Encounters with Jesus Series: Jesus' Anointing at Bethany
Matthew 26: 6-13
Ice breaker
What sorts of things embarrass you?
Have you ever been publicly embarrassed by someone else, or by something you had to do?
It may not have been anything you did wrong, just something that intrinsically made you feel embarrassed, that drew unwanted attention to you.
Try and analyse why it was embarrassing:
Was it just drawing unwanted attention to you?
Did it have any sort of implication about you?
Read Matthew 26: 6 -13
Introduction
This encounter comes at the end of Jesus' ministry. By the end of this chapter, Jesus will have eaten the Last Supper; been betrayed; prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane; been arrested; been before the Sanhedrin court. But just before these thing happen, in the last few days of his earthly life, Jesus has this encounter.
Have you ever lost someone who was dear to you and in your shock kept saying, “But I saw him only yesterday”; or “It can't be true, she was fine when I saw her last”. Jesus' friends may not have really realised how near the end of Jesus ministry was going to be.
Questions concerning the passage:
What do you think the woman might have thought she was doing?
The host was 'Simon the Leper', -obviously no longer a leper or he couldn't have mixed with people. What did he think of the woman's actions? [He makes no comment]
In what ways might he have empathised with the woman's situation?
What was the reaction of Jesus' disciples to the woman's actions?
How do you react to their reaction?
How did Jesus react at the time of the woman's action? Discuss his comments about “The poor you have with you always”.
How did Jesus respond to his disciples' reactions to the whole event?
Note that there are as many lines of text in Jesus' reaction, as there are in the telling of the event.
Has Jesus' prediction in v13 come to pass? Why do you think it has remained so significant?
Questions to reflect on:
What would I be prepared to give in order to acknowledge Jesus; or to 'bring him comfort'?
Do I get embarrassed about being a Christian if someone points it out in public?
Without delving into stereo-typical stances, do you think this story describes an action that only a woman could perform?
Do any men in the group find it embarrassing? If so, what might a 'male' equivalent look like?
Prayer
After reflecting on these last questions, try to turn them into prayers of your own, either spoken out, or silent.
Pray for women who still live in situations of repression, both abroad and in this country, perhaps through domestic violence.
Pray for all who sustain their faith publicly even under duress.