Notes on the Anointing of Jesus

It was customary to anoint the body of the deceased in Jewish culture in Palestine at the time of Christ. Ointments such as spikenard were used. The body was always anointed except in the cases of criminals. Since Jesus was to die in a execution as a criminal he accepted the anointing with spikenard before his death.

We know Jesus was anointed with spikenard by Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha who lived together in Bethany. John 11:1 and John 12:3. There is also a reference to a woman in the House of Simon the leper in Bethany that anointed Jesus with spikenard in Matthew 26:6 and Mark 14:3. A question that I have had is were there two women in Bethany or is Mary the woman in both accounts. At this point all I can say is that the Bible does not let us know. It is possible that Mary, Lazarus, and Martha, lived in the home of Simon the leper but we just do not know.

John Chapter 11 - Full Text

John Chapter 12 - Full Text

Mathew Chapter 26 - Full Text

Mark Chapter 14 - Full Text

References in Scripture

1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

John 12:3

3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

Matthew 26:6

6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,

7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.

Mark 14:3

3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.

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