Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Luke 7: 48
We’re looking at the life of Magdalene, the Mary who Jesus revealed Himself to first, when He was resurrected. What was it about her that Jesus was pursuing her so ardently?
Amazingly, instead of focusing on us trying to pursue Jesus, Jesus is pursuing a particular kind of worshiper: People who are desperately submerged in the total adoration of their God and King.
Last time we mentioned that there were events that set Magdalene apart from Jesus’ 12 disciples. Not much is said in the Bible about Magdalene by name, but tradition has it that 2 anonymous events that are recorded in the Bible were in actuality, events that happened to Magdalene. We’ll look at one of those events this week:
When we first hear of this woman we see her displaying, in an unashamed, extravagant fashion, her love and profound gratitude for the precious gift Jesus had given her. Luke 8:2 states that Jesus had previously driven seven demons out of her and had delivered her from spiritual bondage to the joy of true freedom.
With a word, a command, or a touch Jesus had liberated Magdalene. For the first time she was free because of Jesus. And now, at the home of Simon the Pharisee, a forgiven, freed, and delivered woman comes unannounced and uninvited, falling at the feet of the One who had changed her life.
This was no man-pleaser. She had to know she wasn’t welcome. She had to know what people thought of her . . . these were the spiritual leaders of her people . . . and she ignored what she knew they wanted out of sheer delight in the One she came to worship.
It’s amazing how controlled we can be by a disapproving look. I’m sure Magdalene got plenty of those, but they didn’t matter to her. Refusing to be deterred by the scornful stares and muffled rebukes, she brushed past those who were to be ‘held in high honor’ and shamelessly bowed in worship at the feet of Jesus.
Yuck! Dirty feet—they probably smelled bad. . . She carefully brought out an alabaster vial of costly perfume, dropping humbly to her knees behind Him. Then she got emotional. Weeping for joy, for gratitude, she washed His feet with her tears and kept wiping them dry with her hair. Yes, with her hair!
Breaking the vial, eyes downcast, hands trembling, she began to gently anoint Jesus with her perfume. Slowly, lovingly, in deep worship. Savoring each moment with Him, she had to show Him, no matter the costs, the depths of her love. Jesus, true to so much that we see of Him in the Gospels, was quiet, even though He couldn’t have missed her worshipful display of devotion and love. Maybe He was also savoring the moment. This worship in spirit and truth . . .
Still, it was clear to see that Jesus was pleased by her actions. It was also clear to see that the others in the room were not so pleased by her audacious display of adoration. Did it anger them or simply make them feel uncomfortable? While Mary was lost in the deep worship of Jesus, the others must have been very uncomfortable. Perhaps a genuine display of Mary’s raw emotion troubled them. Predictably, anger was soon to follow.
We’re going to have to interrupt the story here. We’ll finish it next time . . .