Today we read Mark chapters 13 and 14, and I’ve titled the episode “A Sweet Fragrance.” We also have a special encore presentation of the Christmas story and my favorite Christmas song of all time.

In our reading today from Mark 13 and 14, we see a dramatic shift from Jesus’ teaching on the end times to the intimate and sacrificial actions of his final days. Mark 13 records Jesus’ warnings about the destruction of the temple and the signs of the end of the age, urging his followers to stay awake and keep watch. In Mark 14, we witness the beautiful act of Mary of Bethany, who pours expensive perfume on Jesus’ head—an act Jesus defends as a preparation for his burial. This chapter also leads us through the Last Supper, the agony in Gethsemane, and Jesus’ eventual arrest and trial.

Something occurred to me as I was reading Mark 14 that I had never thought of before. In that culture, people rarely bathed, meaning there is every possibility that Jesus still carried the aroma of that sweet perfume when he was taken to be tried, when he was beaten, and even as he hung on the cross. Imagine him catching a whiff of that fragrance during his darkest hours. It would have served as a tangible reminder of the beautiful, loving sacrifice Mary made for him, reflecting his own love for her and for all of us.

December 25, 336: The earliest reference to observing Jesus’ nativity on December 25 is found in the Philokalian calendar, dating the Roman origin of the practice to this year.

December 25, 1413: In a letter written nineteen months before he was burned at the stake, Bohemian reformer Jan Hus proclaimed, “Rejoice that the immortal God is born, so that mortal men may live in eternity”.

Originally produced in 2010 for the LifeSpring Why Christmas podcast, this dramatic reading features a talented cast of friends and fellow podcasters. It follows the journey of Mary and Joseph from the angelic visitation to the village of Nazareth all the way to the escape to Egypt, bringing the biblical narrative to life through voice and sound.

Cast Credits:

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I’m Steve Webb, and this is the Lifespring One Year Bible Rewind.