The Oil of Joy (John 12:1-11)

 
This passage not focused on Mary's devotion but Jesus' death.
 
Gospel in vs 1-2

First two verses of today’s passage (John1:1-2) shows us the gospel through Lazarus!
 
Vs 1: death, raised from dead
Vs2: sitting together
 
EQUALS =
 
Ephesians 2:5 - "made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace that we have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus…"
 
This picture of Lazarus, who was dead in sin and transgressions, raised from death by the grace of God, and seated with him is the gospel message as expressed in Ephesians 2:5.
 
Then the main message of this passage is to explain how that salvation was to be fulfilled - Jesus' own death. Vs 7. He explicitly says, "she's doing this to prepare my burial"
 
Also in Mark and Matthew's parallel passage, it says "whenever this gospel is told, her story will be told also"?
 
It means this whole story is the GOSPEL
 
Hebrew tradition on pouring oil and washing feet:
 
a. Pour oil when a guest comes - very cheap
b. Pour oil when anointed as King. 1Samuel 10, 1Kings 9
c. Pour oil when anointed as Prophet
d. Pour oil when anointed as Priest
e. Pour oil when distinguishing someone, holy.  Gen28
f. Pour oil over dead body in burial
 
The oil being put on Jesus in John12 is ALL OF THE ABOVE

Then what kind of oil is this?
 
Oil of Joy:
 
1. Isaiah 61:1-3. The oil of joy that SAVES.
2. Psalms 44:6-8. Oil of joy, but the same oil that is used for burial (myrrh and aloes and cassia)! How can oil that is used for burial, be a joyous oil?
3. Psalms 133:1-3. Here, God's people living in unity in eternity is likened to oil being poured on a priest's head. By oil being poured on the High Priest, Jesus' head, the church (who has Jesus as it's head) is united with God in eternal life.
 
It's not only oil to signify Jesus' death, but it's also oil of joy to distinguish Jesus as the true Priest and King. Because through the cross, Jesus becomes the true priest, and true king!! So it's a joyous oil of VICTORY. This is joyous for God. By his death, Christ fulfils God's covenant and proves that he is the high priest and king. His death is fulfilling his duties as true priest and true king. This is the cross.
 
But his victory is achieved through his death. Our victory shall be achieved through death as well.
 
This is how the oil of burial is also the oil of joy/victory - that is the mystery of the gospel and the great paradox of the gospel. 
 
 
From Mary's perspective:
 
Mary in John 12 = Psalms 23 = Life of Jesus
 
• Mary breaks open the expensive perfume oil and pours on Jesus (1 Denarius is 1-2 day wages.  So 300 Denarius is like $20-30,000).
• Then Mary is persecuted, and cast aside by everyone there, including the disciples.
• Mary is partaking in Jesus' path through the valley of shadow of death (vs 4).
• God has prepared a feast for Mary in the presence of her enemies (vs 5). 
• God anoints her head with oil (vs 5) because Mary had oil put on her head. Even though Mary, out of natural reflex overflowing gratitude, joy and obedience, out oil on her head to wash Jesus' feet -  this was the act of God fulfilling Psalms 23 in the life of Mary.
• Her heart was simply "I'm so thankful, so joyous, and at His feet it is worthy for me to give my all to him, submit my whole self to him, depend my whole self on him alone", but this ultimately was the fulfilment of "Oil of joy" being put on her head.
• Her hair loosened signifies that she is a defiled, infidel woman (Numbers 5:18) = like Jesus who becomes THE defiled, THE most infidel, to take our place on the cross.
• Her sitting at Jesus' feet signifies her absolute obedience  = like Jesus who is the fullest form of obedience to God, in never having defied His Father's will in His earthly life.
• To the Hebrews, a woman's hair was the sign of her glory (1Cor 11:14-15) = Mary lays down her utmost glory for the lowest cause of the One who she wants to obey completely. That is self-denial.
 
 
Mary's life = David's life = Jesus' life = believer's life = gospel life!!
 
A true believer will Live out the gospel, not just speak about it. The gospel taking place in our lives, that's Christ living through us.
 
Mary breaking the 300 denarius perfume oil is devotion, offering and serving. BUT the reason her devotion was praised by Jesus was not because it was expensive or because she emptied all of it. She was praised by Jesus because she showed what TRUE DEVOTION was by taking part in Jesus' life and death.  Laying down and denying all her own glories and her possession to highlight the glories of the Lord.
 
All our devotions (like offering, evangelism, missions, serving the church) then should be given not as a sharing of what you have, but as a confession of faith that I understand Jesus' death and I want to take part in that death of Jesus. True devotion is not adding something that may help the Lord,  but by His grace, myself being given up as a sacrifice offering to Him.
 
1Cor8:1-5 - Offering is "Giving ourselves to God".
 


In comparison to the true believers' life of faith, Judas and others are only looking at their gain through Jesus. No interest whatsoever in the meaning of the death of Jesus, but only looking at what they can gain. Jesus calls these people "thieves".