A Woman Anoints Jesus (Mark 14:1–9)

 

A Woman Anoints Jesus (Mark 14:1–9)

What is the greatest of all things a person can do? There is nothing greater than receiving salvation. For without salvation, one faces eternal punishment. This is because people have fallen for the deception of the cunning Satan the devil. God purposed before the ages that he would restore Adam, who had fallen into sin, through the woman's offspring — through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who came as the Son of Man.

In Mark 14:1–9, Jesus received with delight the act of the woman who broke open the costly perfume and poured it on his head as the greatest of all things. This is because it was a preparation for the death and burial of Christ. Jesus came for that very purpose — to be the sacrificial offering that hangs on the cross and atones for the sins of this world. Therefore, whoever believes in the merit of Christ's death receives eternal life.

The Plot to Kill Jesus (Matt. 26:1–5; Luke 22:1–2; John 11:45–53)

1 Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 2 "But not during the festival," they said, "or the people may riot." (Mark 14:1–2)

The time had now fully come for God's Son to drink the cup of sacrifice — it had risen all the way to the throat. God's wrath came upon the children of the devil, whose hearts were hardened and rebellious, and they could no longer delay the arrest and condemnation of the Son of Man. They did not fear God — they feared people. So they plotted to arrest and kill the Son of God, deliberately avoiding the Passover festival when great crowds would be gathered.

The Jewish religious leaders had been grinding their teeth in their desire to arrest and kill Jesus of Nazareth for the past three and a half years. They had attempted to stone him to death on several occasions and had tested and challenged him at every opportunity to trap him. Their hearts had hardened like stone, and even though they witnessed with their own eyes the good and life-giving work of Jesus Christ, it was like reading the Scriptures to a cow — it went in one ear and out the other.

God would have been entirely justified in judging them at once. Yet in his patience he continued to lead them through truth and love, that they might turn back, repent, and come to salvation. Jesus taught them with the word of truth in unchanging love, in spite of all their tests and accusations. God stands all day long with arms spread wide, longing for his people to return to the embrace of the love of God their Creator (Rom. 10:21).

Yet they did not repent. Why, then, was this the moment? Because God leads and moves all things according to his will and purpose. At times, it seems to us that God is slow, as though he is doing nothing. But that is not so. With the Lord a thousand years are like a day, and a day is like a thousand years (2 Pet. 3:8). God created all of heaven and earth according to his will and purpose, and he governs it without the slightest deviation. God's time comes like a thief, suddenly arriving at a time no one expects (1 Thess. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:10).

For now we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is seen dimly will be seen clearly (1 Cor. 13:9–10). We do not yet see all things in submission to the Lord God who is sovereign over all, but on the day when the Judge of all things comes, we will see everything bowing down and submitting at his feet (Heb. 2:8). But until the day of the Lord comes, all these things remain hidden — yet we see them, believe them, and hold to them with the eyes of faith.

"Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." (1 John 3:2)

Jesus Anointed at Bethany (Matt. 26:6–13; John 12:1–8)

3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. 4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, "Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor." And they rebuked her harshly. (Mark 14:3–5)

This event is recorded in all four Gospels. However, it can be viewed not as one event but as two. Luke's Gospel is seen as recording a different event from the other three Gospels. In Luke's Gospel, a sinful woman appears, whereas in the other three Gospels it is Mary or an unnamed woman. The three Gospels differ in location and name, but in all of them the people viewed the pouring of the perfume as a waste, while Jesus said it was a preparation for his burial.

Why then did this woman pour such expensive perfume on Jesus? It was probably not with the intention of preparing for his burial. It was to offer gratitude and worship for the great grace she had received (Luke 7:40–42). We have had a debt cancelled that we could never repay (Matt. 18:24). It is a debt that is utterly impossible to pay back. Sin demands death (Rom. 6:23). There is no other way apart from death. Yet God made his Son the sacrificial offering in our place and atoned for our sins.

God first made Christ his Son — who gave himself up without sparing his own life — the sacrificial offering (Rom. 5:8). This was not because we had performed righteous acts before God. He had compassion and mercy on us who had fallen into sin, who could not see ahead and were groaning in the chains of darkness. He displayed on the cross a love that sacrificed the Son without reservation, and he gives eternal life to everyone who believes.

