“Let Her Alone”

Uplook – May 2025 — Grace & Truth Magazine

Let Her Alone

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, so that all that is recorded between John 12:1 and John 20:25 falls into a brief period of seven or eight days – surely the most wonderful week in the world’s history. In the home at Bethany dwelt the three who were objects of His love and who loved Him in return. A suitable opportunity had now arrived for them to testify of this. Behind them lay the death of Lazarus and His calling to life by the voice of the Son of God. Just ahead lay the death and resurrection of the Son of God Himself.

At the close of Luke 10 we see this household marked by some measure of disorder and complaint; but here, after the display of the Lord’s resurrection power, all is found in order and harmonious. The simple proceedings of that evening centered in Christ. He was the honored Object of each and all, for, “they made Him a supper” (Jn. 12:2 KJV). We may indeed see a parable in this. When Christ is the supreme Object and His resurrection power is known, everything falls into its right place.

Martha was hostess and served Him. Lazarus had his part with Him at the supper table. Mary expressed her heart’s devotion to Him by expending upon Him her costly ointment. Thus we see how the knowledge of Him and of His resurrection power led to service, to communion, and to worship. All was happily in order, and, just because it was, the voice of hostile criticism was heard, centered upon Mary’s action. It originated with Judas Iscariot, though the other disciples echoed his words, as Matthew’s gospel shows (26:6-13).

The world is incapable of appreciating true worship, and in spite of his fair exterior, Judas was wholly of the world. Ruled by covetousness, Judas had become a thief; and not only a thief but a hypocrite, masking his self-seeking by the profession of care for the poor. He posed as an eminently practical man, fully alive to the value of solid, material benefits for the poor, while Mary was in his view squandering valuable substance, moved by silly sentiment. The world is exactly of that opinion today. The religion which suits its taste is one which lays all the emphasis upon material and earthly benefits for mankind. And today, as much as then, carnally minded believers are very prone to be in agreement with the world and echo its opinions.

In saying, “Let her alone” (Jn. 12:7), Jesus silenced the hostile criticism. The three words may well be written upon our memories. True worship lies between the soul of the believer and the Lord, and no other may interfere. In Romans 14 the believer is viewed as a servant, and the spirit of that chapter again is, “Let him alone.” Further, the Lord knew how to interpret her action. He gave, no doubt, a fuller explanation of it than Mary herself could have offered; though she knew the hatred of the leaders and intuitively perceived His death approaching. It is significant too that Mary of Bethany did not join the other women in visiting His grave with the spices they had prepared.

Of Mary we may say that what she did, was done “for Jesus’ sake only” (v.9). With Judas it was “the poor” (v.5), and even with the other disciples it was, in a sense, Jesus and the poor. With many of the Jews who flocked to Bethany at this time it was to see Jesus and Lazarus, for they were curious to see a man who had been raised from the dead. The Bethany household had concentrated upon Jesus their true affection. In contrast, the chief priests directed upon Him the deadliest hatred, which so blinded them that they contemplated slaying Lazarus, the witness to His power. They were most religious but most unscrupulous. They forgot the warning of Psalm 82:1-5, where we read: “God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; He judgeth among the gods. How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah. Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked. They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.”

The next day Jesus presented Himself to Jerusalem as Israel’s King, just as Zechariah the prophet had said (Jn. 12:12-15; Zech. 9:9).

By Frank B. Hole, Adapted from “John.”