As I reflect on John 12 verses 1 to 11, I struggle to see the fallen condition focus of the narrative. All I saw was the story of a woman from Bethany pouring out an expensive perfume on Jesus' feet, the disciples objecting against the seeming wasteful act, and the chief priests plotting to kill both Jesus and Lazarus.

And then I received a hint from the narrative itself. A dinner was held in the house of Simon the Leper to honor Jesus for bringing Lazarus back to life. I am not sure if the woman was aware of Jesus' divinity. However, there are Bible scholars who argue that the act of Mary was more than giving honor to Jesus but an act of worship. If I take this insight as a clue to understanding the whole narrative, then all the details will make sense, particularly the role of Judas Iscariot and the chief priests.

Worship Disorder

The phrase "worship disorder" is popular in the biblical counseling movement. They trace every problem, whether individual or social, to such an anomaly.

What is worship disorder, by the way? It is a human act of prioritizing the second tablet of the Law, which talks about loving our neighbor as ourselves, and taking the first tablet of the Law for granted, which talks about loving God with our all. At the bottom of such disorder is the worship of creation, including man, and taking the Creator for granted.

Such a disorder has serious consequences. It affects the way we relate to ourselves, to others, and to our environment. Sticking to the biblical narrative, we have here an example of destructive results of worship disorder in the way Judas views private property and in the way the chief priests view life.

Contempt for property and life springs from such a disorder. Unless this worship disorder is addressed, both the church and society will continue to view property and life with contempt.

The contempt for property is demonstrated through various ways of theft, be it legal or unlawful. The contempt for life manifests in killing whether in the form of murder or genocide.

If we are to examine closely the political and social conditions, both international and local, we could say that these two forms of contempt are widespread today. They cannot be addressed by economic, technological, political, and even educational solutions. This problem is basically spiritual and theological. I hope that by sharing with you the story of the woman from Bethany, we will be reminded that the solution is to return to the spirit of true worship.

The Passover and Its Relevance

We read in verse 1:

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.

What is the significance of the Passover during New Testament times, especially in the context of John 12?

To understand the significance of the Passover in John 12, we have to look at it through two lenses: the ancient Jewish tradition of liberation and the immediate "ticking clock" of Jesus’ mission.

In New Testament times, Passover wasn't just a quiet religious holiday; it was a massive, politically charged pilgrimage festival that brought hundreds of thousands of people to Jerusalem to commemorate the Exodus from Egypt. It’s like the pilgrimage to Mecca in the Moslem world.

In the Old Testament, the Passover lamb’s blood saved the Israelites from the angel of death. In John 12, the atmosphere is electric because the people are looking for a new kind of deliverance—this time from Roman occupation.

When Jesus enters Jerusalem (the Triumphal Entry), he does so just as the Passover lambs would be chosen and brought into the city. John 12:12-15 highlights the crowd waving palm branches—a symbol of Jewish nationalism—and shouting "Hosanna," which literally means "Save us, we pray!"

In John 12:20-24, observe two things about the Passover: the coming of the Gentiles and the transition in meaning.

The coming of the Greeks (Gentiles) is a significant sign in redemptive history. These Greeks asked to see Jesus. When Jesus hears this, he declares:

The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified (verse 23).

For Jesus, the arrival of the Gentiles signaled that his message was no longer just for the house of Israel—it was time for the "Passover" to extend to the whole world.

And then in verse 24, Jesus said:

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

By using this agricultural metaphor during the Passover season, Jesus is explaining that the "deliverance" everyone is shouting for won't come through a military uprising but through his own death. By identifying himself as the ultimate Passover sacrifice, the meaning of deliverance is no longer military or political but primarily a spiritual transformation.

Applying the Passover to the modern times, I saw one Philippine cult on live television sometime in the 1990s confusing Passover with Christmas. It is more accurate to equate the Passover to the Lord’s Supper, commemorating the Lord’s sacrifice of his life for our redemption. However, the frequency in celebrating the Lord’s Supper among evangelicals varies. Some do it weekly and others monthly.

In terms of a significant Christian occasion, what is the parallel of the Passover in modern times?

