30th Mar 26 | 13:54
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Luke 23 50-56 THE BURIAL OF JESUS 10 20Feb2022 Luke 23 55-56 Anointing the body of Jesus
📖 Luke 23:50-56
10 – 20 Feb 2022 – Anointing the body of Jesus - Luke 23:50-56 - THE BURIAL OF JESUS - Bible reading: Matthew 26:10-13
“Thank You, Lord Jesus, we cannot cling on to Your body. We must move on to a relationship with You, which is of the Spirit. We give You all the glory and praise and in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.”
We have taken much time to understand the significance of the burial of the body of Jesus. Let us now go further.
Luke 23:55-56 And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid. (56) Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.
The women who were present at the time of the death of Jesus did not have the spices with them for His burial. This we can understand since the arrest, trial, conviction, crucifixion and death of Jesus, all happened in less than 24hours.
Praise God, Nicodemus could arrange for the mixture of aromatic spices to anoint the body of Jesus. John 19:39 And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds.
The women, nevertheless, went home quickly, after noting where the body of Jesus was buried, in order the prepare the spices for His anointing. The following day was the Sabbath when they would not be able to do the preparation. They were eager to come early on the day after the Sabbath to anoint the body of Jesus.
Matthew 27:61 And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb. Mark 15:47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid.
Then on the resurrection day, these women came to anoint the body of Jesus with the spices which they had prepared. Mark 16:1 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.
The anointing of the body of Jesus with the spices was the honour and respect that these women were giving to Jesus. Jesus had caused big changes to happen in each of their lives and therefore this anointing with the spices was an important way for the women to say, ‘thank You’, to Jesus.
Here is such an example in the history of the Jews.
II Chronicles 16:13-14 So Asa rested with his fathers; he died in the forty-first year of his reign. (14) They buried him in his own tomb, which he had made for himself in the City of David; and they laid him in the bed which was filled with spices and various ingredients prepared in a mixture of ointments. They made a very great burning for him.
Mary anointed Jesus even while He was still alive.
John 12:3-8 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. (4) But 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. (7) But Jesus said, "Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. (8) For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always."
Mary had a special attachment with Jesus because of the immense impact that Jesus had had on her. So, even when Jesus was still alive, she anointed His body for His burial.
Matthew 26:7 a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. Matthew 26:10-13 But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. (11) For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. (12) For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. (13) 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."
This act of anointing the body of Jesus with the oil and spices was an expression of the woman’s respect and thankfulness to God. She would be remembered for the blessing that she had received from Jesus. This was a memorial to her.
Thomas was doubting if Jesus had risen from the dead and the Lord gave Thomas a special encounter with Him.
John 20:27-29 Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." (28) And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" (29) Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
The Lord is showing us that, though we do not have personal physical encounters with Jesus like the women and the others. We are those who have not seen but yet believe.
We are blessed too. Our encounters with Jesus is not at a physical level but we have and we continue to encounter Jesus. We too can join with the women to be grateful, thankful and respectful to Jesus for all that He means to each of us.
Thought to ponder
How are you anointing Jesus today?