Last couple of readings in John 11 I’ve been identifying with Martha. This morning, as I hover over my reading in John 12, I’m wanting to be more like Mary. I have taken note of the Savior’s patience in moving Martha from deep faith to even deeper faith, but this morning I’m a bit in awe as I meditate on the Savior’s acceptance of Mary’s extravagant worship.

I’m in wonder, in part, because of a single word that I don’t think I’ve every stopped to really chew on before. A word that every bible teacher who has ever taught me about how to read the bible says I need to take note of. So that when I see the “therefore” I should ask what it’s there for?

Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for Him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with Him at the table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

(John 12:1-3 ESV)

Only the ESV and Young’s Literal Translation translate the underlined word as “therefore.” All my other translations use the English word “then.” As in, “Then Mary took . . . and anointed the feet of Jesus.” “Then” gives Mary’s action simply a sense of chronology rather than causality. As in, Martha served, Lazarus reclined, then Mary anointed.

But what if the better translation really is “therefore”? Then, I should spend a bit of time noodling on what it’s there for?

What if accordingly Mary anointed the feet of Jesus? What if consequently she seized the opportunity to worship extravagantly? What if, because these things were so– i.e. her sister was serving as she had always served, her brother was breathing as he had always breathed (well, except for 4 days) — what if, because she took note of these somewhat mundane realities, she thus broke the bank and filled the house with the unescapable fragrance of her love for the Master?

If it’s really a “therefore” and not a “then”, and if that’s what it’s there for, then what am I to take from it?

Perhaps something about worshiping in the moment. Something about responding to the ordinary and normal, even when recent events may have been anything but normal and what’s next is just as unpredictable.

Mary had recently been through a lot. Not just a near death experience, but an actual death experience. And while it had played out unimaginably well, who could have imagined her brother’s death in the first place? And then, because of his notoriety as a dead guy walking, it had incited the high priest of the Jews to put out a hit on the One who had brought her brother back to life, her much loved Lord (11:49-54). What’s more, in just a few more verses, they’re going to put out a contract on her brother as well “because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus” (12:11). Crazy!

But for right now, at this moment, Martha is serving, Lazarus is reclining, and THEREFORE Mary worships. She places herself in that sweet spot she’s known before, at the feet of Jesus. She breaks open the bottle of precious perfume she had purchased with a year’s wages (12:5). She pours it upon Jesus’ feet. And then, she wipes His feet with her hair in an act of unreserved humility and homage. So much so, that the house was filled with the fragrance of her adoration.

Mary worshiped in such a way that it would be spoken of long beyond that particular moment in time (I’m hovering over it today). All because, at that moment, she paused to reflect on the moment — the rightness of her sister serving, the blessedness of her brother reclining, and therefore the appropriateness of her worshiping.

I’m thinking that’s what the “therefore” might be there for.

Extravagant worship in response to the wonder of everyday, ordinary grace.

And that, for God’s eternal glory.

Amen?