After Jesus was crucified, Mark wrote how, “Joseph of Arimathaea, an honorable counselor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus. And Pilate marveled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulcher which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulcher. And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid”, and in chapter sixteen and verse one of his book, Mark shared how how, “Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him” where we read:
And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
The verse reads, “And when the sabbath was past, ...” Mark began with the words, “and when” or “and at the time and moment” “the Sabbath was past” which means “the Jewish day of rest elapsed or ended”. Mark continued His story as he began to describe what happened when the Jewish day of rest ended.
The verse continues, “... Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.” Mark added the words, “Mary Magdalene” which refers to “a woman from Magdala whose name means their rebellion and a tower”, “and Mary the mother of James” which means “the wife of Cleophas or Alpheus and sister to the virgin Mary”, “and Salome” which means “peaceful” and was the “wife of Zebedee and the mother of the apostle James the elder and John, “had brought sweet spices” or “purchased spices which were aromatic from the market place”, “that they might come” which means “so Mary Magdalene, Mary and Salome could arise, appear and show forth themselves” “and anoint him” or “and put the sweet spices upon Jesus' body”. Mark shared how “Mary Magdalene, Mary and Salome” went to where Joseph of Arimathaea lay Jesus' body to cover Him with “scented spices”.
When we think through Mark's words in this verse, we see how these three women responded to the death of Jesus. We can imagine that they felt they had to do something to honor Jesus, so they went to the market place to purchase “scented spices” which were used for external embalming of a dead person's body. These “sweet spices” were to be “rubbed” upon Jesus' body as a sign of respecting and honoring the dead, and since Jesus meant so much to these women, they were purposed to “anoint” Him. Those who consider the events in the life and death of Jesus should easily recognize that He is the Messiah, Christ and Son of God who came to earth to give His life so people could obtain forgiveness for their sins and inherit everlasting life with God. Those who are wise will yield their lives to Him in honor and respect for who He really is.
Next time Mark shares how the women, “came unto the sepulcher at the rising of the sun”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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