Coptic Orthodox Answers

In the Father and Son, the Holy Spirit, One God. Amen.

Welcome to Coptic Orthodox Answers Deep Dive. We're studying together the Gospel of John. We finished the first 11 chapters and we saw the last one how Christ raised Lazarus from the dead after four days, in other words, bringing his soul back from Hades and recreating the body. And now in John, chapter 12, John is about to recount the supper that Christ had with Lazarus, Mary and Martha six days before the feast of the Passover. So, let's read:

« 1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. 2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. » (John 12:1-2)

So usually, there are three points, here, of confusion that make people believe that this event in John is different from the event in Mark 14 or Matthew 26. Obviously, both opinions are possible, but most probably, the event in Matthew 26, Mark 14 and John 12 are the same event. And the first point that leads to the confusion that these are two different events is the fact that here, in St. John, he says that Martha is the one that is serving.

In the Gospel of Matthew, we see that it is at the house of Simon the leper. So, Simon was a leper, right?, and he was healed, so, had leprosy and now he was healed and he was holding the feast at his house. Here, in the Gospel of John, he does not say that the supper's at the house of Martha, Mary and Lazarus, right?, but there's an assumption that is made, because Martha's the one who is serving.

So, most probably, the supper was made as a sign of gratitude for the raising of Lazarus, but for practical reasons, they went to the Simon the leper's house. Most probably, his house was a bit bigger and there's a lot of people that are there, because they wanna thank Christ and they wanna see Christ, and also, they want to see Lazarus who has been raised.

Now, the second point of confusion comes from the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark. St. Matthew and St. Mark recount that event of the supper with Lazarus two days before the Passover. So, the question becomes: Why is it that they do it then? So, the idea is that both saints were recounting the events of the Holy Week and when they arrived to the day of Wednesday, which is two days before the Passover, they wanted to emphasize the main reason why Judas was about to betray Christ.

Judas has been living with Christ for three years or three and a half years and, at this point, Judas is about to be, you know, very much fed up with Christ, losing hope in his Messiah and

is about to give Him away. So, they want to explain why is it that he is about to give Him away. And the reason why he's about to give Him away is because he loved money and he was exasperated by the fact that Mary has, you know, wasted that perfume that was worth 300 denarii. And because of this, Judas gave Him away. So, let's read Matthew 26 together, not the whole thing, obviously. So, it says:

« 1 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples, 2 ''You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.'' [So here, again, St. Matthew is just recounting what's happening during Holy Week] 3 Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4 and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. 5 But they said, ''Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.'' [Again, so, he's just recounting what's happening.] 6 And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper... » (Matthew 26:1-6)

Then he continues with the story of the supper. So, the idea is that right before... or between verse 5 and verse 6, it's as if St. Matthew is going back in time, right? So actually, I made a mistake earlier: St. Mark is the one that mentions that the supper's at the house of Simon the leper, right?, but here in St. Matthew, we can see that between verses 5 and 6, St. Matthew is going backwards. He's, in other words, doing some sort of flashback to the day where they had the supper at the house of Simon the leper with Lazarus, Martha and Mary and he's about to emphasize why is it that Judas betrayed Christ.

Now, the third point of confusion comes from the fact that St. Matthew and St. Mark both mentioned that the woman poured the oil on the head of Christ. In the Gospel of St. John, the focus is on the feet of Christ and the hair of the woman, right? But as we go throughout this Bible study, you will see how both the head and the feet were anointed and how both of these details converge into one event.

Also, for all the Copts out there, if you look at Coptic Reader under the section of For Pascha and under there, in the insights section, so, there's a section called insights where you can go and see more details about what happened during the Holy Week, if you go on the day of Sunday, the insights of Sunday, Coptic Reader does confirm that these events happened on Saturday before Palm Sunday and they did occur at the house of Simon the leper.

