172. The People Seek the Lord; the Supper at Bethany Six Days Before the Passover. Jn. 11:55–57; 12:1–11

Now the Passover of the Jews was drawing near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple: “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast?” Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should report it, so that they could arrest him.

Six days before the Passover, the Lord Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, the man he had raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed the feet of the Lord Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said: “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he had a money box and used to steal what was put into it.

But the Lord Jesus said: “Leave her alone. She has kept it for the day of my burial. For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

Many of the Jews therefore learned that he was there, and came not only on account of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests resolved that they would put Lazarus also to death, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in the Lord Jesus.