Mark 14:1-11
Jesus Anointed
1 Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 2 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.”
3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.
4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.
6 “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. 11 They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
Matthew 26:6-13
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
6 While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, 7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.
8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. 9 “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”
10 Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. 12 When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 13 Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
John 12:1-11
Jesus Anointed by Mary in Bethany
1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”
9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.
Luke 7:36-50
Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman
36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”
40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”
“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”
48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
It is written in all four of the Gospels that Jesus is anointed...While many believe that in Mark, Matthew and John it is Mary of Bethany, while the Luke anointing of Jesus is probably another woman...
So while many believe this is Mary of Bethany in three of the Gospels, we still learn lessons from all the anointings of Jesus...Mary exemplifies devotion and faith in Jesus...Her focus on listening and learning contrasts with Martha's practicality, offering different perspectives on discipleship...Her act of anointing foreshadows Jesus' death and highlights the importance of recognizing and Honoring Him...A large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was in Bethany and came, not only because of Him but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead...So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in Him...
Jesus says to the crowd after some criticize her for anointing Him with such an expensive perfume, "But you will not always have Me...She did what she could...She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for My burial...Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."...
So this give us one of the most vivid images of Mary of Bethany because she has anointed Jesus with this expensive perfume, preparing Him for burial as He predicts His Own death...And Jesus defends her, calling it a beautiful act of devotion that will be remembered forever...
In short, Mary at Bethany is a multifaceted figure who represents faith, devotion, and listening to Jesus...Her actions and experiences continue to be interpreted and analyzed in religious scholarship and inspire personal reflection and artistic expression...
And even this is not Mary of Bethany we still see that Jesus' death is coming soon and the anointing as a preparation for His burial, indicates that He is aware of His impending death and accepts it as part of His Divine Mission...This adds a layer of sadness to the scene, but also highlights Jesus' courage and selflessness...In Luke we see great forgiveness and compassion towards the woman by Jesus...
We also see this spark of controversy over the use of expensive perfume as an anointing oil...Not everyone understands or appreciates the anointing woman's gesture...Some, like Judas, criticize it as wasteful, questioning why such a valuable perfume could not have been sold and the money given to the poor...This highlights the differing perspectives on wealth, piety, and priorities that existed even among Jesus' followers...
We see a celebration of generosity and in the anointing woman's faith...Jesus defends the woman, stating that her act of anointing Him will be "told throughout the whole world" as a testament to her faith...This emphasizes the value of generosity and faith, even in seemingly small gestures, and their potential to leave a lasting impact...
We see this connection to the ancient world two thousand years ago...The anointing practice itself has roots in Jewish tradition, where anointing with oil was associated with consecration and setting apart for a sacred purpose...Jesus' anointing can be seen as a fulfillment of this tradition, marking Him as the Promised Messiah and the Anointed One who was to come...He most definitely is set apart from all mankind with His Divine Abilities and Power...
The anointing of Jesus at Bethany continues to resonate with people today for various reasons...It speaks to the power of love and devotion, reminding us that even small acts of love can have a profound impact...It challenges us to consider our own priorities and values, asking whether we are willing to sacrifice something that is valuable to us for something greater and Someone Greater...It offers a glimpse into the humanity of Jesus, showing Him as Someone who appreciated and accepted acts of love and kindness and is forgiving...