3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. 4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, "Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor." And they rebuked her harshly. 6 "Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9 I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her." 10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. (Mark 14:3-10, NIV)
It's just a day before the end of Christ in his earthly ministry. On this night before that long last supper/betrayal night, one of the most touching scenes from the ministry of Christ occurs.
A love filled woman, driven by gratitude, smashes a jar containing her life savings and lavishes it upon Jesus. What a moment to see ... Haven't you wished you might have been there to see, hear, smell and feel such love? And haven't we all wished we could have done the same? We love Jesus so ... And to lavish with selfless abandon a priceless treasure would be our desire. Its mine and I'm sure it is yours today. The song writer has captured this moment in these words:
Such love constrains me to answer his call follow his leading and give him my all...
The good news is that we can offer a similar gift to the Lord Jesus Christ today. In fact Peter tells us that God is face to face now with us and is waiting for it.
Now turn with me to 1 Peter 3:4. What is the context of this gift we can freely give to God? It's in the context of our study of the biblical family.
Peter, nearing the end of his ministry writes for God this inspired snapshot of what a gorgeous woman in God's sight looks like. It's a timeless, never out of style, supra-cultural absolute. This is what a woman of god has always looked like. But watch out it is very different from the woman of today, the woman of vogue, cosmopolitan, Victorian and so on. It cuts against the grain of culture and society. Well, what does God say a woman of godly virtue is to be? He gives a four part look:
•V. 1-2 in her actions she lines up with god's plan for the church and the home. Thus, she is submissive.
•V. 3 in her adornment she looks like a woman in whom the Holy Spirit dwells, thus she is modest.
•V.4 in her attitude she longs to offer God what he is looking for. Thus, she is gentle and quiet.
•V.5-6 in her attention she is focused on the home. Thus, she is feminine.
Now, let’s go thru these verses and see the Word of God explaining these truths.
I. V. 1-2 in her actions she lines up with god's plan for the church and the home. Thus, she is submissive. "observe"= a Greek word that speaks of peering intently at an athletic event"
II. V. 3 in her adornment she looks like a woman in whom the holy spirit dwells, thus she is modestly “braiding hair" = the roman world custom of gold, gems and so on in towering displays of wealth. "putting on"= the only New Testament ref to the repeated changing of clothes to show great possessions. F.b. Meyer "the one law is to dress as becomes the station in which he has placed us, and in such a way as not to attract notice to ourselves."
III. v. 4 in her attitude she longs to offer god what he is looking for. Thus, she is gentle and quiet. The seven characteristics of Titus 2:3-5 distinguish what a godly women is like:
•She loves her husband= this is not agapao love that does the right thing no matter what one's feelings are. This is phileo, the word describing the emotion of love. It speaks of a friendship. And, in this era it was even if she had no choice about him
•She loves her children=this means positive feelings about them even if she is only to bear her unsaved husband an heir...
•Sober minded=balanced
•Chaste=self restraint, purity
•A worker at home=priority is at home
•Kind=see the 1 Tim 5:9-10 list below.
•Submissive=voluntary acceptance of her divinely ordained role to her husband. See getz quote.
•Why? That the word of god not be dishonored by Christians saying who cares what it says.
IV. v. 5-6 in her attention she is focused on the home. Thus,
•She is feminine.
•*"obeyed"=to listen to or attend another"
•First Timothy 5:9-10 lists seven qualifications for a woman of god:
◦Pure= one man sort of woman
◦Faithful= reputation for good works
◦Compassionate= nourished children= age of the abandoned child, orphans as well as own
◦Loving=hospitable to strangers=inns notoriously filthy, expensive and immoral
◦Humble= washed feet of saints
◦Bold = helped those in trouble= Christians illegal?
◦Focused = devoted to good works
(from Discover the Book w/ Dr John Barnett - Sept. 14, 2010)
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