Story of Mary anointing Jesus' feet - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

Tex · 06-04-2007, 03:14 PM

I was studying the Gospel Doctrine lesson (#20) last week, and noticed something that struck me as odd. The lesson is supposed to be about hypocrisy, and most of the passages focus on that topic (Matt 21-23).

But strangely, the lesson begins with John 12 where Mary anointing Jesus' feet. It's supposed to play into the lesson because of Judas' faux anger that the money the spikenard was worth was not sold for the poor.

Is it just me, or does it seem unfair to take this special moment between Jesus and Mary, and the special considerations of his death and burial, and instead focus on the treachery of Judas? Does this seem out of place in this lesson to you?

I noticed that pelagius' notes omitted the story entirely. It just seems like it doesn't fit into a hypocrisy discussion.

What say you?

http://lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/me...ontentLocale=0
http://scriptures.lds.org/en/john/12

jay santos · 06-04-2007, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tex

I was studying the Gospel Doctrine lesson (#20) last week, and noticed something that struck me as odd. The lesson is supposed to be about hypocrisy, and most of the passages focus on that topic (Matt 21-23).

But strangely, the lesson begins with John 12 where Mary anointing Jesus' feet. It's supposed to play into the lesson because of Judas' faux anger that the money the spikenard was worth was not sold for the poor.

Is it just me, or does it seem unfair to take this special moment between Jesus and Mary, and the special considerations of his death and burial, and instead focus on the treachery of Judas? Does this seem out of place in this lesson to you?

I noticed that pelagius' notes omitted the story entirely. It just seems like it doesn't fit into a hypocrisy discussion.

What say you?

http://lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/me...ontentLocale=0
http://scriptures.lds.org/en/john/12

I also wondered about that, and was interested what the group would have thought about John's commentary on Judas, and whether or not it was a fair comment. It strikes me as possibly being unfair.

pelagius · 06-04-2007, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tex

I was studying the Gospel Doctrine lesson (#20) last week, and noticed something that struck me as odd. The lesson is supposed to be about hypocrisy, and most of the passages focus on that topic (Matt 21-23).

But strangely, the lesson begins with John 12 where Mary anointing Jesus' feet. It's supposed to play into the lesson because of Judas' faux anger that the money the spikenard was worth was not sold for the poor.

Is it just me, or does it seem unfair to take this special moment between Jesus and Mary, and the special considerations of his death and burial, and instead focus on the treachery of Judas? Does this seem out of place in this lesson to you?

I noticed that pelagius' notes omitted the story entirely. It just seems like it doesn't fit into a hypocrisy discussion.

What say you?

http://lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/me...ontentLocale=0
http://scriptures.lds.org/en/john/12

I agree that it is not about hypocrisy. It does fit somewhat into certain parts of Matthew 21-23. For example, the entry into Jerusalem is a coronation scene and the anointing is probably both a anointing for burial and an anointing as the King. Here are some discussion of the anointing (although they focus on the Mark version of the account and there are some distinct literary differences between the accounts).

http://www.timesandseasons.org/?p=3486
http://www.timesandseasons.org/?p=3484
http://www.feministmormonhousewives.org/?p=1033
http://www.timesandseasons.org/?p=2918

fusnik11 · 06-05-2007, 04:23 AM

It makes perfect sense, let me explain....

Mary and Joseph participated in the washing of the feet, an ordinance reserved, taught to only a select few in the latter days, and believed by those participants to be a saving ordinance.

Now the church leadership that selects those who can participate in this form of washing and annointment, claims that everybody can be saved by way of the Church yet does not make this action available to the masses.

So, the story shows the hypocratic nature of the modern church, perfect congruency between the two and an appropriate time for the writer of John to interject his prophetic witness by way of allegory.

06-04-2007, 03:14 PM	#1
Tex Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 8,596	Story of Mary anointing Jesus' feet I was studying the Gospel Doctrine lesson (#20) last week, and noticed something that struck me as odd. The lesson is supposed to be about hypocrisy, and most of the passages focus on that topic (Matt 21-23). But strangely, the lesson begins with John 12 where Mary anointing Jesus' feet. It's supposed to play into the lesson because of Judas' faux anger that the money the spikenard was worth was not sold for the poor. Is it just me, or does it seem unfair to take this special moment between Jesus and Mary, and the special considerations of his death and burial, and instead focus on the treachery of Judas? Does this seem out of place in this lesson to you? I noticed that pelagius' notes omitted the story entirely. It just seems like it doesn't fit into a hypocrisy discussion. What say you? http://lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/me...ontentLocale=0 http://scriptures.lds.org/en/john/12 __________________ "Have we been commanded not to call a prophet an insular racist? Link?" "And yes, [2010] is a very good year to be a Democrat. Perhaps the best year in decades ..." - Cali Coug "Oh dear, granny, what a long tail our puss has got." - Brigham Young

06-05-2007, 04:23 AM	#4
fusnik11 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 2,506	It makes perfect sense, let me explain.... Mary and Joseph participated in the washing of the feet, an ordinance reserved, taught to only a select few in the latter days, and believed by those participants to be a saving ordinance. Now the church leadership that selects those who can participate in this form of washing and annointment, claims that everybody can be saved by way of the Church yet does not make this action available to the masses. So, the story shows the hypocratic nature of the modern church, perfect congruency between the two and an appropriate time for the writer of John to interject his prophetic witness by way of allegory.