John 12: Mary's Alabaster Offering (pt. 2)

Living Like Royalty (Easter Edition)

In my last essay, "The Woman Who Anointed a King", we analyzed Jesus’ Messianic anointing in Mark 14:1-9.

“Mary’s Worship” by Brian Jekel

Though the woman in Mark’s account remains anonymous, I posited the theory, based on my cross-textual analysis of Matthew 26, Mark 14, and John 12, that the woman was Mary of Bethany.¹

This week, I want to bolster that theory by taking a closer look at John’s account of the story.

John 12:1-8: Mary’s Alabaster Offering

                                                    JOHN 12:1–8 (NIV) 
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He 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 help himself to what was put into it.

“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

In this version, John focuses on Mary washing Jesus’ feet, an act of adoration even more audacious than the anointing of his head.

Given this key difference between John’s account and the Matthew/Mark versions, why do I believe the woman in Mark 14 to be Mary of Bethany?

The answer lies in Mary’s relationship with Jesus. Let’s examine a few narrative clues, shall we?