October 26th
SIMON’S OBJECT LESSON
The Passover and the Lord’s betrayal were near. The true Passover was about to be fulfilled for the Lord from heaven would soon go to the Cross to finish the Work the Father sent Him to do. Mankind would be saved by His obedience unto death which paid the penalty of our sin and have eternal life by His Resurrection. While there was a gathering at Caiaphas’ palace, there was another gathering in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper and Jesus was there. In one gathering His death was being plotted, and at the other He was being anointed for His burial. Matthew’s Gospel Chapter 26: 6-13 describes the gathering as follows:
Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, there came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.
It is important to note the spiritual meaning of Jesus’ location. Bethany means house of
dates. Dates come from the date palm. The palm tree is noted for its uprightness and speaks spiritually to righteousness. Further, he is in the house of Simon whose name means
hearing, and he was healed of leprosy which symbolizes sin. It is in this setting (one of righteousness where Jesus is seated at the table in the house of one freed from sin and
able hear the things of the Spirit), where a woman enters with an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. Further,
John’s Gospel states that Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead was also at this table.
Continued