Matthew 26:6–7

Until the supper at Bethany, nothing special is recorded about Judas. The rebuke he received from the Lord in the house of Simon the leper was what stirred him up to betray Jesus. That was the first time we read of him opening his mouth (John 12:4). Both Matthew and Mark teach us this by bringing in the story of Mary of Bethany anointing the Lord. They do not place it in the order it happened, as John does, but next to that council held in the house of Caiaphas the high priest.

While the chief priests, elders and scribes were plotting against Christ "in the palace of the high priest who was called Caiaphas," she was anointing His body "in the house of Simon the leper." While Judas was making his bargain with the chief priests to sell Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, she was pouring the precious contents of her alabaster box on His Person. What a moving contrast! She was completely taken up with her object, and her object was Christ.

...the time of His complete and final rejection is near, and He finds a home for a short season at Bethany. It is very sweet to follow Jesus into that brief retreat of love. In a world that did not understand Him and refused Him, His heart was hemmed in until the cross. Here it enjoys the answer that His own heart had produced.

Bethany means the "House of Palms," so it points to a place of rest, like an oasis in the desert. There is scriptural evidence that the Lord used to go to Bethany when He was near Jerusalem... There were loyal hearts there who appreciated His company and prized His love, in contrast to the treachery of Judas, the hatred of the Pharisees, the cruelty of the soldiers and the cold hard fickleness of the people.

It was known as the house of Simon the leper. He was a cured leper, and it is possible, as some have thought, that he was the father of Martha and Mary, and Lazarus... We cannot be positive who this Simon was, so we say no more except that it is not the Simon who is spoken of in Luke 7. That scene is in Galilee, this in Judea. And further, the woman of Luke 7 was an immoral person, a well known sinner. There is not a single word to suggest anything like that about Mary of Bethany.

If the Lord had healed Simon at some earlier time, as some have supposed, his heart must have been full to overflowing for the mercy shown him. No wonder he would make Him a feast. And Lazarus was there too, raised from the dead. Two of that company were living proof of the Lord's power and goodness! God only could heal the leper; God only could raise the dead. A leper healed, a dead man raised, and the Son of God who had healed the one and raised the other — all at the same table. Never before, we may say it without fear of contradiction, had a supper taken place in such circumstances.

Matthew does not mention (as does John 12:2) that in Simon's house "they made Him a supper" nor that it was Mary who brought the alabaster box of ointment. For Matthew's Gospel is that of the official glory of the King, and the name of the woman is not important.

How precious is the gathering in the house of Simon the leper in contrast to that in the palace of the high priest! Here at Bethany (the house of affliction) the Lord had raised Lazarus from the dead only a few days before. Matthew does not mention (as John 12:2 does) that it was Mary who brought the alabaster box of ointment. For Matthew's Gospel is that of the official glory of the King, and the name of the woman is not important. As the Son of God in John, however, His personal interest in her is precious to see.

The woman who did this blessed work for the Lord is not named here. From the Gospel of John we learn that it was none other than Mary, the sister of Martha... We first see her at His feet listening to His words. "One thing is necessary, and Mary has chosen the good portion," He had said then... She acknowledged Him in His office as Prophet... In John 11 we see her again at His feet. There she is weeping because of the death of Lazarus; a little while later He weeps with her. She knew Him as the sympathising One, as He is now our Priest. And here she anoints Him... In faith she sees how near His death is. She understood more of that death than all the other disciples.

A valuable stone, a form of lime, used long ago to make jars for holding valuable ointments. It is probable that 'breaking' the box means breaking the seal, to open the box.

These flasks held about a pound of this costly ointment. The probable value was 300 denarii... It was a very large sum of money in that time, when we remember that a day labourer received only one denarius wages a day... How did she get such a costly alabaster flask of spikenard? Most likely it had been stored away from days gone by. It must have been the most costly thing she had... To honour Him was her sole object, and that at a time when He was about to be rejected and forsaken by all.

She clearly anointed both His head and His feet. Matthew emphasises His character as King, so he mentions that she anointed His head, as fits a king. John emphasises His Deity, so he tells us that she anointed His feet — though a servant as great as John the Baptist was not worthy to untie His sandals.

"You did not anoint my head with oil" (Luke 7:46) shows us it was usual to anoint guests. But this woman does more: she broke the box and poured it on His head. There is no stint here, but the contrary. I wish we followed this pattern more in our worship, and had more to give the blessed Saviour.

In a word, Christ Himself was the immediate object of this woman's soul. This is what gave value to her act. This is what sent the fragrance of her ointment straight up to the throne of God. She had no idea that untold millions would read the record of her deep personal devotion.

No one else should ever be anointed out of that box. It was broken. She meant that ointment for Him, and for Him alone. As far as we read, she said not one word while she anointed Him. Her act, however, spoke louder than words. He was worthy of the best she had... "The house," writes the Gospel writer, "was filled with the fragrance of the perfume" (John 12:3).