In modern times, the direct Christian parallel to Passover is Easter (Resurrection Sunday) and the larger framework of Holy Week (or Passion Week). The connection is so deep that in many languages, the word for Easter is derived directly from the Hebrew word for Passover (Pesach). For example:

• Spanish: Pascua

• French: Pâques

• Italian: Pasqua

• Greek: Pascha (Πάσχα)

While Passover commemorates God "passing over" the houses of the Israelites and delivering them from Egyptian bondage, Easter commemorates Christ’s victory over sin and death, delivering humanity from spiritual bondage.

The central ritual of Passover—eating the sacrificial lamb—was transformed by Jesus during the Last Supper (a Passover meal) into the Christian sacrament of Communion, the Eucharist, or the Lord’s Supper. When Christians partake in Communion, they are participating in the modern, ongoing remembrance of that fulfilled Passover.

The Passion Week

John 12 verses 1 to 11 are very significant in the Passion Week narrative not only because we find here the last of Jesus’ public teaching before his crucifixion, but also because we are taught here that unless the church and society realize the real essence of worship, the problem about private property and life will never be addressed. The Holy Week narrative covers John 12:1 to chapter 19:42. Chapters 13 to 17 contain only Jesus' private instruction to his disciples.

The Passion Week is a significant period in the Christian liturgical calendar that commemorates the final week of Jesus' life here on earth. In that week, we read of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem as the introduction to the Holy Week that we celebrate in this country as Palm Sunday. And then in the following days, we read in the gospels of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples, of Judas' betrayal, of Peter's denial, of his priestly prayer in Gethsemane, of his arrest, court trial, crucifixion, death, and burial. The Holy Week then culminates in Easter Sunday, celebrating Jesus' resurrection.

This morning, I will just cover the event that is generally neglected in the celebration of the Holy Week, and John 12:1-11 talks about a perfume story.

Similarities and Differences

Before we go to the details of the story, let me just call your attention to a parallel narrative written by Matthew, also a disciple of Jesus. The passage is Matthew 26:6-16, and there are interesting similarities and differences between these two narratives:

• The two narratives mentioned the same place where the perfume story took place: Bethany.

• In the gospel of John, Bethany was associated with Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead, whereas in the gospel of Matthew, the house where the perfume story happened was identified as owned by Simon the leper.

• Another interesting difference is that in the gospel of Matthew, the woman who brought the expensive perfume was not identified, while in John, a certain Mary was mentioned.

• One last difference is that in the gospel of John, it was only Judas Iscariot who objected to the wasteful use of the perfume, whereas in Matthew, there was no mention of Judas. Instead, “the disciples” were named as the ones complaining about the wasteful use of perfume.

I am not sure if we are dealing with the same story written by the two disciples, John and Matthew, or if the two disciples are sharing two different stories. However, one thing is sure. This perfume story happened before the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.

What lessons can we learn from this perfume story?

The perfume story tells us that worshipping Jesus is far more important than serving the poor.

The Superiority of Jesus

A Year's Wage

In the gospel of Matthew, the disciple describes that the woman brought an alabaster jar of a very expensive perfume. In ancient times, alabaster was a special type of marble considered a highly prized possession of any woman. Mark adds that its value was “more than three hundred denarii” (14:5), nearly a year’s wage for an average worker on that day. Imagine, that perfume costs almost a year's wage of a common worker. No wonder, Matthew describes it as very expensive.

For us to have an idea of how much is the cost of that perfume in modern times, let us just use the minimum salary for laborers in the Philippines as well as in Israel.

In 2026, the monthly salary for a manual or general laborer in the Philippines typically ranges from ₱15,560 to ₱20,000, which is approximately $250 to $325 USD based on the 2026 exchange rate of ₱61.50 to ₱61.70 per $1. Multiply that by 12 and it will range from ₱186,720.00 to ₱240,000.00.

In Israel, the gross monthly income of a laborer is ranging between ILS 6,444 and roughly ILS 10,000 to 12,000 or between ₱135,985.67 and roughly ₱211,026.81 to ₱253,232.17. Multiply that by 12, and you will come up between ₱1,631,828.04 and roughly ₱2,532,321.72 to ₱3,038,786.04.

The last time I checked about the most expensive perfume. Le Monde Sur Mesure was worth $1.8M or ₱110,964,294.02 based on the exchange rate of ₱61.50 to ₱61.70 per $1.

