The Anointing of Jesus at Bethany

It was almost Passover, and John 12:1-8 recounts that…

Jesus was in Bethany, at a dinner held in His honour. His dear friends Lazarus, Martha and Mary were also there. Martha, as was her nature, was busy with serving, Lazarus reclined at the table with Jesus, while Mary, as was her nature, was serving Jesus, anointing Him with perfume – nard – then, wiping His feet with her hair.

Nard, a red-rose fragrant ointment was a favourite perfume in those days and the passage tells us that Mary’s nard was pure and expensive. This clearly indicates that anointing Jesus with this precious perfume was, for Mary, an act of real sacrifice. But as John clearly points out, Judas took umbrage at her actions. There is, however, significance in Mary’s perceived extravagance that we must not ignore. 

Judas completely misunderstood the significance in Mary’s sacrifice to the Lord. He saw it from one perspective and one perspective alone – as such a waste. But to Mary it did not matter; she did not even consider the cost. Understand that to serve in God’s Kingdom will cost you (see Mark 10:17-27) but the benefits far outweigh the cost of serving our Lord Jesus Christ.

Judas revealed himself as one who possessed a love of money, which 1 Timothy 6:10 tells us is “the root of all kinds of evil” – it was this weakness that would cause him to wander from the faith, allowing the devil to possess him to betray Jesus (John 13:27; Luke 22:3). It goes to show that privilege of position (Judas was “keeper of the money bag”) is no substitute for loyalty, faith, obedience, commitment and devotion. 

Mary revealed her absolute devotion to Jesus as she lovingly wiped His feet with her hair. Once again, at His feet (see Luke 10:39), she humbly reverenced the Lord. 

Jesus saw Mary’s action as anointing for His burial. The Gospels of Matthew and Mark both suggest that Mary anointed more than just Jesus’ feet. In Mark 14:8, Jesus says, “She poured perfume on my body…” (also Matthew 26:12).

Mary poured this pure and expensive perfume over Jesus’ head, giving us a picture of this fragrant oil flowing down over His entire body. And “The house was filled” with its fragrance. It was the sweetness of her spiritual sacrifice unto the Lord.

“you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ…For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved…” – 1 Peter 2:5 and 2 Corinthians 2:15 (NIV)

That lovely fragrance is the sweet smell of the beautiful savour of the new Life in Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14-16).

God’s beloved, may you be like Mary, understanding that the cost of the perfume means absolutely nothing in comparison to the immeasurable value of serving our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson "The Anointing of Jesus at Bethany"  © 2013  revisited April 12, 2025