Broken Vessels

by Steve Walvatne (USA)

In Mk.14.3 and Jud.7.20 we have vessels that were broken. The vessel in Mark’s gospel was broken in worship, while the vessel in Judges was broken in warfare. Worship and warfare are vital aspects of Christian experience. In Scripture, vessels are a frequent metaphor for individuals. David could write: "I am like a broken vessel," Ps.31.12. Regarding Saul of Tarsus, the Lord said: "He is a chosen vessel unto Me," Acts 9.15. In 2Tim.2.21 we read of a person being "a vessel unto honour" and in 1Pet.3.7, wives are referred to as "the weaker vessel."

From a human perspective, broken vessels have little value, but when humbly submitted to God, they are of great worth. "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit," Ps.34.18. Mary and Gideon personified the vessels they broke. Emptied of self, they were "sanctified, and meet for the Master’s use, and prepared unto every good work," 2Tim.2:21.

"Emptied that Thou shouldest fill me,
A clean vessel in Thine hand;
With no power but as Thou givest
Graciously with each command."

We trust a brief contemplation of these portions will yield profitable instruction for us. We shall notice six contrasts and comparisons.

1. In Mark’s gospel a woman breaks the vessel, while in Judges it is a man and his army. This is significant. Two outstanding traits of womanhood are tenderness and compassion, Prov.11.16; 1Pet.3.4 — a heartless woman is repugnant. Manliness however, is distinguished by tenacity and courage, 1Cor.16.13. Worship requires a soft heart while warfare necessitates a strong hand. Three times over David exclaimed, "I will praise Thee, O Lord, with my whole heart", Ps.9.1; 111.1; 138.1. Under Golgotha’s shadow, this devoted woman broke her little flask of spikenard and graciously poured every drop on the Lord Jesus. It was the expression of her whole heart. Regarding Gideon, his hands were strengthened for conflict. Similarly, Paul instructed Timothy to "be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus" and to "endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ," 2Tim.2.1,3. Spiritual conflict is taxing and weakness or sympathy dare not be exhibited towards the enemy. We are instructed to "love not the world, neither the things that are in the world," 1Jn.2.15, to flee fleshly lusts, 1Cor.6.18; 10.14; 1Tim.6.11; 2Tim.2.22, and to stand against Satanic attack, Eph.6.13; Jms.4.7. Alas! What coldness so often envelops our worship, what compromise our warfare!

2. As most know, proper names are spiritually significant in Scripture. Mary’s is wondrously fitted for worship. "Myrrh" or "bitterness" is conveyed by it. Myrrh, a chief ingredient in the holy anointing oil, Ex.30.23, was presented by wise men after the birth of the Lord Jesus, Matt.2.11, and by Nicodemus after His death, Jn.19.39. Extracted from a small tree, this resin is "fragrant to the smell, but very bitter to the taste" (S. Ridout). It bespeaks the inestimable aroma that ascends from righteous suffering. Nothing so prepares the heart for worship, as occupation upon the bitter sufferings of Christ. Gideon however, means, "a cutter down." After labouring to cut wheat and thresh it in secret, he was eminently qualified to cut down the altars of Baal and thrash the enemy in public. Paul exhorted Timothy, to be "wholly" engaged in spiritual things, that "thy profiting may appear (be manifest, RV) to all," 1Tim.4.15. Spiritual fitness is often the fruit of secret fidelity to God.

3. Mary broke her vessel by choice, whereas Gideon broke his by command. Worship cannot be legislated; it must flow freely from a grateful heart, Ps.45.1. Twice over with regard to the Lord’s Supper, we have the injunction: "This do in remembrance of Me," Lk.22.19; 1Cor.11.24. Without prior preparation however, our gatherings will regress to mere formality; there will be no "pure nard," no genuine proclamation of our Lord’s death, till He come. "Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup," 1Cor.11.28. On the other hand, spiritual warfare must only be waged as the Lord wills. In Judges 6, Gideon was ordered to "Go in this thy might," v14, and it was coupled with grand assurance: "Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man," v16. Warfare is serious business and the battle should not be joined in haphazard fashion. Moses said, "If Thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence," Ex.33.15. Gideon cautiously determined that both the assignment and the assurance were of God, before he would make war with Midian ("strife").

4. For worship, Mary came with something costly — spikenard worth 300 pence (equivalent to the yearly salary of a labouring man). For warfare, Gideon came with something contemptible300 persons with only trumpets and pitchers and lamps in their hands. God deserves our best in worship. In the first offering of the Old Testament, Abel brought "of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof," Gen.4:4, and God had respect for that. In the first offering of the New Testament, we find wise men coming to worship with treasures of "gold, frankincense, and myrrh," Matt.2.11. We must remember first principles. Is what we offer worthy of the Lord Jesus? Mary’s spikenard was "very precious" (poluteles; Mk. 14:3). This word occurs three times in the New Testament and a woman is in view on every occasion. Women, says Paul, are not to be adorned with "costly" array (poluteles; 1Tim.2:9), but rather as Peter writes, with a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of "great price" (poluteles; 1Pet.3.4). Mary did not approach her Lord with something cheap, but brought that which was "excellent and of surpassing value" (Thayer’s Greek Definitions). Concerning warfare, God can use that which is insignificant. "Little is much if God is in it." Ninety-nine percent of Gideon’s original force was disqualified and only 300 remained to fight against an opponent that "lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude," Jud.7.12. Recall David’s words, when as a stripling he went out to fight the giant Goliath, "The battle is the Lord’s!" 1Sam.17.47. Far too often, undue emphasis is given to methodology for warfare, when in reality, just a broken pitcher is sufficient to God.

5. When Mary’s vessel was broken, fragrance was smelled; when Gideon and his host broke theirs, fulgence was seen. As the spikenard descended upon the Lord Jesus, a sweet aroma filled the room. None could miss it. What delight it brought to Him! "Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her," Mk.14.9. When saints gather with gratitude on the first day of the week, the heart of God is touched and a fragrance permeates the entire company. In warfare, the broken vessels radiated light in the night. This world is marked by spiritual darkness, Eph.6.12; Jn.3.19; 2Cor.4.3, 4. The Lord Jesus declared, "As long as I am in the world, I am the Light of the world." Jn.9.5, but now, broken of self, we as Christians have the blessed privilege of uplifting Christ and shining "as lights in the world," Phil.2.15.

6. In both Mark and Judges we have the question "Why?" Why the waste in worship, Mk.14:4? Why the way in warfare, Jud.8.1? In each situation there were those who could not appreciate the Person or the purpose of Christ. This produced antagonism. With respect to Mary, a group led by Judas Iscariot, Jn.12.4, "murmured against her," v5; in Jud.8.1 we read that the men of Ephraim did "chide with him (Gideon) sharply." Both were severely admonished by onlookers. So it is still. Those who seek to honour God with their substance will frequently be maligned by worldly men. The world hated the Lord Jesus and it will hate believers who are moving in Scriptural paths, Jn.17.14; 1Jn.3.13. Regrettably, even professing Christians can succumb to the clamour of ungodly men and oppose that which exalts Christ.

Heavenly commendation will be forthcoming, however. Over the din of angry men, the Lord Jesus righteously asserted: "She hath done what she could," Mk.14.8. May we gain divine approval, as we seek individually and collectively, to be more like a Mary in worship and a Gideon in warfare.