Note: Developed by the French company Morreale, Paris, the five kilograms of the Le Monde Sur Mesure was sold for a whopping USD1.8 million to an anonymous buyer who designed their very own fragrance encapsulated in the bottle. The bottle was finished in two kilograms of gold with 1,000 diamonds featuring all around it. Each bottle requires it to be worked on by 35 people for up to a year.

Source

An Act of Worship

I don't know of any perfume that costs that much. The point is clear. Though the woman from Bethany may have highly valued her expensive perfume, she valued Jesus infinitely more. This shows that using an expensive perfume as an act of worship is not a waste. Yes, in the eyes of the world and the disciples, it might be a waste, but not for a worshipping heart like this woman. And Jesus saw her actions for what they were, true worship.

I am not sure how the disciples interpreted and judged the woman's motives. The most important thing is that the Lord entirely understood her heart. Jesus knew that the woman's gift was an act of worship. Through Jesus, she knew the forgiveness of God and His great love for her, and nothing could compare with that. This is precisely why she willingly and openly broke the seal of her jar and poured it out on Jesus' head and feet.

Likewise, as Jesus knew this woman's heart, God also knows our hearts. We do not have the right to misjudge anyone for God knows what is going on in our hearts. He knows every detail of our existence. Most importantly, He completely understands the thoughts and the intentions of our hearts. God knows if we are indeed real worshippers of Him or not.

Ministry to the Poor

However, the disciples were not happy with what Mary did. They think her action was unnecessarily wasteful. The perfume could be utilized for a better purpose. Such purpose appears noble for it aims to serve the poor.

Even though the New Testament supports the practice of doing ministry to the poor, we learn in this particular incident that there is something more important than helping the poor. Mary’s action tells us that worshipping Jesus is far more important than doing service for the poor.

Economics played a big influence in the minds of Jesus' disciples. For them, it made economic sense to sell a very expensive perfume than to waste it. The disciples even used service to the poor as a justification for this sale. However, Jesus rebuked them.

Life is not all about economics. There is more important than economics and money. Or it is more appropriate to say, that Someone is more important than economics and money, and that is Jesus.

Nevertheless, Jesus was in no way discouraging ministry to the poor. Serving the poor is proper and biblical. But it must not be used as a replacement for sincere worship. Instead, service for the poor must spring from true worship. All religious activity including helping the poor and needy must rise from true worship.

Public Worship is not a Waste of Resources

Even in the business world, the importance of spiritual capital and the role of a spiritual director is now increasingly recognized. The most recent example Executive Optical (EO), an eyecare company that has been in business since 1968. Though they use a different name than the spiritual director, they realize that Bible study and prayer meetings reduce theft in their company. And so, they decided to invite even volunteer seminarians to conduct spiritual activities like this in all their branches throughout the country.

Many people think that religion is a subtle form of business that wastes people's time and resources. That is not the case here in our story. We learn here that worshipping Jesus is not a waste of resources, but an act that pleases God.

The perfume story tells us that serving the poor can be utilized as a disguised for theft.

Serving the Poor as a Disguise for Theft

In our narrative, this ministry to the poor was used as a cover-up for theft. Out of ignorance, the disciples objected to the wasteful act of using the perfume to honor Jesus. Judas on the other hand pretended to care for the poor to perpetuate his stealing.

I thought a strategy like the above is modern and can only be seen in public policies. I never expected that such a deception would be ancient.

Just like many policymakers today, money had a deep hold in Judas' heart. They think that they have the right to decide what to do on people's private property. In Judas' case, he considered people's offerings as his own. The same mindset afflicts the parasitical class today.

A Tragic Economic Exchange

Judas was even willing to hand Jesus to the chief priests in exchange for 30 silver coins. This is the most tragic form of economic exchange. Judas went beyond the idea of the disciples about "waste". He put his conviction into concrete action. He treated Jesus far below the monetary value that he could get. For him, 30 pieces of silver coins are more valuable than Jesus.

Paul's Warning

The apostle Paul warned us in 1 Timothy 6:10 about teachers of the law who had a distorted concept of godliness due to the love of money. In Greek, the apostle Paul used the word "philarguria," which is better translated as avarice, greed, or covetousness.

