Jesus anointed at Bethany by an unknown woman

Mark 14:3-9. The Start of the Passover was only two days away. Starting with Passover its self and with the following day the feast of Unleavened Bread followed the next day by The Feast of First Fruits.
This is the second woman who anointed Jesus with the very expensive perfume ready for his burial.
This time the evening meal was at Simon the Leper’s house.
The Gospels record three suppers, or evening meals, which Jesus had during the last six days of his life here on earth: this evening meal, the one four days earlier, and The Last Supper.

If the anointing of Jesus’ head and the Last Supper was on a Tuesday, with the crucifixion on the Wednesday, that allows for three days and three nights in the tomb before Jesus’ resurrection. This also means there were two Sabbaths that week. One a regular Sabbath. The other Sabbath one of the number of Special Sabbaths.

Background Reading:

A Unnamed Woman Anointed Jesus at Bethany

14:3 While Jesus was in Bethany sitting at the table in the home of Simon the leper, a woman arrived with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume made from pure nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume on his head. 3 Irritated, some who were there asked one another, “Why was the perfume wasted like this? 5 This perfume could have been sold for more than 300 denarii and the money given to the destitute.” So they got extremely angry with her.

6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing for me, 7 because you’ll always have the destitute with you and can help them whenever you want, but you won’t always have me. 8 She has done what she could. She poured perfume on my body in preparation for my burial. 9 I tell all of you with certainty, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
Mark 14:3-9
Also read Matthew 26:6-13

More Information:

This is the second time, in a week, that Jesus was anointed ready for his death, which was to be in two days time. The oil cost about a year’s wages. The sealed bottle had to be broken open so that the oil inside could be used.


Other modules in this unit: