Faith and Betrayal

³ Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While He was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over His head. ⁴ Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why waste such expensive perfume?” they asked. ⁵ “It could have been sold for a year’s wages and the money given to the poor!” So they scolded her harshly. ⁶ But Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why criticize her for doing such a good (and beautiful) thing to Me? ⁷ You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But you will not always have Me. ⁸ She has done what she could and has anointed My body for burial ahead of time. ⁹ I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News (Gospel) is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.” Mark 14:3-9 (NLT)

Mark 14:1 through Mark 16:20, with parallel references at Matthew 26:1 through Matthew 28:20, Luke 22:1 through Luke 24:53 and John 13:1 through John 21:25 discuss in detail Jesus’ betrayal, arrest, trial, and crucifixion, commonly known as the “Passion.” In particular, these final chapters details Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection as the perfect Man and Son of God to bring salvation to all humanity (see also Acts 5:30-32; Acts 10:39-43; Acts 13:38-39; Acts 26:18). Through faith in Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection, we can peace with God, salvation, peace, and forgiveness of sins (e.g., see Luke 24:45-47; Romans 3:21-25; Romans 5:1-11; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

This section opens with Jerusalem preparing for the annual Passover celebration and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Mark 14:1; see also Luke 22:1). Thousands of Jews were in Jerusalem to celebrate their deliverance and exodus from Egyptian slavery by God’s mighty hand (see Exodus 12). Then, the Passover celebration was followed by a seven-day festival called the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This Feast of Unleavened Bread celebrates when the ancient Israelites quickly escaped from Egypt when they did not have time to let their bread rise, so they baked it without yeast. During the Passover and the week-long Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Jerusalem population increased from approximately fifty thousand to several hundred thousand.

While the people were preparing for the celebration and festival, the chief priests, religious elders, and the teachers of the law (scribes) were meeting and scheming to find some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill Him (Mark 14:1; see also Matthew 26:3-4; Luke 22:2). However, the chief priests and the religious leaders feared the people during the Passover celebration and wanted to kill Jesus secretly to prevent the people from rioting (Mark 14:1-2; see also Matthew 26:5). During the celebration, many people were flocking to see Jesus and believing in Him (John 12:9, 11). However, Jesus knew His death and crucifixion was coming soon (see Matthew 26:2). Amazingly, Jesus’ death and resurrection occurred during a Jewish national holiday when Jerusalem was filled with hundreds of thousands of pilgrims.

While the religious leaders were plotting and scheming in Jerusalem, Jesus was in Bethany a few miles from Jerusalem at the home of Simon the leper (Mark 14:3; see also Matthew 26:6; John 12:1). Bethany was also the home of Jesus’ friends, Lazarus, Mary, and Martha, and they were present at Simon’s dinner (John 11:1; John 12:1). During the dinner, a woman came in with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard and sacrificially poured the costly perfume over Jesus’ head (Mark 14:3; see also Matthew 26:7). John’s Gospel identifies the woman as Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus (John 11:2; John 12:3). According to John’s Gospel, Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and poured the expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair (John 11:2; John 12:3). The dinner party was filled with the fragrance (John 12:3). Mary’s devotion to Jesus was costly and a model of faith.

However, some of those at the dinner party were outraged and said the woman’s action was wasteful (Mark 14:4; see also Matthew 26:8). Those that were outraged argued that the woman could have sold that expensive perfume for a fortune and given the money to the poor (Mark 14:5; also see Matthew 26:9). Matthew’s Gospel identifies the indignant as Jesus’ disciples (Matthew 26:8). However, John’s Gospel specifically noted Judas Iscariot’s resentment against Mary (John 12:4-5). Judas Iscariot argued that the perfume was worth a year’s wages and said that the perfume should have been sold and the money given to the poor (John 12:4-5). However, Judas, the disciple who would soon betray Jesus, did not really care for the poor (John 12:4, 6). John’s Gospel noted that Judas was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole money for himself (John 12:6).

However, Jesus said to leave the woman alone and not scold her for doing a good and beautiful thing (Mark 14:6; see also Matthew 26:10; John 12:7). Then Jesus proclaimed to the listening crowd, “You always have the poor among you, and they badly need your help, and you can aid them whenever you want to; but I will not be here much longer” (Mark 14:7, TLB; see also Matthew 26:11; John 12:8). Jesus goes on to say, “She has done what she could and has anointed My body ahead of time for burial. And I tell you this in solemn truth, that wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and praised” (Mark 14:8-9, TLB; see also Matthew 26:12; John 12:7). In these verses, Jesus was not saying that we should neglect the poor and needy (see Deuteronomy 15:11; Matthew 6:2-4; Luke 4:18; Luke 6:20-21; Luke 14:13-14, 21; Luke 18:22; John 13:29). Instead, Jesus was praising Mary’s unselfish act of worship, love, and devotion to Him as her Lord and Savior (Mark 14:6-7).

¹⁰ Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve disciples (apostles), went to the leading priests to arrange to betray Jesus to them. ¹¹ They were delighted when they heard why he had come, and they promised to give him money. So he began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus. Mark 14:10-11 (NLT)

In contrast to the woman’s love and devotion to Jesus, Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’ disciples, was greedy, thieving, selfish, hypocritical, and pure evil (see Luke 22:3; John 12:6; John 13:2, 27). Judas secretly went to the chief priests and religious leaders and arranged to betray Jesus to them in exchange for money (Mark 14:10; see also Matthew 26:14; Luke 22:3-4). When the chief priests and religious leaders heard why Judas had come, they were excited and happy and reward him with money (Mark 14:11; see also Matthew 26:15; Luke 22:5). Matthew’s Gospel noted that the religious leaders gave Judas thirty silver coins (Matthew 26:15). Thereafter, Judas began looking for the right time and place to betray Jesus when the crowds were not around (Mark 14:11; see also Matthew 26:16; Luke 22:6). Judas Iscariot’s betrayal warns God’s people that closeness to Jesus does not guarantee true faithfulness to Him (Mark 3:19; Mark 14:10-11, 43-46).

Matthew and Mark’s Gospel placed Jesus’ anointing for burial just before Jesus’ Last Supper (Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9), while John’s Gospel placed Jesus’ anointing a week earlier, just before His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem (John 12:1-11). By placing Jesus’ anointing between the evil plots of the Jewish leaders and Judas Iscariot, Matthew and Mark’s Gospels contrast Mary’s love and loyalty for Jesus verses the Jewish leaders and Judas Iscariot’s unfaithfulness to the Savior of the world. The ugliness of the Jewish leaders and Judas’ sins makes the compassion and tenderness of Mary’s sacrifice even more meaningful. Mary gave her best to Jesus in faith and love while Judas gave his worst in unbelief and greed (Matthew 26:15).

Mary’s anointing and worship of Jesus must not be confused with a similar event recorded in Luke 7:36-50. The unnamed woman in the house of Simon the Pharisee was a converted harlot who expressed her love to Jesus because of His gracious forgiveness of her many sins. In the house of Simon the (healed) leper, Mary expressed her love, worship, and loyalty to Jesus because He was going to the Cross (see Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:1-11).

References

Life Application Study Bible (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2005).

New Student Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1992).

The Living Bible Paraphrase (Tyndale House, 1971).

Zondervan NIV Study Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008).

Edwards, James R. The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2002).

Wiersbe, Warren W. Bible Exposition Commentary – New Testament (Victor Books, 1989).