Now moving on to the spiritual side of things, this is the second time around that we see Martha is serving in some sort of supper. The first time was in Luke 10. When she was serving, it was at her house and Mary was just sitting at the feet of Christ and therefore, Martha was complaining and Christ told her: Martha, you're worried about too many things. One thing is

needed and Mary has chosen that good part. We can see her also in John 12 serving once again, although, obviously, like Christ said, often, it is much more better to sit at the feet of Christ and pray or to read our Bible or, you know, to partake of the Eucharist and so on, and that is needed. And our service without that would not be very fruitful. However, St. Athanasius, here, says something that is a bit more balanced. He says:

''Martha herself was taking great care with the service and was ministering to Christ with all her heart. Mary herself was seated at the feet of Jesus and kissing them... Christ beholds them both with his divine eyes and is cheered and rejoices over the purity of their mode of life and the offering to him of their undefiled service.'' (St. Athanasius, Homily on the Resurrection of Lazarus)

So, sometimes prayer is needed; sometimes service is needed. We serve after we pray and that's the main point Christ wanted to focus on in Luke 10. However, different people, like Martha and Mary here, have different personalities and both personalities are very good. They are excellent. And Christ beholds them both with his divine eyes. But before we go serve, we have to make sure that we are first full with the Holy Spirit, full with Christ, because we sat down at His feet and we have been in communion with Him.

Moving on to verse 3:

'' 3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.'' (John 12:3)

So usually, this oil is put in an alabaster flask and the alabaster flask has a very long neck that you have to break, so, you have to break the neck to be able to pour the oil. So usually, what happened at the time, the custom was that the host would greet the guests and put oil on their foreheads or on their heads. And most probably, Simon the leper did do that to every person that came in to the house. But Mary loved God with all her heart, with all her soul and to her, that was not enough. She really wanted to pour everything out.

She went and got that oil, which was probably passed on from generations and it was, therefore, very expensive. And she broke the neck of that flask and she poured the oil first on His head, as is the custom. And afterwards, as she had much remaining, she continued, you know, anointing His body, or at least His feet. Maybe she did other parts as well, who knows? But she continued at least and focused on His feet. And that's where St. John focuses on. He focuses that she even anointed Christ's feet. That's how much she loved Him. She really wanted to go all out. And this is how we ought to love God. This is how we ought to serve God. She's such a beautiful example of love and service that we really ought to follow.

Obviously, as you know, the wage of one day of work at the time was 1 denarius, right? So, this perfume cost 300 denarii. So, we're talking about five sixth of a year's salary. So, if we

convert that to today's money, assuming, let's say, someone would make $50 000 a year, this perfume would have cost, for that person, $42 000. So, what she made as a sacrifice, here, was incredible. Her love for Christ was beyond description.

Albeit it is true that once the flask is broken, she cannot reclose it, but still knowing her and knowing her potentially emotional personality, she still... out of her own... the goodness of her own heart, she wanted to pour all of the perfume on God, because nothing is enough for Him. She wanted to give Him everything that she had. Her entire soul, her entire life she would have given. Again, she's such a beautiful example of true life and devotion.

Now, another point to meditate on, here, is the fact that at the time, they were pour oil in such a way on corpses and on kings. Here, Mary does it unknowingly on the future corpse of Christ. She does it on His body right now for the sake, later on, of His death. However, deep down within her, she knows that He is the King of kings. She does have that faith.

And what's beautiful here, again, going back to verse 3, it says: Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard. Spikenard... spikenard in Greek is πιστήςνάρτ (pistísnárt) or pisticnart. And pistic comes from the word πίστης (pístis), which in Greek means faith. So, pisticnart comes from the word πίστης (pístis) in Greek, which means faith. So, this nice... there is this nice meditation that she had that faith that He was the King of kings. He is truly the Messiah. Therefore, she pours that oil on Him, proclaiming that He is the One, the Creator, the Being, the King of kings.

Another important point to consider is the fact that women, at the time, or respectable women I should say, were always veiled, whether inside or outside the house. But we find, in the story, that Mary wiped Christ's feet with her hair. So, she removed her veil and that, in itself, is very shocking. It is very bold for her to do that. And again, we can see that love that she had for Him. She couldn't care less what people thought. She really wanted to put everything she had at His feet.

