Mark 14:3 Commentary and Bible Study

From the point of two days before the arrest of Christ, the narrative now moves back from the Tuesday to a point six days before the Passover (John 12:1), before Christ actually entered Jerusalem. Mark says – he doesn't exactly use these words, but he in effect says – ‘Now, for a moment, something happened which I want you to know about.’ Matthew follows the same plan. Suddenly there is something you must hear about. This took place back in Bethany, before the entry into Jerusalem, in the house of Simon the leper. Who is he? We don't know. Obviously, he lived in Bethany, had a large house there, and had been a leper. He couldn't possibly be a leper now at the time this was going to happen, because he was a host; he was entertaining, and lepers were sadly shut away from society. He had clearly been healed of his leprosy. We are not told this, but it seems almost certain that he was healed by Christ, and is now a follower and worshipper of Christ, and recognises and knows him to be the Messiah, the Lamb of God, who will take away the sin of the world. There are at least fifteen people gathered, possibly more. Fifteen people are named in this Gospel, and in Matthew's Gospel. In John's Gospel a little more is said. John, the Gospel writer, was an eyewitness; he remembered it very clearly. There was the Lord Jesus Christ; there were the twelve disciples; there was the host, Simon the leper; and there was Lazarus, their neighbour, who had been raised from the dead just a couple of days earlier. There were also the two sisters of Lazarus, Martha and Mary, but Martha wasn't at the table; she was serving. And where was Mary? We soon find out. Mary was about to do something, something that the Lord said must be remembered in all the churches wherever the Gospel is preached throughout the gospel age, before his return. She was going to do something of enormous significance. Was it a thanksgiving service for the raising of Lazarus, or a thanksgiving for the healing of Simon the leper at some time earlier? Was it a special supper because he had announced to the disciples that he was on his way to suffering and death and to be raised again from the dead? ‘As he sat at meat, there came a woman.’ She is named in the Gospel of John. It’s Mary, the sister – ‘having an alabaster box’, or container, ‘of ointment of spikenard’ – pure nard, very expensive, worth they said three hundred denarii, three hundred days’ pay; virtually a year’s salary. The plant only grew in distant places on mountains, and this was pure nard, the most powerful and beautiful scent known to them. It was used for funerals, and for the anointing of kings and people in special office. Tiny amounts of it would be broken open, a precious box or bottle would be brought with a narrow neck, and a little bit measured out. The aroma would go everywhere. To the Jewish people in their culture at that time, it depicted resurrection, life beyond. The aroma, the soul, has gone to be with God, and there would one day be resurrection of the body. She bought a whole box, or, better, a bottle, or flask of this pure nard. It presumably had a long neck and contained oil of spikenard, pure nard, a very precious, fragrant perfume. It is called ointment in our translation, but it could be poured – ‘and poured it over the head and shoulders of Christ.’ John adds that she ‘wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment’ (John 12:3). That was a very humble thing to do – with her hair as though she was giving herself. What a remarkable, a surprising thing to do!