Every day, without thinking, we evaluate what things are worth. These things include our value on work, marriage, family, friendships, health, possessions, time, and money. In this passage, we observe three different groups of people and the worth they assigned to Jesus. These groups included:
The chief priests, elders, and the high priest Caiaphas.
Those attending dinner at the home of Simon the Leper, including Jesus and his disciples.
The chief priests and Judas Iscariot.
The first group assigned no worth to Jesus. These men weren’t plotting against another mortal man. Being full of pride in themselves, they were blind to the fact that they were plotting against their Creator. (see John 1:1-5)
The second group assigned some worth to Jesus. A man known as Simon the Leper hosted a dinner in his home. Leprosy was not a curable disease. And though Simon is not explicitly named in the gospels, we can rightly assume that Jesus healed him of leprosy. Simon valued Jesus and expressed it through hospitality and fellowship. The disciples valued Jesus and proved it by leaving their livelihoods to follow him, unpaid, for three years.
In the second group, a woman did something that demonstrated her high worth of Jesus. She approached Jesus while he was eating. Then, she poured expensive perfume on his head. Her actions and the room-filling scent of the perfume stopped all conversations and directed every eye to her. She placed high worth on Jesus, expending the valuable perfume, risking public criticism and even Jesus’ rejection. The disciples became indignant and criticized her adoration as a waste of money. In their estimation, the perfume could have been sold and the proceeds given to help needy people. This woman assigned a high level of worth to Jesus.
The third group assigned a value of thirty pieces of silver to Jesus. This group included Judas Iscariot and the high priests. The priests offered Judas thirty pieces of silver to assist in Jesus’ arrest. His pay was worth about four months of wages. In light of Judas, we must be wary of how we can project an outward appearance of following Jesus and yet “sell out” on following him to secure the world’s comforts, protection, or praise. Jesus said that we can not serve two masters. (Lk 16:13)
Jesus stood before every person in this passage, and whether they believed it or not, he stood before them as their Savior. And though they didn’t realize it, they were answering this question: What is your Savior worth? Jesus is part of your life’s story. So ask yourself, “What is my Savior worth to me?” In short, your answer will be found in what and how you worship.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship (Romans 12:1)
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