The aroma of very expensive ointment filled the house. While Jesus reclined at table, a woman had poured the ointment on Jesus’ head. It was a lavish gift. The anointing of a guest’s head with oil was customary, but not like this. The expense was extraordinary. One gospel placed the value of the ointment at 300 denarii – the pay of a common laborer for 300 days (Mark 14:5).
The objections came. It could have been sold and given to the poor. But Jesus said it was a beautiful thing. She had prepared Jesus for burial. We don’t usually sit at the dinner table, while the undertaker prepares us for our funeral. Jesus’ words would have struck them just as odd. The cross unspoken lingered like the aroma of the expensive ointment. Yet, he said to them that her deed would be proclaimed to the whole world wherever the gospel is proclaimed.
Judas, one of the Twelve, plotted with the religious leaders, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” The price was thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave (Exodus 21:32). The betrayal price set in motion the events that led to the cross. It was a large amount, but not nearly as large as the expensive ointment. How odd those thirty pieces of silver gained was a terrible loss, and “wasted,” expensive ointment was a wondrous gain!
It is as if the woman in the story said, “Jesus, I love you so much that I give you this ointment and so much more, I give you myself.”
It is as if Judas said, “Jesus, I don’t love you enough to pass up thirty pieces of silver.”
Two juxtaposed stories (Matthew 26:6-13, 26:14-16) both contain something of value. In both the valuable things say something about the participants and reveal spiritual priorities. Both stories foreshadow the cross.
Wherever these stories are told, an uncomfortable truth follows. We must make the same sort of decision. We will either be like the woman and say, “Jesus, I love you so much that I give you this and this and even my very life,” or we will be like Judas and say, “Jesus, I don’t love you enough to pass up this or that” as we name our price: jobs, family, possessions, pleasures, or thirty pieces of silver.
We all put a price tag on Jesus either to follow or reject. In your life, what’s the value of Jesus?
−Russ Holden
while today 
Excerpt from the post “She had prepared Jesus for burial.”, referring to Mark 14:5.
The whole chapter Mark 14 does not mention of Jesus’ funeral. Right?
If yes, then kindly quote if I missed it, please.
Isn’t such far fetched expressions that have made the Pauline-Christianity a breeding ground of Western Atheism, as I understand, please? Right?
Kindly correct me if I am wrong, and don’t mind it, please. Right?
Regards
“She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial.” (Mark 14:8 ESV)
Sorry, I missed it, please.
Regards
Yes, the Chapter 14 mentions two times of Jesus’ funeral, but Jesus’ funeral was held, I understand, much time later as he died at the age of 120 years according to some traditions.
It was not to be done in near future as Jesus did not die and could not to die on the Cross. Jesus was a truthful Messenger of G-d and only false Messengers are to die on the Cross as per Torah.
It is a mistake to believe, I figure, that Jesus died a cursed death on the Cross. Had Jesus died on the Cross then Jesus’ body would have been given the last cleaning both and the last funeral service would have been held before his laying in the grave of Joseph of Arimathea, please? But there is no mention of these things having been performed by his followers. It is a strong clue that Jesus did not die on the Cross and he could not die on the Cross, please? Right?
Kindly correct me if I am wrong, please. Right?
Regards
Regards
One may like to read my revised comments:
Only false Messenger/Prophets die on the Cross: so, Jesus did not die on the Cross
https://paarsurrey.wordpress.com/2021/03/13/only-false-messenger-prophets-die-on-the-cross-so-jesus-did-not-die-on-the-cross/
Regards
Please bear with my following further comments on one’s post:
Difference between Burial and Funeral:
“Burial is a ritual in which the body of the loved one is placed inside the ground with their favorite or cherished objects. The body can be placed in a casket, which is sealed before it is placed inside the ground. For many families, the church that they visit to often has a cemetery joined with it and the person is usually buried there. A lot of cultures bury their dead and human burial can be dated back to 100,000 years. Certain cultures such as Egyptians, buried the dead with all the comforts that the person would need in their afterlife.