And as you know, like, symbolically speaking, the hair of a woman is the crown of the woman, right? Women spend so much time and so much money on her hair... on their hair... I'm not trying to make fun here, I'm just stating a fact. But this hair is what she took to wipe the feet of Christ. So, it's as if she was saying: Here's my crown, like, my crown, my hair I'm putting at your feet.

At the time, as you know, there were wearing sandals, so, the feet would get dirty and that's why they would wash them often, but she couldn't care less. She put her crown, her personal crown, her own hair at His feet and wiped the feet with her hair. Again, such humility, such beauty, this idea of giving God everything that I own, everything that I am! So obviously, such service does not go unnoticed. And you can imagine that the smell of the perfume filled the entire house. So, Christ says, about that event, in Mark 14:

'' 9 ''Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.'' '' (Mark 14:9)

Truly, such love, such service is never to be unnoticed. Saint Augustine says something very nice. He says:

''Perhaps on this earth the Lord's feet are still in need for of whom but of His members is He yet to say in the end: And as much as you did it to one of the least of mine, you did it unto me?'' (Saint Augustine)

So, that's in Matthew 25, obviously. So, as Mary, again, did this to Christ, we ought to do the same, because when we do these acts of love and charity to our brothers and sisters, it's as if we do it to Christ directly, because everybody is a member or every Christian is a member of the body of Christ.

Moving on to verse 4:

'' 4 [Then] one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, 5 ''Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?'' 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.'' (John 12:4-6)

So, we find a huge contrast between the love Mary had for her Creator and the love of money Judas had, right?, and how Judas resented Christ and Mary loved Christ. Obviously here, it's obvious who we ought to be like, who we ought to imitate, as I've been saying throughout this Bible study. But again, here, we find how a person that is a ''follower'' of Christ, that is physically with Him, or someone that is physically in church, but in reality, his heart is so far from God. And it's so sad. And we definitely ought to choose to be like Mary and not like Judas.

On that specific point, St. Ambrose meditates and says, you know, Judas is upset, because Mary ''wasted'' 300 dinarii on the Messiah while he, Judas, sold Him for 30 pieces of silver. And before we speedily judge Judas, we have to rather judge our own selves, because in this materialistic world we live in, it becomes increasingly difficult to give priority to God over materialistic things, including work and so on, right? How much time am I really giving to God? How much effort am I putting in my prayer compared to the effort I put at work? All of these things we have to think about. So, let us not rush to judge Judas, but let us rush to judge ourselves and offer repentance on that point.

Verse 7:

'' 7 But Jesus said, ''Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.'' '' (John 12:7)

Kept, here, is like keeping the Sabbath or keeping the law. So here, the ritual of the burial was kept through the anointing of Mary.

'' 8 ''For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.'' '' (John 12:7-8)

The meaning of verse 8 is that the poor are always there for you to serve them, so, there will be other occasions where we can serve the poor. However, for me, as the Messiah now, my death is imminent, so let this be, right? That's the message Christ wants to send through that verse. However, obviously, the disciples never could have imagined that His death was so imminent, so, that idea never crossed their mind. Also, St. John Chrysostom comments beautifully on this passage. He says:

''Again, as if to remind his betrayer, Jesus alludes to his burial. But the reproof does not reach him [Judas, that is], nor does the expression soften him, although it should have been sufficient to inspire him with pity─almost as if Jesus had said,─I am a burden, and I know I cause a lot of trouble for you, but wait a little while, and I will leave. [I will not be there anymore].'' (St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of John 65.2.12)

Now, another beautiful meditation is the fact that all of this happens in Bethany and Bethany means house of afflictions, right? And in this house of afflictions is where Christ is saying that this anointing is meant for His burial. And His burial means His death. And He will die for the salvation, or recreation, or resurrection of humanity, right?

So, all of this happens in the house of afflictions where Christ is meditating on His burial and next to Him, Lazarus sits alive. Lazarus meaning God has helped is sitting and he's alive. Because of that burial that Christ goes through, humanity, represented by Lazarus, is alive.

Now moving on to verse 9:

'' 9 Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. 10 But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.'' (Jean 12:9-11)

Remember: Know your faith, live your faith, and teach your faith. And glory be to God forever and ever. Amen.

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Remember: Know your faith, live your faith, and teach your faith.