April 16, 2025
Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”44The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
45Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. 46But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.
“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. 48If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”
49Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”
51He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life.
1Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5“Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
Matthew 26:11-16
11The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me.12When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.13Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
14Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests 15and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
45Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. 46But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.
“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. 48If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”
49Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”
51He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life.
John 12:1- 7
4But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5“Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
11The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me.12When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.13Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
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Today the devotion is one that was shared with me by email from SPOKEN GOSPEL. Spoken Gospel is a non-profit dedicated to changing lives through God’s Word. That is why they produce and freely distribute resources that help Bible readers
all over the world encounter Jesus on every page of Scripture.
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1600 years ago Christians began calling the last days of Jesus’ life “Holy Week.” Holy Wednesday remembers the day when both faithful Mary and treacherous Judas prepare Jesus to die.
After an increasingly public string of challenges to both Rome and the temple system, the religious elite believe that Jesus is a threat to their kingdom and religion (John 11:48). If Jesus is not killed, they believe Rome will come, take what little power they have left, and destroy their temple (John 11:50; Matthew 26:3-4). Believing it’s better for one man to die than for a whole nation to be lost, the religious elite make their final plans to kill Jesus.
Meanwhile, a woman named Mary takes a jar of perfume valued at 300 pieces of silver (or a year’s salary), cracks it open, pours it over Jesus’ head and feet, and rubs it into his skin with her hair (John 12:3). It’s not only lavish but socially awkward and humiliating. Horrified, Judas speaks up for the disciples. He calls Mary’s display wasteful and argues the perfume should have been sold and spent on the poor (John 12:4-5; Matthew 26:8-9). But Jesus quiets Judas and tells the disciples Mary is doing the right thing. He says: “You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me” (Matthew 26:11).
Jesus isn’t dismissing care for the poor with this statement, he’s highlighting the value of what he has come to do. Like the religious elite have said, the only way to save God’s people is if he is killed. Mary understands that Jesus must die, so she embalms him in advance. To her, it’s no “waste” to offer her most precious possession if it prepares Jesus for the burial that will save God’s people (Matthew 26:12). But Judas realizes Jesus is no longer useful to him. So he sneaks away and tells the religious elite he will betray Jesus for a tenth of what Mary poured out (Matthew 26:14-15).
Strangely, everyone in this story is preparing for Jesus to die. The religious elite offer a bribe to more easily capture Jesus. Judas betrays Jesus for another month’s expenses. And Mary prepares him to be laid in a tomb. Even more strangely, everybody believes Jesus must die in order to save them. Judas thought Jesus’ death would save his financial status. The religious elite thought Jesus’ death would prevent Rome from breathing more heavily down their necks.
But Holy Wednesday is good news because Jesus announces that his death will save God’s people not from Rome or poverty, but from death itself (John 11:51-52). Mary had just seen Jesus raise her brother from the dead (John 11:43-44). She hopes that if Jesus dies, then all God’s people can be saved from death. Jesus is worth her most precious possession because Jesus has the power to give eternal life to all who ask.
So I pray that on this Holy Wednesday you will accept that Jesus must die in order to save his people from death forever.
After an increasingly public string of challenges to both Rome and the temple system, the religious elite believe that Jesus is a threat to their kingdom and religion (John 11:48). If Jesus is not killed, they believe Rome will come, take what little power they have left, and destroy their temple (John 11:50; Matthew 26:3-4). Believing it’s better for one man to die than for a whole nation to be lost, the religious elite make their final plans to kill Jesus.
Meanwhile, a woman named Mary takes a jar of perfume valued at 300 pieces of silver (or a year’s salary), cracks it open, pours it over Jesus’ head and feet, and rubs it into his skin with her hair (John 12:3). It’s not only lavish but socially awkward and humiliating. Horrified, Judas speaks up for the disciples. He calls Mary’s display wasteful and argues the perfume should have been sold and spent on the poor (John 12:4-5; Matthew 26:8-9). But Jesus quiets Judas and tells the disciples Mary is doing the right thing. He says: “You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me” (Matthew 26:11).
Jesus isn’t dismissing care for the poor with this statement, he’s highlighting the value of what he has come to do. Like the religious elite have said, the only way to save God’s people is if he is killed. Mary understands that Jesus must die, so she embalms him in advance. To her, it’s no “waste” to offer her most precious possession if it prepares Jesus for the burial that will save God’s people (Matthew 26:12). But Judas realizes Jesus is no longer useful to him. So he sneaks away and tells the religious elite he will betray Jesus for a tenth of what Mary poured out (Matthew 26:14-15).
Strangely, everyone in this story is preparing for Jesus to die. The religious elite offer a bribe to more easily capture Jesus. Judas betrays Jesus for another month’s expenses. And Mary prepares him to be laid in a tomb. Even more strangely, everybody believes Jesus must die in order to save them. Judas thought Jesus’ death would save his financial status. The religious elite thought Jesus’ death would prevent Rome from breathing more heavily down their necks.
But Holy Wednesday is good news because Jesus announces that his death will save God’s people not from Rome or poverty, but from death itself (John 11:51-52). Mary had just seen Jesus raise her brother from the dead (John 11:43-44). She hopes that if Jesus dies, then all God’s people can be saved from death. Jesus is worth her most precious possession because Jesus has the power to give eternal life to all who ask.
So I pray that on this Holy Wednesday you will accept that Jesus must die in order to save his people from death forever.
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