Some refer to the Wednesday of Holy Week as a “Silent Day” or “Holy Wednesday.” Much of it depends on how one puts together the Gospel chronology. Still, it appears that after Judas decided to betray Jesus, Wednesday is spent conspiring for how this would occur. Jesus is in Bethany throughout the day and stays there during the night.
There is one remarkable scene that takes place in Bethany:
One of the Pharisees invited him to eat with him. He entered into the Pharisee’s house and sat at the table. Behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that he was reclining in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of ointment. Standing behind at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment (Lk. 7:36ff).
On Thursday, at the Last Supper, there is another table set. But on Wednesday Jesus receives one of the most splendid displays of worship in his earthly ministry. A woman, of immoral reputation, anoints our Lord. Kings are anointed. Unlike the traitorous leaders of the day, this woman wasted no time in submitting to the Lord of Glory.
She wet his feet with tears–a symbol of casting her cares on him. She wiped her tears with her hair–a symbol of casting her sins on him for hair in the Bible is often associated with weakness and uncleanness (Lev. 13:40). She kisses his feet–a symbol of loyalty. Unlike Judas whose kiss meant death, this woman’s kiss meant allegiance.
On this Holy Wednesday, while Jesus’ ministry may be relatively silent, the angels in heaven are not; the Father and the Spirit are not, and this true worshipper in a Pharisees’ home is loudly worshipping the Second Adam.
