Sermon Seeds: Reclining

Sunday, April 6, 2025
Fifth Sunday in Lent Sunday | Year C
(Liturgical Color: Violet)

Lectionary Citations
Isaiah 43:16-21 • Psalm 126 • Philippians 3:4b-14 • John 12:1-8
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=l&d=29&y=384

Focus Scripture: John 12:1-8
Focus Theme: Reclining
Series: Sound the Alarm: Toward Good Friday (Click here for the series overview.)

Reflection
By Cheryl A. Lindsay

The gospel text begins the transition from the Book of Signs to the Book of Glory in John’s account. Jesus and the disciples are about to journey to Jerusalem and the Passover observance. On the way, they make a significant stop for a moment of hospitality at the home of the recipient of one of his miracles and a personal friend, Lazarus. The last time the text encounters Lazarus, Jesus stands before Lazarus’ tomb calling the dead man to come out. Now, the very much alive Lazarus reclines as Martha serves the meal, Mary ministers to Jesus, and Judas Iscariot complains.

One incident in this pattern where Jesus interprets events (especially toward the end of his life) in light of the anticipated end is his anointing for burial. The account is closely linked with Jesus’ raising of Lazarus, whose presence serves as a constant reminder that an amazing miracle has taken place and thus fuels the Jews’ hostility toward Jesus still further. Yet the focus in the anointing narrative is not on Lazarus but on his sister Mary, whom the evangelist introduced in the preceding chapter (11:2; cf. Mark 14:9; Matt. 26:13).
Andreas J. Köstenberger

One might assume that a significant number, if not all, of the twelve disciples joined in this gathering; however, of all the names listed, only Judas has a named role in this part of the unfolding drama. His complaint is against the demonstration of love that Mary gifts to Jesus. He couches his objection in concern for the poor and stewardship of resources that could alleviate their suffering, but Jesus discerns his insincerity and openly repudiates his claim. Isn’t it interesting how those who embody materialism, greed, and mercenary tendencies are able to summon support and concern for the poor when it suits their purposes without actually making their care real and tangible in the lives of those in need?

When read with knowledge of the complete story, we might forget that Jesus called Judas to leadership in his nascent movement. Or, we assume that Jesus intentionally called a bad man to participate in a good work.

The church fathers struggled with the question of Judas’s moral status. If he was always evil, how could he have been chosen as a disciple? If he became evil only at the end, why would not his association with Jesus have saved him from himself? Augustine’s view is that “Judas did not become perverted only at the time when he yielded to the bribery of the Jews and betrayed his Lord.… But he was already a thief, already lost, and he followed our Lord in body but not with his heart”.
Adele Reinhartz

Could it be possible that Judas was corrupted by his position and access to power? If people can change, as illustrated in the example of the Apostle Paul, in redemptive ways after an encounter with the truth of Jesus…is it also possible that Judas was transformed in corruptible ways after exposure and proximity to the power of the movement of Jesus? As Lord Acton famously wrote to Bishop Creighton regarding the Inquisition,

I cannot accept your canon that we are to judge Pope and King unlike other men, with a favourable presumption that they did no wrong. If there is any presumption it is the other way against holders of power, increasing as the power increases. Historic responsibility has to make up for the want of legal responsibility. Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

The biblical witness teems with examples of powerful leaders called to service who succumb to the temptation, allure, and arrogance of power. Moses ends a faithful ministry forgetting that it was not the staff that empowered him but it served as a symbol of God’s power at work through natural means. David, damaged by the stresses of perpetually leading his nation at war, sexually assaults Bethsheba and contrives her husband’s death. Jonah, instead of basking in the rare blessing of having the recipients of his message take heed and repent, resents being used by God to avert disaster. Humanity has struggled with the power, authority, and stewardship given by God from the prohibited use of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil to today’s corrupted leaders.

Being a trusted disciple and close follower of Jesus was a temptation of its own. The text illuminates the varied responses to encounter, exposure, and proximity to Jesus. Everyone has a response to being in the presence of Jesus, and some have a response to other’s responses. John’s account renders brief notes on Martha, Lazarus, and Mary while turning the bulk of the attention to Judas.

Three striking facts render Mary’s anointing of Jesus particularly remarkable: the value of the perfume; Mary’s pouring of oil on Jesus’ feet (rather than his head); and her use of her hair to wipe his feet (it was considered improper for a woman to unbind her hair in public). Remarkably, a single verse is devoted to Mary’s act of anointing Jesus, but five verses are given to Judas’s taking offense and Jesus’ rebuttal. This indicates that the event sets the stage for Judas’s imminent betrayal of Jesus….The account of the anointing is, at its core, a tale of contrasts: Mary’s lavish devotion to Jesus is set against the backdrop of the looming prospect of Judas’s betrayal of his master. In another contrast, the man whom Jesus had raised from the dead, Lazarus, takes part in the dinner, while Jesus himself is anointed for burial. This is the time for devotion or antagonism toward Jesus to be displayed. The narrative enters a crucial phase.
Andreas J. Köstenberger

Notice that neither Martha nor Lazarus offer critique of Mary’s actions and use of her precious resource to honor Jesus in this manner. They have their own means of enjoying the companionship of Jesus. They are not in conflict or competition with one another as they each respond in favorable and hospitable ways. Clearly, their motivation contrasts starkly with Judas’ purposes. He doesn’t want to honor or serve Jesus, Judas wants to use him for his own self-serving ends.

