WORD and EMBLEM serve one purpose, but they differ slightly and operate differently. Holy Scripture is full of emblems. Already in Paradise we are told of a “tree of life”. Holy prophets were constantly commanded by God to appear before the people with emblems of pitcher and girdle, baskets of figs, and what not. In His parables and outside of them, Jesus Himself almost as a rule speaks in allegorical language. Our Savior instituted for His church of all ages the emblematic signs of His Sacraments. And when on Patmos the perspective into eternity discloses itself, it is in emblem after emblem that the glory of heaven depicts itself before us.
The emblem is not added to the Word of God, but is a part of it. In emblems also speaks the Lord.
When in the hour of creation the word went forth, there did not originate ideas, but things; and in these things there lay a speech of God, since God has expressed His thoughts in them. There was a speech of the heavens in the firmament. In Psalm 29:7, the lightning itself is called “the voice of the Lord”. And Psalm 19 tells us that the heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
The whole creation is one emblem, one mighty exhibition of the thoughts of the Lord. Hence the whole world has symbolical significance. Wedlock is image of what unites the church as bride to the heavenly Bridegroom; the vine is image of what Jesus is to His believing people; the shepherd is the image of God’s providential care of His people; leaven, light, fountain, are altogether images of what is holy, and bring it closer to us.
Jesus therefore indulges only rarely in abstract reasoning, but almost always portrays the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven in symbolical language.
Emblems are the source of the life of poets. He who is eloquent and moves audiences, of himself abandons abstract ideas, and uses figurative speech.
The language of the rank and file of people borrows its riches from the emblem. With everything that is solemn and means to be impressive, the aid of the symbol is invoked.
The metaphor grips the senses. It calls up a life-image before them. And in that life-image as in a mirror, spiritual reality addresses you.
You see it, you grasp it, and it grips you, far more strongly and effectively than the most sharply outlined, the most finely analyzed concept.
IS it strange, therefore, that the holiest drama which this world has ever beheld, the passion and death of the Son of God, is emblematically introduced, and consecrated by sacred anointing?
That woman knew not what she did. She did not understand that she was God’s instrument to mark the solemn beginning of the going to the slaughter on the part of the Lamb of God. She acted from the impulse of sacred devotion. Jesus had become precious to her. The whole mystery of Jesus’ person had gripped her. Jesus had become the Master of her soul. And without explaining to herself how, in that wondrous Rabbi of Nazareth, she had found eternal peace. Now she wanted to do something for Jesus. She wished to do Him honor. For Him must be the best, the choicest, the richest that her house affords. A bottle, an alabaster box of unadulterated nard. A fortune for those days. A capital, we would say. And as the thought presents itself, the resolve is made. That nard is consecrated to Him. With this alabaster box she hastens to the house, where she knows that Jesus is. And quickly reaching Him, she breaks the box, and empties its precious content, pouring it out upon the object of her holy love. The precious, fragrant oil evaporated in the process of outpouring. It bathed Jesus as in a sphere of sweet-smelling ether. The fragrant vapors diffused themselves throughout the whole room where Jesus sat. Each guest drank in the spicy perfume. And while the whole company felt itself gripped, Jesus is the center of that outpouring, evaporating fragrance. And the woman, standing by with her empty box, is overjoyed. She has glorified her Lord.
Had she a surmise of Jesus’ end? Nothing indicates it. Jesus’ own word: “She did this as a preparation for my burial,” first brings this anointing into relation with the passion of the Lord (Matt. 26:12, Dutch version).
Even if she acted under a premonition, she has not understood half of the deep significance of her act. It was God the Lord who inspired the deed in her heart, it was the impulse of the Spirit which caused her to perform it. Hence it was not that woman, but it was God the Lord who through that woman emblematically introduced the passion and death of Christ.
Jesus understood what this symbolical anointing signified. He saw its sacred, impressive meaning. To Him it was the consecration of the holy Lamb of God to the sacrifice.
As in the anointing He was for a moment hid in sweet-smelling vapors, so presently the earth would hide Him in its womb, with the glory of resurrection as prophecy.
“She hath wrought a good work upon me,” spake Jesus, under the violent emotions which must have taken hold on Him. This anointing consecrates your Savior to the grave.
Of the grave and of the resurrection this anointing was the double emblem. That outpouring was the emblem of death. That rise of sweet-smelling savor was the emblem of a new, a glorious life.
If Jesus were still in Bethany, from all regions they would come, who would spend ten times as much, to bring an honor to Jesus like that of the anointing. It can not be guessed what treasures from all peoples and nations would be brought together, to perform so solemn an act of homage to the Savior of the world.
But now it would have no such value. To come out for Jesus, to offer Jesus homage, now that the “travail of His soul” lies behind Him, after He has been “very highly exalted”, by the Father, and angel-song and human-psalm vie to make His praises rise in worship, in this the art of holy love does not celebrate its triumph. But to pour out that costly nard upon Jesus, when Judas was scheming His betrayal, when the disciples began to doubt, and the might of the world was preparing itself, to lay Him in the dust of death, that was the glorious virtuosity of love, that was for her who was privileged to perform it a drinking in of blessedness on earth, and for Jesus it was a sweet refreshment of soul.
Why was this allotted to that otherwise forgotten woman, and not to you? Here is the unlimited power of the Father. Here is the election of grace. Mary chosen to carry her Savior in her womb, John chosen to lay his head on the bosom of Jesus, and this woman chosen, to anoint Jesus for His burial.
All this allows no repetition. These are sacred privileges only allotted to a few. To God alone belonged the disposition.
But the honor of being permitted to do it, the privilege of being made worthy for it, was above all measure precious. Jesus Himself declared that this deed, the glorious privilege of this woman, should be memorialized throughout the whole world.
And yet, if you might envy her, you would envy her, not for seeing your fame go abroad, but for having been permitted to perform so glorious a ministry, in such a crucial moment, to your Lord.
That has been the glory for this woman.
And therefore she still jubilates, she will jubilate forever: “I have been permitted to anoint my Savior as a preparation for His death.”
NOW consider what Judas, the traitor, said. Although this too was done under higher appointment.
He spoke of the poor. Not in behalf of the poor, but because that honor, shown to Jesus, cut his troubled conscience, troubled by his scheming treachery.
But this much remains, Jesus took him at his word, and announced to His own throughout all ages: “The poor ye have always with you.”
And that word also Jesus’ church has understood.
Since she was not able like this favored woman to anoint Jesus in person, with something of the passion of her love in the heart, she has offered her gifts to Jesus in His poor.
Christian charity is the enthusiastic turning into money the costly nard for Jesus’ sake.
You, therefore, who would envy that woman, forget not your Savior’s poor. Pass them not by, whom He has left to your care.
Said He not: “In so much as ye have done this to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done this unto Me”?
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