Buildup to Easter, Week Four: Mary Anointing Jesus’ Feet

The Sunday School Zone Buildup to Easter continues with the week of Sunday, March 3, 2024, with the story of Mary anointing Jesus’ feet. This story is found in Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; and John 12:1-8, but what does it have to do with Easter? This moving event involving Mary of Bethany (sister to Lazarus and Martha) took place just days before Jesus’ crucifixion. There’s something calming about this simple interlude when we remember the storm of activity taking place all around it that week. Further, Jesus affirmed Mary’s actions as an anointing preparing Him for death. Perhaps we, too, need to pause with Mary and let our attention fall simply on Jesus.

What’s Happening in the Story?

Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead in John chapter 11, not long before the events of chapter 12. The miracle of raising Lazarus created quite a stir and angered the Jewish leaders who were anxious to kill Jesus. Consequently, Jesus withdrew “to the countryside” for a brief season (John 11:54). However, as the Passover approached, Jesus needed to begin the journey back to Jerusalem in order to die as the ultimate Passover “Lamb.” As he neared Jerusalem, He stopped in Bethany where a meal was given in His honor. During the meal, Mary of Bethany (Lazarus’s sister) interrupted the meal and anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive oil and dried them with her hair.

It was a beautiful act of devotion that fell at the beginning of what would be a hectic and emotional week for Jesus and His followers. Jesus affirmed her anointing and said the oil was kept “for the day of my burial” (John 12:7). It’s difficult to know just how much Mary understood about the events of the coming week, but it’s clear that this was a significant act of love toward Jesus. Like Mary, we sometimes have to acknowledge that our understanding is limited even while we do our best to love Him and give Him our best.

Simple Devotion to Jesus

Sometimes we can get frustrated by our limited understanding. We want a better grasp of the crucifixion and resurrection for ourselves and for our kids. We’re like the disciples as they struggled to understand the unfolding events of Jesus’ final days. That’s a good thing. We should desire a greater understanding and work to gain it. But, there’s also a place and time that’s appropriate for us merely to slow down, pause, and offer our simple devotion to Jesus.

None of us will ever fully understand the depths of the events that transpired with Jesus’ Passion (crucifixion) and resurrection. We can study, read, listen, and ponder, but there is a depth to these events that simply goes beyond human understanding. But something we can ALL do is worship Him. All of us, like Mary, can offer Him our simple, sincere, and exclusive devotion.

We May Not Understand, But…

John explains that Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with an expensive perfume and then wiped them with her hair. Judas objected for selfish reasons, but Jesus affirmed her actions, saying that “she has kept it for the day of my burial.” It’s not likely that Mary fully understood her act in this way, but sometimes our acts of devotion toward Jesus can have an impact beyond our intention.

Children have a beautiful capacity to express a simple but meaningful devotion to and love for Jesus. As we move toward Easter and explore the significance of the cross, it’s appropriate at this point to remind ourselves that we, and the children in our care, can express our love for Jesus whether we understand the cross and resurrection well or not.

Prayer

Jesus, we often find ourselves stumbling through days of frantic activity and intense confusion. We want to understand what You did on the cross. We want to understand YOU, but it’s not easy. Regardless of what we may understand (or not), we want to lavish our love and devotion on you. In our hearts we bow before you. We pour the best of hearts on your feet and humbly wipe them with our hair. We, and the children we serve, may not understand much, but we can love you much. Help us to do that. – Amen

For Your Kids

You can find a number of free, printable activities related to Mary’s act of devotion on the site. Encouraging kids to study this story during the Easter season can help them express their love for Jesus no matter what their age or level of understanding. Other activities and resources related to Easter can also be found on the site.

This has been the week of Sunday, March 3: Mary Anointing Jesus’ Feet for The Sunday School Zone Buildup To Easter. To see all weeks, go here.