done to Jesus things completely out of his control.

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This fetching or Colt and riding into Jerusalem on it was an intentional act by Jesus to cause people to believe he was the promised son of David entering this city. As the promise Messiah of God, Jesus comes down Mount Olivette with a bevy of followers, undoubtedly Lazarus, and his sisters, Simon, the leper, and probably some of those from Jericho. Who'd followed him to Bethany. As he gets near Jerusalem, more people form in the crowd. People start laying their coats down in front of him to honor him. Bless it. As the King, who's coming in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest, the excitement grows further.

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Still people start snapping off Palm branches, throwing them on the road in front of him and then heading up the parade shouting Hosana Hosana to the son of David blessed is he who is coming in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel. Bless it is the kingdom of our father. David Hosanna in the highest Hosanna means, save us now, save. Now, here comes the King of Israel. Here comes that kingdom. God promised to our father, David, the gospel writers tell us not even the disciples could come to grips with the meaning of all of this. I cut them some Slack. It had been a thousand years since God had made that amazing promise to David.

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Now, the people in Jerusalem heard the chaos outside and they to join in Pharisees along the highway are beside themselves. Rabbi rebuke your disciples. Do you hear what they're saying? Jesus replies. If I shut them up, these stones will cry out today with the thundering cries of Hosanna and the adoring crowd. Jesus pulls the cold to a stop and just pans. The city in front of him, tears form in his eyes. If only you would have received me, I could have brought peace, but now your enemies will surround you and build ramparts against you and level you with your children inside not one stone.

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We left on another because you did not recognize the time of your visitation. The parade continues. And once inside the city, the crowd swell even further, come hurry. See him. It's Jesus. The prophet from Nazareth, the Pharisees wring their hands. This is going nowhere but bad. The whole world has gone after him. Jesus finally makes it through the crowd to the temple. It's late in the day and he enters to the sound of people in livestock. Jesus walks the whole place and then quietly leaves. Jesus. We'll be back early the next morning to do a little spring cleaning in his father's house. And then he's going to lock horns with the religious leaders.

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All my will look at Jesus' second exciting day in Jerusalem in our next wordpicture.