She slips in quietly and imperceptibly. The men gathered there for the party pay little attention to her. Thinking she’s a servant taking care of the many needs, they keep their attention on the other guests and their host. He’s a well-known Pharisee. Though he’s no longer an outcast because of the dreaded leprosy, he’s still tagged “Simon the Leper.” Perhaps he lives with that description as a reminder of his past.
Maybe that’s also why Simon likes parties so much. He’s experienced exile and loves celebrating his freedom. And this celebration is no exception. It’s going to be the party to top all parties! He’s invited Jesus and Lazarus, the man Jesus resurrected, figuring he’ll have a fascinating story to tell.
The men recline at the table with their feet exposed and elbows planted on the table deep in conversation. No one notices the “woman who had lived a sinful life” as she makes her way to Jesus. She begins to weep—not out of some lovesick sentiment but because He didn’t give up on her. In fact, He saved her life. He also changed it through His words of love and forgiveness: “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” Mary doesn’t care what anyone might think. There’s no way she’ll be stopped from doing the only thing she knows to show Him how much she loves Him. As she kneels beside Jesus, weeping, she kisses His feet, mixing the salt of her tears with the dust of His travels.
Lips that expertly kissed many men to entice now kiss the feet of one Man in humble gratitude. Her kisses, once filled with seduction, are now redeemed as kisses of adoration for her Savior. The unclean is now clean. And as there is no towel to dry His feet, she lets down her hair. She lovingly dries His feet in a gesture of compassion and love. Her lips and her hair—both symbols of her past life— are now restored in pure worship for the One who has saved her!
Next, Mary breaks open her alabaster box filled with pure nard. The real reason she came is to anoint. As fragrance fills the room, it catches the attention of everyone present. Watching her now, Simon has vulgar thoughts. Though he was the one to lead Mary into sin, he now condemns her and also Jesus for allowing her touch. The Greek word Simon uses is haptomi, meaning “of carnal intercourse with a woman.”
But Jesus doesn’t condemn him, either. Instead, He tells a story—a story of indebtedness and forgiveness—and Simon gets it. Somehow in his prideful, arrogant, sinful heart, a light flickers. He sees the vast difference between himself and Mary, and it isn’t her sin. It’s Christ’s forgiveness!
Even though he was healed by Jesus, Simon doesn’t know true repentance. Healing has only served to put him back in the circuit again. His is a pseudo faith wrapped up in outward show and inward pride. Judas and the other disciples react with indignation. All they see is a “sinful woman” and her waste. They don’t see what Jesus sees. But He tells them, “Leave her alone! She has done what she could. She has done a beautiful thing that will be told whenever the gospel is preached throughout the whole world.”
What a legacy! And it doesn’t stop there. At the Passover supper, Jesus’ feet go unwashed. And two days later He hangs on the cross, crying, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?” Yet the remnant of sweet perfume poured out with the depth of love lingers.
Gail McKenzie serves as women’s ministries director and prayer coordinator for the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference, a position she has held for more than 15 years. She lives in Madison, Tennessee, with her pastor-husband, Mike, and special needs son, Stephen. She currently teaches a Sabbath school class, has taught “How to Study the Bible” seminars, and has spoken for various women’s retreats. She says that her salutation is always “At His feet,” because “there is no other place I would rather be!
WHERE CAN YOU BE FOUND?
At: The place
His: The Person
Feet: The posture
AT: THE PLACE TO BE
Read: John 8:1-11
• Where did Mary find herself in relation to Jesus?
• Why did they condemn her?
• What role did the Pharisees place Jesus in?
• What and when have you felt condemnation?
• Who has accused you?
• What were the words of Jesus to Mary?
“Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more” (verse 11, NKJV).
Reflect: Have you heard Jesus say those words to you? Explain.
Read: Revelation 12:10
• Who is our accuser?
• How often does he accuse?
• Was the accusation of the Pharisees legitimate?
• Is the accusation of the devil true of God’s people?
• In John 8:10, what happened to her accusers?