While it is possible that the account here has been influenced by some version of Luke’s story, John’s Gospel has its own reasons for calling attention to the feet rather than the head. For one thing, it could be simply a corollary of identifying the woman who anointed Jesus as Mary of Bethany (see 11:2), for wherever we meet Mary, in John or in Luke, she is always at Jesus’ feet (see 11:32; Lk 10:39). But perhaps more important, Mary’s act anticipates the action of Jesus at a similar “dinner” a chapter later (13:2), when he himself will “wash the feet of the disciples and dry with the towel with which he was girded” (13:5). Mary’s otherwise “unintelligible” act (see n. 26) of wiping away the perfume she has just administered could then be explained not as a detail imported from Luke 7:38, but simply as part of the correlation between her anointing of Jesus and his own subsequent washing of the disciples’ feet.27 In another Gospel, Jesus claims that “the Son of man came not to be served but to serve” (Mk 10:45). In John’s account we see Jesus first being served (by both Martha and Mary; see v. 2), and then serving. First we are shown the “normal” scene of a disciple at the feet of her teacher (although the extravagance of a whole pound of costly perfume was hardly “normal”!), and later we will witness the striking reversal of that procedure in Jesus’ unforgettable act of washing his disciples’ feet. Mary’s act is as remarkable for its reckless extravagance as the footwashing is for its reversal of expected roles.
J. Ramsey Michaels

In this story, Mary’s action is exemplary, and Jesus commends it…as should the listener. At the same time, there is another commendable actor…Lazarus who opens his home and then reclines. He makes space for Jesus and simply enjoys the presence of love embodied, justice realized, and solidarity incarnated. Lazarus, who has moved recently from death to life, understands that showing up is not passive. Reclining is not an act of laziness, indifference, or distance. Reclining is resting in God’s love, trusting in divine intervention, and preparing for what will be needed next. Reclining is intentional presence and encounter with the holy. Reclining is resistance to a world that insists that value is dependent upon activity and production. Reclining is an appropriate response to new life and new possibilities. Some moments call for service so that the hungry may eat. Some call for worship and adoration so that the Holy One is glorified in our midst. And, some call for rest just because we are alive.

Reflection from Voices of People of African Descent
The 33rd General Synod adopted a Resolution to Recognize the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024). As part of its implementation, Sermon and Weekly Seeds offers Reflection from Voices of People of African Descent related to the season or overall theme for additional consideration in sermon preparation and for individual and congregational study.
“The Rest Is Resistance framework also does not believe in the toxic idea that we are resting to recharge and rejuvenate so we can be prepared to give more output to capitalism. What we have internalized as productivity has been informed by a capitalist, ableist, patriarchal system. Our drive and obsession to always be in a state of “productivity” leads us to the path of exhaustion, guilt, and shame. We falsely believe we are not doing enough and that we must always be guiding our lives toward more labor. The distinction that must be repeated as many times as necessary is this: We are not resting to be productive. We are resting simply because it is our divine right to do so.”
― Tricia Hersey, Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto

For Further Reflection
“During the Age of Glass, everyone believed some part of him or her to be extremely fragile. For some it was a hand, for others a femur, yet others believed it was their noses that were made of glass. The Age of Glass followed the Stone Age as an evolutionary corrective, introducing into human relations a new sense of fragility that fostered compassion. This period lasted a relatively short time in the history of love-about a century-until a doctor named Ignacio da Silva hit on the treatment of inviting people to recline on a couch and giving them a bracing smack on the body part in question, proving to them the truth. The anatomical illusion that had seemed so real slowly disappeared and-like so much we no longer need but can’t give up-became vestigial. But from time to time, for reasons that can’t always be understood, it surfaces again, suggesting that the Age of Glass, like the Age of Silence, never entirely ended.” — Nicole Krauss
“The world is a beautiful place,” she insists, and she’s serious; her gaze is even, her voice level. Her eyes catch mine, hold them. “Don’t forget that.” She reclines, mashing her cigarette into the hollow of the bowl. “And don’t miss it.” — A.J. Finn
“I cannot accept your canon that we are to judge Pope and King unlike other men, with a favourable presumption that they did no wrong. If there is any presumption it is the other way against holders of power, increasing as the power increases. Historic responsibility has to make up for the want of legal responsibility. Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” — Lord Acton

Works Cited
Köstenberger, Andreas J.. John (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament), Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing Group, 2013.
Michaels, J. Ramsey. The Gospel of John. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2010.
Reinhartz, Adele. “John.” Gale A. Yee, Ed. Fortress Commentary on the Bible: Two Volume Set. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2014.

Suggested Congregational Response to the Reflection
During the season of Lent, let us take on practices that strengthen our communal capacities. Consider how your faith community may need to rebalance your ministry to faithfully and fruitfully incorporate rest, worship, and service.

Worship Ways Liturgical Resources
https://www.ucc.org/worship-way/lent-5c-april-6/

The Rev. Dr. Cheryl A. Lindsay, Minister for Worship and Theology (lindsayc@ucc.org), also serves a local church pastor, public theologian, and worship scholar-practitioner with a particular interest in the proclamation of the word in gathered communities. You’re invited to share your reflections on this text in the comments on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SermonSeeds.

A Bible study version of this reflection is at Weekly Seeds.