​Mar 14:3  And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. 
Mar 14:4  And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? 
Mar 14:5  For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. 
Mar 14:6  And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. 
Mar 14:7  For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. 
Mar 14:8  She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. 
Mar 14:9  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. 

This beautiful incident took place on the Tuesday evening of Passion Week, while the chief priests were gathered in the house of Caiaphas to plot the Lord’s death, Mat_26:3-5. Simon had probably been healed by Jesus, and the feast was held in his house, as being larger than Martha’s. Jesus was intimate with Lazarus and his sisters, and this unnamed woman was Mary, Joh_12:2-3. Alabaster resembled white marble, and the perfume was carefully sealed to preserve it. Its cost would amount to about fifty dollars, and would represent the work of three hundred days, Mat_20:2. Loveless hearts cannot understand the expenditure of love-they count it waste; but how quickly Jesus steps in to vindicate His own! Probably, of all His followers, Mary alone had understood His references to His death, and as she could not be present to perform the last offices of love, she rendered them in advance. Judas, who led the murmuring, seems to have been goaded to this act by the contrast of Mary’s spirit with his own, and by Christ’s gentle rebuke.
The two sent to prepare the Passover were Peter and John, Luk_22:8. We may often be guided by very trivial incidents-let us look out for them. A straw may indicate the direction of the current. The owner of the room was probably a secret disciple of Jesus, like him who lent the ass. The R.V. says, “my guest-chamber.” It is very beautiful when the Master feels free to put His hand on our possessions, and claim their use. Does he not ask for the guest chamber of our inner life? Is it at His disposal? F.B. Meyer

​There was no value in the spikenard except to refresh and comfort, but this was sufficient to warrant Mary’s act. We must not always be considering the utilitarian side of service. There are hours of holy ecstasy when we are lifted out of ourselves, in the expression of our love to Jesus, in ways that to cold and calculating onlookers seem mere extravagance. In her absorption in Him whom she loved, Mary has incited myriads to similar acts. But her love stirred up the evil in the heart of Judas, as summer’s lovely sunshine extracts poison from stagnant ponds. Our Advocate will screen us from our dread accuser. He interpreted Mary’s motive. She knew that her Lord would be crucified, and as she thought that there would be no opportunity for love to perform the last offices, she beforehand anointed Him for the burial.
F.B. Meyer

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:  1Pe 2:9

​​In this verse Peter by the Holy Ghost gives a vivid description of the Christian as Christ envisions them. They are God's chosen race, like ancient Israel. They are a kingdom of priests, "anointed ones" like Christ in a sense, priest-kings. They are set apart, a peculiar people different from the average of the world, their lives shine in the darkness and they exhibit the light of Christ. As did Christ when he walked the earth, these royal priests will find themselves at odds with those who have chosen this world, and the conflict of the ages between good and evil, continues on in each individual who has chosen Christ as their Savior. They are chosen, and in adversity with this world system. 
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John Wesley gives a very good commentary on this verse:
"But ye - Who believe in Christ Are - In a higher sense than ever the Jews were. A chosen or elect race, a royal priesthood - "Kings and priests unto God," Rev 1:6. As princes, ye have power with God, and victory over sin, the world, and the devil: as priests, ye are consecrated to God, for offering spiritual sacrifices. Ye Christians are as one holy nation, under Christ your King. A purchased people - Who are his peculiar property. That ye may show forth - By your whole behavior, to all mankind. The virtues - The excellent glory, the mercy, wisdom, and power of him, Christ, who hath called you out of the darkness of ignorance, error, sin, and misery."
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A short devotion on this verse gives a deeper understanding of how predestination is contained within it's meaning.

​It is impossible to read the Scriptures and not to see that there are some persons predestinated to glory. There are persons who, in the words of St. Paul, are vessels which God hath aforetime prepared unto glory. It is a fact—we see it with our eyes—that God makes a distinction between the heathen who have never heard the name of Christ and the Christian. The latter has high privileges which the former has not. The Christian has God’s word to guide him, but not only this: he has the Holy Spirit dwelling in him; he can reach to higher degrees of excellence here; and reason would surmise that he is intended for higher enjoyments hereafter. What reason surmises, revelation asserts. This, then, is the first, the foundation blessing of Christianity, in which we may humbly rejoice, and according to which all spiritual blessings are to be dispensed; it is the first link in the golden chain of glory which is to raise man from earth to heaven, the first round of that ladder up which man is to ascend to God, as angels descend to man.

But we may proceed yet farther. Our blessed Savior tells us that there are many mansions in His Father’s house, comparing the house that is to be to that which existed on earth while He yet tabernacled with men. In the temple of the first Jerusalem there was a variety of chambers or mansions, employed for different purposes, though all relating directly or indirectly to the services of the sanctuary. In the new Jerusalem, which will itself be the temple of the universe, there will in like manner be many mansions or chambers. It is very possible that we are not only each of us predestined to heaven, but predestined also each to our particular place in heaven, that our very mansion is fixed. Let the glory which is awaiting us, and to which we are predestined, elevate our characters, ennoble our thoughts, extend our views. Co-heirs we are with Christ Himself, who is our Head; vessels we are designed for high honor; we are of the household of the King of kings; we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, called out of darkness into His marvelous light. W. F. Hook

​In this verse, and these commentaries, the Christian is given a clear view of God's intent for them, how noble, how high are His thoughts of us. It is a noble priesthood, and the Christian wears this royal calling as a robe of righteousness. Peculiar, and odd; As Jesus was, so are we, in this world. In it, but not of it.
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I can assure you, Satan does not want you to study the bible, because if you did, verses such as these would open your mind and heart, and reveal to you God's great love, and eternal desires for His people. It should move us to be more diligent in our walk, and draw ever closer to Him-who is all love, and a consuming fire.
Lorna Couillard