Mary Magdalene Anointing Christ’s Feet in the House of Simon the Pharisee
Of all the masterpieces I've spent time with for this series, I have been drawn to spend the most time with this one.
What a startling scene. I'm particularly struck by the emotions on display by the men around the table. These guys are surprised. They are perplexed. They are scandalized!
At the scene's center, we see that the object of their consternation is… a worshiping woman. She is neither self-conscious nor seems to be paying attention to the men at all, except for one man: Jesus. She reclines at his feet, the very posture of a committed disciple, rapt with love. In a gesture of extraordinary sacrifice and devotion, she pours liquid riches upon him from her alabaster jar of perfume.
Mary Magdalene Anointing Christ’s Feet in the House of Simon the Pharisee — Artus Wolffort | between 1596-1641
Who is this woman? Actually, we don't know. The painting, by the Flemish artist Artus Wolffort, is indeed entitled "Mary Magdalene Anointing Christ's Feet in the House of Simon the Pharisee." However, the scene seems to be based on Luke 7:36-50. In that Scripture story, the woman remains unnamed. She is simply called a woman "who lived a sinful life." (v. 37) While we do not know exactly what that means, we do know this: it is likely that something about this woman's sexuality has deeply scandalized the respectable religious folk in the room. Even after taking into account the woman's humble and repentant posture, they are deeply uncomfortable with her joining their party and worshiping with such extravagance at the feet of Jesus.
It makes me think of some of the resistance that so many in the Revoice community have faced, along with all faithful LGBTQ+/SSA siblings in Christ who have chosen to embrace the historic Christian sexual ethic. Even despite their faithful devotion, many in our community are still looked upon with suspicion and alarm by some members of the wider Christian religious establishment. Honestly, this pains me. Very, very deeply.
One reason why it grieves me is precisely because the Church has so very much to learn from the faithful LGBTQ+/SSA community. Notice how, in this painting, Jesus is entirely focused on the woman. The turning point comes when he bluntly asks the group: "Do you see this woman?" (v.44) Yes, in one respect, they "see" her with their eyes of flesh…but they do not see her as God sees her.
Notice another detail of this painting: two of the men are looking straight at us, the viewers. They seem to be asking us also to consider: How will you choose to see this woman?
After questioning the group, Jesus then goes on to confound their prejudice, fear, and religious conventions by holding her up as an exemplar. This gorgeous disciple is a stellar model of humility, worship, and sold-out devotion to Jesus Christ. She radiates kingdom beauty. Above all, she is to be imitated rather than ostracized.
In the same way, our faithful LGBTQ+/SSA Christian community has personally challenged and inspired me in so many ways. Mostly, I am inspired by the costly obedience that is so often displayed in this community – and which, frankly, is the standard for all faithful disciples. One resource that explores this specifically from the angle of the celibate members of our community is Costly Obedience: What We Can Learn from the Celibate Gay Christian Community by Mark Yarhouse and Olya Zaporozhets. They write:
We…see celibate gay Christians as having unique experiences and gifts that they can bring to the body of Christ…it can be helpful to think of the many ways in which celibate gay Christians may strengthen the church, particularly in areas where the church is not that strong, such as identifying with and reaching those on the margins, fostering greater authenticity and depth in relationships, and valuing singleness.
And that only scratches the surface! Having served as a discipleship leader for many years, I can recognize deep, cruciform discipleship when I see it. I can joyfully pick up on Christ's surprising, delightful fragrance among his followers when it is present. Just as this dinner party became suffused with the lovely scent of this woman's perfume, so too have I experienced the sweet, Christ-like fragrance of worship at our Revoice conferences. It makes me want to shout to the world and say, "Do you see this community?" I want the world to really see you – and be blessed.
While some may continue to exhibit fear or confusion as they observe the extravagant worship of our community, I want you to be encouraged today, dear friends: Jesus welcomes you, and your worship inspires increasing numbers of people to the glory of God. Like our unnamed, brave, worshiping woman, I implore you to stay focused not on detractors but on Jesus. Today, may you be comforted by the very same words that Christ spoke to this awe-inspiring disciple, who serves as a model for us all: "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." (v. 50)