Now God has commanded us, in response to his love, to love the Lord God with all our life, will, strength, and heart, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. God so loved the world that he did not spare his one and only Son but gave him up (John 3:16). Love is obedience. Obeying God's word is the proof of love for the Lord. Following the example of Jesus who died on the cross, we love our neighbors to the point of death. This woman gave everything she had for the Lord.

Then some of those present were indignant and rebuked the woman, asking what kind of waste this was. Matthew mentions the disciples, and John identifies Judas Iscariot — the one who later betrayed Jesus — as the one who spoke (Matt. 26:8; John 12:4). They were angry and indignant that the expensive perfume had not been sold and distributed to the poor. But in reality, it was not out of concern for the poor but out of greed for money. Judas Iscariot was in charge of the money bag, and he was a thief who used to help himself to what was put into it (John 12:6).

To judge and rebuke the pouring of the perfume as a waste was a complete failure to understand the woman's motive and sincerity. Those who are enslaved to their own greed do not hesitate to judge and rebuke people carelessly. In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you — for this sums up the Law and the Prophets (Matt. 7:12). For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged (Matt. 7:2).

She Has Done What She Could

6 "Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her." (Mark 14:6–9)

Jesus looked at the motive at the center of her heart and received with delight the woman's pouring of the perfume as preparation for his own imminent burial. Jesus knew that his death was near. It was for this very purpose that he had left the heavenly throne, been clothed in the form of a servant, and was incarnate on this earth. Now God's time had fully come and the moment to offer his body as a sacrificial offering had arrived. Because Jesus came precisely for this — to bear the sins of this world and die — he commanded that the pouring of perfume on his body be remembered wherever the gospel is proclaimed.

Jesus had to die. For without his death there is no forgiveness of sins and no salvation. Without the blood of Jesus, no one can be freed from sin and death. And if one is not freed from sin and death, trouble and distress never cease; true satisfaction, peace, and rest cannot be found; and ultimately one falls into the eternal fire of hell (Rom. 2:9; Isa. 66:24; Mark 9:48). The life that is under sin is never filled no matter what it eats, and never finds fulfillment no matter what it does (Mic. 6:14; Isa. 9:20).

No one has true peace and joy until they are clothed in the righteousness of God. But when one is washed by the blood of Christ, they are freed from sin and enter into the rest of God's glory. And those who have been freed from sin are now at last able to do good.

"There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." (Rom. 2:9–10)

How does one put on the righteousness of Christ? We believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God whom God sent, shed his blood and died in place of the sins of this world. We believe that Christ's death is an atoning death that stands in place of my sin and is the payment for my sin. God frees us from the heavy yoke and chains of sin and death the moment we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is not because we are worthy — it is through faith in Christ the Son alone.

Putting on the righteousness of Christ happens only through the spiritual and holy grace of God that belongs to heaven. We respond in faith with gratitude for the grace God pours out on us — and that faith itself is also a spiritual and holy gift that comes down from heaven. Faith belongs to heaven, and so does righteousness. Nothing is our own. Therefore, receiving forgiveness of sins and salvation in Christ is entirely by God's grace.

Then how does one do good? No one is good except God alone. Therefore, only God can do good. We cannot do good (Rom. 7:19). The ability to do good comes from being clothed in the righteousness of Christ. Whoever is clothed in the righteousness of Christ has Christ dwelling within them. When by faith we offer up our bodies — just as Christ offered his body as a sacrificial offering — Christ who dwells within us does good through us.

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Gal. 2:20)

Jesus commanded that the preparation for his burial be testified to wherever the gospel of salvation is proclaimed. This is because without the death of Christ there is no forgiveness of sins. To enter into eternal life, one must be washed by the blood of Christ. God is pleased to receive our offering of our lives. This is because the debt of sin has been atoned for through the death of Christ.

"In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." (Heb. 9:22)

Amen!

September 20, 2026

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2026, David Lee Ministries ©2026 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotes are from the NIV.