Leave her alone.

There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. ... Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him.


Judas' reaction to Jesus' rebuke revealed a deep misunderstanding of the Lord's mission and message. I cannot imagine how someone so close to Christ could have responded with such betrayal. The disciple's reaction reminds me of the one that Cain had to God's rejection of his offering of grain. Listen to what God tell's him:
“Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”
Perhaps Jesus' rebuke was the proverbial last straw for Judas? Perhaps Judas had a fleshly value system that did not understand how the Lord could defend the "wasteful" use of something that could have been used to help the poor? Either way, his response communicates an anger similar to the one Cain had.

I think that anger and disappointment drove Judas to the chief priests. Strong emotions like these can cause people to take action - especially when they are directed at God. Truthfully I had such anger and disappointment when my first wife died. Yet the sin crouching at my door was arrested by the love of God. I looked past my pain and embraced the cross.

Help us to embrace the cross today Lord - especially when our prayers are unanswered.

3 comments:

  1. I think Judas's response mirrors that of many in the church today, who look to Jesus as meeting physical needs instead of Spiritual ones. WHen our focus becomes, "What can Jesus do for us" instead of "What He has done," I think we are in danger of having a similar reaction.

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  2. Oh Bob, how true, and how necessary for all of us....embracing the cross...it's the only way to overcome the hurt, pain and anger.

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  3. Truthfully I had such anger and disappointment when my first wife died. Yet the sin crouching at my door was arrested by the love of God. I looked past my pain and embraced the cross.

    So glad you did!!!! Oh, that ALL would.

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