Mary Anoints Jesus at Bethany 1 Six days before i the Passover, j Jesus therefore came to Bethany, k where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. l Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table.
3 m Mary therefore took a pound 1 of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his. The Bible story of how Mary anoints Jesus' feet with perfume (in John 12:1-8) describes wholehearted devotion to a loving God. Mary's simple action is profoundly significant.
By learning why. Mary - First of two anointings by two different women Evening of the 8th of Nisan. Mary, the sister of both Lazarus and Martha, anointed Jesus' feet with spikenard six days before His crucifixion.
Spikenard is an expensive, perfumed ointment used for anointing the dead. Mary Anoints Jesus 12 Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived in Bethany, where Lazarus lived,[a] the man whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 There they gave a dinner for him.
Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 3 Mary took a litron[b] of very expensive perfume made of pure nard and anointed Jesus' feet. All four gospels present an account of Jesus being anointed by a woman with a costly jar of perfume (Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; Luke 7:36-50; John 12:1-8).
Matthew and Mark relate the same event but do not give the woman's name; Luke tells of a different woman, also anonymous, on an earlier occasion; and, in yet another event, the woman in John is identified as Mary of Bethany. The story of Mary anointing Jesus' feet is found in four places in the New Testament maybe. I say "maybe" because she is only named in the gospel of John (John 12).
Mary (Martha's sister) then took a pound of pure spikenard ointment worth a great price and anointed Jesus' feet, wiping His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the aroma of the ointment (John 12:3). Though the Bible suggests that different women washed Jesus' feet, his anointing by Mary of Bethany and Mary Magdalene are related.
This is because, in both stories, Mary of Bethany and Mary Magdalene anointed Jesus with expensive perfume or ointment. By anointing Jesus' feet, Mary demonstrates humility and devotion, as feet were considered the dirtiest part of the body. This act prefigures Jesus' own washing of the disciples' feet, emphasizing servanthood and love.
The story of Mary anointing Jesus' feet is a timeless reminder of the beauty of unreserved devotion to our Savior. It calls us to reflect on the depth of our love and the ways we express our worship. As we remember this act of heartfelt worship, let us seek to deepen our devotion, recognizing the immeasurable value of our relationship with.