Funeral is a ceremony that is used to remember, honor and sanctify the dead. Depending on the culture, there are various different ways that can be used to celebrate life of the deceased. Some offer prayers, while other pray for peace. Other rituals include religious readings, burning of the body, mummification, or even bone picking. These rituals are often require cleaning the body and offering it a peaceful journey. Other cultures also include rejoicing the life of the deceased including drinking and telling stories about the loved one.”
https://www.costafuneralservices.com/difference-between-burial-funeral-and-cremation.html
Which one is earlier, funeral or burial?
“burial can take place immediately after death, following a traditional funeral service or before a memorial service. In the case of a burial, the body can be interred in the ground or entombed in a mausoleum.”
https://feeandsons.com/blogs/blog-entries/1/Our-Blogs/1/Cremation-Versus-Burial-How-To-Decide-Which-Is-Best.html#:~:text=Both%20cremation%20and%20burial%20can,or%20entombed%20in%20a%20mausoleum.&text=Of%20the%20two%2C%20cremation%20is%20generally%20the%20more%20economical%20choice.
“Jewish[edit]
Main article: Bereavement in Judaism
In Judaism, funerals follow fairly specific rites, though they are subject to variation in custom. Halakha calls for preparatory rituals involving bathing and shrouding the body accompanied by prayers and readings from the Hebrew Bible, and then a funeral service marked by eulogies and brief prayers, and then the lowering of the body into the grave and the filling of the grave. Traditional law and practice forbid cremation of the body; the Reform Jewish movement generally discourages cremation but does not outright forbid it.[26][27]
Burial rites should normally take place as soon as possible and include:
Bathing the dead body.
Enshrouding the dead body. Men are shrouded with a kittel and then (outside the Land of Israel) with a tallit (shawl), while women are shrouded in a plain white cloth.
Keeping watch over the dead body.
Funeral service, including eulogies and brief prayers.
Burial of the dead body in a grave.[26]
Filling of the grave, traditionally done by family members and other participants at the funeral.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funeral#Jewish
“Christian[edit]
Funeral of IndianSyro-Malabar Catholic, VenerableVarghese Payyappilly Palakkappilly on 6 October 1929.
Congregations of varied denominations perform different funeral ceremonies, but most involve offering prayers, scripture reading from the Bible, a sermon, homily, or eulogy, and music.[2][9] One issue of concern as the 21st century began was with the use of secular music at Christian funerals, a custom generally forbidden by the Roman Catholic Church.”[10]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funeral#Jewish
Mark chapter 14 : 1-9 New International Version
1 Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 2 But not during the festival,’ they said, ‘or the people may riot.’3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, ‘Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.’ And they rebuked her harshly.6 Leave her alone,’ said Jesus. ‘Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.’
https://www.bibleref.com/Mark/14/Mark-chapter-14.html
One could see that Mark is a third person narrative of an anonymous sinful scribe named after “Mark” only for credulity, it is in no case written by Jesus or dictated to a disciple by Jesus. Even if written in inverted commas these are not the words of Jesus spoken from his mouth. Right?
Notwithstanding the above, if Jesus said something like that, we must take it as “anecdotal” as it never happened like that. Jesus was convinced that nothing like that was going to happen to Jesus in near future, he was to be saved from death by God-the-Father and death couldn’t befall him even for a moment, no question of days as the Pauline-Christianity make the Christian believe incorrectly. Right?
We don’t find any real facts that Jesus died on the Cross, rather there are overwhelming clues to the contrary. Right?
No funeral service of Jesus was performed; neither as per the Jewish Tradition (old or new) nor of the Christian Tradition (old or new), so there was no question of Jesus’ factual burial. Yes, Jesus was placed in a tomb by a man named Joseph of Arimathea, for treatment of the injuries inflicted on him on the Cross.
This was done as a ploy to escape from the eyes of the public, Jews and Romans. Right?
Regards