• In Revelation 12:10 and 20:10, what happens to the accuser?
HIS: THE PERSON TO BE WITH
Read: Matthew 1:21
• What does the name “Jesus” mean?
Discover: “Jesus,” or the Old Testament name “Joshua,” literally means “Jehovah is salvation.” Here are some terms for forgiveness in the Old Testament:
• Wiping out or blotting out the memory of sin.
• Covering or concealing the record of sin.
• Lifting up and removing sin.
• Passing by sin.
• Pardoning on the basis of a substitute.
Read: Luke 7:48
Discover: The word “forgiven” is in the perfect, passive, indicative tense.
• Perfect: an action completed in the past once and for all, not needing to be repeated.
Did Jesus say “It is not finished”? No!
• Passive: the subject is the recipient of the action.
You are the subject, just as Mary was.
• Indicative: a simple statement of fact. There is no question—it is fact!
Reflect: In the court system, there is a judgment known as “expungement.” A story is told of a young man who spent a night in jail and received a felony record with a two-year probation judgment for theft of items taken from an abandoned house. Several years later his lawyer handed him papers of expungement. The young man was told that if he was ever called to court and asked if he had ever been arrested or had a record, he could truthfully testify “no.” But what is the real truth? He had been arrested and he did have a record. But the good news was that his record had been “expunged.” He didn’t have to tell the awful truth about himself! His past was erased!
• What would you like to have erased from your past?
Read: Isaiah 1:18
This is a famous passage of Scripture framed in courtroom language. When it says, “Come, let us reason,” it is a call to court.
• Are the accusations of Satan true about you?
Discover: The word used in Luke 7:48 is aphesis, which means “forgiveness or pardon of sins; letting them go as if they had never been committed.”
Explore: Leviticus 25:31, 40; 27:24 The Year of Jubilee was the year in which all debts were forgiven.
Read: Luke 7:41, 42 • Which debtor are you?
Read: Hebrews 11 (the faith chapter) and take note of all the stories “rewritten” without their sins recorded.
Reflect:
• How has Jesus rewritten your story?
• Write a note of gratitude to Jesus for what He has done because you do not have to tell the truth about yourself!
FEET: THE POSTURE TO BE IN
Charles Spurgeon said that “At His feet” is a “becoming posture.” The root of the Hebrew word regel for “foot” implies “presence” and “holding dominion.”
Read: Luke 10:39-42
• Where do we find Mary?
• What does Jesus say about Mary?
• What is the “better thing” she has done?
Read: John 11
• Where do we find Mary? (verse 32)
• What does she say to Jesus?
• What was Jesus’ response?
Read: John 12:3-7
• Where do we find Mary?
• What does she do to show her love for Jesus?
• What is Jesus’ response?
Read: John 19:25-27
• Where do we find Mary?
• How does Jesus demonstrate His love for His mother?
• What do you think Mary Magdalene may have been doing there? Read: John 20:1-17
• Where do we find Mary?
• Whom is she searching for?
• What is Mary doing? (verse 11)
• What does she hear the supposed “gardener” say? (verse 16)
• Have you heard Jesus call your name?
• What does Mary automatically do? (verse 17)
• What does Jesus tell her to do?
Read: John 20:18
• Where do we find Mary?
• Whom has she told her “good news” to?
• What other New Testament woman went running to tell the men the good news she had heard? (John 4)
Reflect: Did you see it? Did you see that every encounter Mary has with Jesus finds her in the same position? How did Mary “become” a follower of Jesus? She was always “at His feet”! Where will you be found?
REMEMBER WHERE WE FIND MARY
She . . .
was thrown at His feet in sin.
sat at His feet to listen.
grieved for her brother, Lazarus, at the feet of Jesus.
poured oil on His head and bathed His feet with her tears.
stood at the foot of the cross.
followed His body to the cold mountain sepulcher.
arrived first at the tomb.
was first to see Him after His resurrection and held on to His feet. proclaimed the risen Christ.