The Bible does not condemn money per se or the legitimate means to acquire wealth, but the excessive desire to accumulate money even resorting to illegitimate means. I think to appreciate this better, let us read how the love of money is explained in one Bible commentary:

For the love of money is the root of all evil, . . . . Of all the evils before mentioned, and of others; not money itself, as SILVER and GOLD, which are GOD's CREATURES, and HIS GIFTS, and may be used to, and answer many good purposes; but the love of it, and not any love of it; for there may be a lawful love of it, and desire after it, so far as it is requisite to the necessaries of life, to answer the calls of Providence, the duties we owe to God and men, to serve the interest of Christ, and do good to fellow creatures and fellow Christians: but it is an immoderate INSATIABLE desire after it, and an inordinate love of it, which is here meant, such as is properly IDOLATRY: as when a man loves it, not only besides, but above God; serves it as if it was GOD, and places his trust and confidence in it, independent of God, and his providence; such love of it is the source and spring of all iniquity, as above; it was the SIN OF JUDAS and the root of all his iniquity. The phrase is Jewish. So idolatry is said to be, 'the root of all iniquities. Source: Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And so, we see that the perfume story serves as a warning against excessive love of money to the point of resorting to the use of noble and religious language just to hide our greed.

The Story of Sacrifice

Lastly, the perfume story is about an act of voluntarily offering one’s self as a sacrifice for many.

Jesus' Burial

In chapter 12 particularly verse 7, we are told that the perfume that Mary poured on Jesus' feet is part of the preparation for the day of his burial. This is exactly what happened in the closing part of the narrative in chapter 19 verses 38 to 42 where Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate to take the body of Jesus. With Nicodemus, Joseph wrapped the body of Jesus with the spices in strips of linen by Jewish burial customs. In other words, Jesus knew exactly what is about to happen to him. He knew about Judas’ betrayal, the desertion of all the disciples, and his manner of death, and yet to fulfill the Father’s will, he willingly offered himself.
In this act of voluntary sacrifice, we see the role of the religious leaders of that time. The chief priests were not only ignorant of Jesus, but they firmly believed that by killing Jesus and Lazarus, they were doing God a great service.

What is the motivation behind such a murderous spirit? Based on Bible commentaries, we can find two:

Love for Country

In this narrative, we see the harm that can be done by ignorance and false religious zeal.

Some scholars argue that the perspective of the chief priests was not entirely irrational. They were worried that Jesus’ popularity with the people might instigate another rebellion against the Roman Empire, which might end in the full display of Rome’s military power falling on the Jewish people and the city of Jerusalem. And so they think that by killing Jesus, they were doing a great service for the people.

Love for Social Status

The raising of Lazarus back to life has generated a lot of attention. The very existence of Lazarus was a threat to the religious leaders. It was proof that they were wrong about Jesus. In response to the resurrection miracle, the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus as well.

Read how they see Jesus as a threat that must be stopped:

See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him! (John 12:19).

It appears that seeing such a threat, a murderous spirit took possession of the chief priests. They seem to be out of their minds for planning to kill someone who was raised back from the dead to life by the power of God. The fear of God, which is the very reason why these religious leaders exist in the first place, was largely missing from their hearts and minds. They were not afraid to wage war against God himself by planning to murder an innocent man who threatened their religious establishment due to the massive conversion of the Jews to Jesus after witnessing the power of God displayed in Lazarus' resurrection.

Paraphrasing Calvin's comment, he said that the Pharisees were so enraged seeing the crowd following Jesus. They were so desperate and were willing to resort to extreme measures just to end all the madness that they perceived.

Jesus was aware of all these things, the plan to kill him and Lazarus, and yet in chapter 15, we find him talking about love. Just imagine living in an era where leaders despise the value of life just to preserve their status in society, what do you think would be the more "reasonable" message to discuss with your disciples? Does a talk about love make sense in such a time? Or is it more proper to talk about revolt, vengeance, overthrow, and fighting back?

Conclusion

This perfume story tells us a story about worship disorder, that not unless we understand the real essence of worship just like the woman from Bethany, acts of pretension disguising as doing service for the poor and contempt for life will continue. Only by the grace of God, we can learn to love Him with our all, which is the real essence of worship.