Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The ancient text emphasizes Mary anointing Jesus' feet, a detail often overlooked in favor of the more common practice of anointing the head. This intimate act, followed by her wiping his feet with her hair, signifies a depth of devotion and humility that went beyond mere respect, highlighting the overwhelming nature of her gratitude.
Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just arrived in Bethany, where he is welcomed into a dinner party hosted by Martha and Lazarus, whom he recently raised from the dead. During the meal, Mary, in a profound act of devotion, anoints Jesus' feet with expensive perfume and wipes them with her hair, filling the entire house with its fragrance. This extravagant act immediately sparks a critical reaction from Judas, who questions its cost and suggests the money could have been given to the poor.
Mary's actions seem almost shocking in their intensity. What does this profound act reveal about her heart?
This wasn't just a nice gesture; it was a deliberate, extravagant act of love and devotion.
A Calculated Cost
Mary used a pound of nard, a perfume so precious it was worth nearly a year's wages for a laborer. This wasn't a casual application; it was a significant portion of her wealth, demonstrating the immense value she placed on Jesus. The fact that John specifies she anointed His feet and wiped them with her hair, going beyond the usual custom of anointing the head, highlights the depth of her humility and reverence. It shows a desire to honor Jesus in the most intimate and complete way possible.
Immediate Impact
The immediate filling of the house with the fragrance signifies the undeniable impact of her act. It wasn't something that could be contained or ignored. It was a powerful, sensory expression of her inner devotion that permeated the entire space.
Judas's reaction is swift and critical. How does his perspective starkly contrast with Mary's selfless act?
Judas’s outburst reveals a heart consumed by greed, attempting to mask itself with a concern for the poor.
The Mask of Piety
Judas questions why the expensive ointment wasn't sold for the poor, a seemingly noble concern. However, the text quickly exposes his true motive: he was a thief who wanted the money for himself. This highlights a crucial spiritual truth: genuine love for God and others is selfless, while sin often disguises itself with pious-sounding excuses.
Ask a follow-up
Jesus' Defense
Jesus’s defense of Mary is twofold. He dismisses Judas’s argument by pointing out the constant availability of the poor, contrasting it with His own impending departure. More importantly, He frames Mary's act as a preparation for His burial, an extraordinary service of love rather than a common charitable act. This reframes the situation, showing that sometimes love expresses itself in unique, seemingly 'wasteful' ways that are deeply pleasing to God.
Understand the original words
myron · Greek Noun
A costly, fragrant oil extracted from the spikenard plant, often used for burial preparation or as a sign of extreme honor and devotion toward a respected guest.
aleiphō · Greek Verb
The act of pouring oil upon someone as a sign of dedication, consecration for a specific task (such as kingship or priesthood), or, as in this context, preparing a body for burial.
Mary's act of anointing Jesus' feet, occurring just before His final Passover and crucifixion, was a profound, spontaneous expression of love and gratitude for His miracle in raising Lazarus. It foreshadowed His burial and stood in stark contrast to Judas's betrayal, revealing the divergent responses to Christ's saving grace.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead
Jesus, at the request of Martha and Mary, raises their brother Lazarus from death after he had been in the tomb for four days. This miracle deeply impacted the community and directly preceded the events in Bethany.
Shortly after Lazarus' resurrection— this verse
Supper in Bethany at Simon the leper's house
Jesus attends a banquet in Bethany. While some accounts mention Simon the leper as the host, and others do not specify, this event is the setting for Mary's anointing of Jesus.
Same evening as the supper
Mary anoints Jesus' feet
Mary, in a profound act of devotion, anoints Jesus' feet with a pound of expensive spikenard perfume and wipes them with her hair, filling the house with its fragrance.
During the supper
Judas Iscariot protests the anointing
Judas objects to the waste of the expensive perfume, suggesting it could have been sold and given to the poor. His true motive is revealed as greed, as he was the treasurer and intended to steal the money.
Same evening
Jesus defends Mary's action
Jesus rebukes Judas, stating that Mary has saved the ointment for the day of His burial, an act of preparation and devotion for His coming death.
A few days later
Jesus enters Jerusalem for Passover
Jesus makes His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, knowing it is just days before His crucifixion. The events in Bethany highlight the deep devotion some had for Him, contrasting sharply with the betrayal to come.
This passage beautifully connects the fragrance of anointing oil with the presence of a beloved, mirroring how Mary's expensive perfume filled the house and symbolized her deep affection for Jesus.
Matthew 26:7This passage describes a similar anointing of Jesus, highlighting Mary's sacrificial love and the disciples' questioning of its cost-effectiveness, paralleling the critique from Judas.
Luke 7:46Jesus' words here, 'You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has applied her fragrant oil to my feet,' directly echo the anointing scene, emphasizing the profound devotion shown by Mary.
John 11:2This verse introduces Mary as the one who 'anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair,' setting the stage for this act of worship and foreshadowing Jesus' raising of her brother Lazarus.
Exodus 30:22-29The Old Testament describes the consecration of sacred items with fragrant oils, showing a divine precedent for the use of precious scents to honor and set apart something holy, much like Mary's anointing of Jesus.
henryJohn 12:1-11: "Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead."
12:1-11 Christ had formerly blamed Martha for being troubled with much serving. But she did not leave off serving, as some, who when found fault with for going too far in one way, peevishly run too far another way; she still served, but within hearing of Christ's gracious words. Mary gave a token of love to Christ, who had given real tokens of his love to…
bensonJohn 12:3: "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."
John 12:3-8 . Then took Mary a pound of ointment, &c. — See notes on Matthew 26:6-13 ; Mark 14:1-9 . She did what is here related in token of the warm sense she had of the many favours Christ had conferred on her and her relations, but especially for the wonderful kindness he had lately shown to her…
The ancient text emphasizes Mary anointing Jesus' feet, a detail often overlooked in favor of the more common practice of anointing the head. This intimate act, followed by her wiping his feet with her hair, signifies a depth of devotion and humility that went beyond mere respect, highlighting the overwhelming nature of her gratitude.
Jesus has just arrived in Bethany, where he is welcomed into a dinner party hosted by Martha and Lazarus, whom he recently raised from the dead. During the meal, Mary, in a profound act of devotion, anoints Jesus' feet with expensive perfume and wipes them with her hair, filling the entire house with its fragrance. This extravagant act immediately sparks a critical reaction from Judas, who questions its cost and suggests the money could have been given to the poor.
Jesus has just arrived in Bethany, where he is welcomed into a dinner party hosted by Martha and Lazarus, whom he recently raised from the dead. During the meal, Mary, in a profound act of devotion, anoints Jesus' feet with expensive perfume and wipes them with her hair, filling the entire house with its fragrance. This extravagant act immediately sparks a critical reaction from Judas, who questions its cost and suggests the money could have been given to the poor.
"Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume." — The ancient text emphasizes Mary anointing Jesus' feet, a detail often overlooked in favor of the more common practice of anointing the head. This intimate act, followed by her wiping his feet with h…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026