Mary Anoints Jesus
Six days before Passover, Jesus comes to Bethany, the town of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.
S1ix days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, the hometown of Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.
A dinner is prepared for Jesus there, with Martha serving and Lazarus reclining at the table with him.
2So they hosted a dinner for Jesus there. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with Him.
Mary pours costly pure nard on Jesus’ feet, wipes them with her hair, and fills the house with the perfume’s fragrance.
3Then Mary took about a pint of expensive perfume, made of pure nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
Judas Iscariot, one of the disciples and the one who will betray Jesus, questions the use of the perfume.
4But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was going to betray Him, asked,
Judas asks why the perfume was not sold and the money given to the poor.
5“Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?”
John explains that Judas spoke from theft, not concern for the poor, since he kept the money bag and took from it.
6Judas 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 take from what was put into it.
Jesus defends Mary and reads her action as preparation for the day of his burial.
7“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “She has kept this perfume in preparation for the day of My burial.
Jesus says the poor will remain with them, but he will not remain with them in the same way.
8The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have Me.”