The BibleTexts.com

A woman's anointing of Jesus

Mat 26:6-13, Mar 14:3-9, Luke 7:36-50, John 12:1-8

by Robert Nguyen Cramer

 

HOW MANY ACTUAL "ANOINTING" INCIDENTS ARE REPRESENTED BY THE FOUR GOSPEL ACCOUNTS?

Though the United Bible Societies' Synopsis of the Four Gospels, Third Edition (edited by Kurt Aland, NY: UBS, 1979, pages 277-279) presents all four accounts of Jesus being anointed under the heading, "The Anointing in Bethany," there continues to be scholarly debate as to the relationship of the four accounts. There seems to be quite a bit of agreement that

For further exploration of these the relationship four accounts, the following are especially helpful, including all the footnotes and commentary that precede or follow the pages mentioned below:

Summaries of conclusions from each of the above scholars:

For bibliographical details about each of the above-mentioned books, browse:


SOME ADDITIONAL RELEVANT COMMENTARY

Regarding the anointing in Mar 14:3-9:

Nineham, as do others, makes some interesting points regarding the remembrance of the Mark's unnamed woman who would forever be remembered as anointing Jesus' head:

Regarding the anointing in Luk 7:38-50:

In Jane Schaberg's commentary on "Luke" in Women's Bible Commentary, Expanded Edition, with Apocrypha (edited by Carol A. Newsom and Sharon H. Ringe, Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1998, pages 373-375), Schaberg writes:

G.W.H. Lampe, in his commentary on "Luke" in Peake's Commentary on the Bible (edited by Matthew Black and H.H. Rowley, NY: Nelson, 1962, p. 831), writes:

Robert J. Karris, O.F.M, in his commentary on Luke in The New Jerome Biblical Commentary (cited above, pages 697) writes:

Frederick Danker, in his Jesus and the New Age: A Commentary on the Third Gospel, provides a different perspective on Luke 8, which immediately follows Luke's account of the anointing of Jesus' feet. Under the heading, "Women Disciples," Danker writes:

Regarding the anointing in Joh 12:1-8:

Bultmann, in his The Gospel of John: A Commentary, provides an interesting summary of the participants in Mark's, Matthew's, and John's account:

Gail R. O'Day, in her commentary on John in Women's Bible Commentary, which is cited above, writes:

Regarding the historiosity of the Fourth Gospel:

The following quotes from other BibleTexts.com Web page articles are relevant:

The two immediately preceding paragraphs are quoted from the following:


SOME COMPARISON OF  DETAILS RELATING TO THE ANOINTING STORIES

Details Mat 26 Mar 14 Luk 7 Luk 10 Joh 11 Joh 12 Joh 13
Story 6-13 Anointing 3-9 Anointing 36-50 Anointing 38-42 Martha and Mary 1-46 Raising of Lazarus 1-8 Anointing 1-20, 31-35 Jesus washes the disciples' feet and gives the new commandment
Geographic location of story 6 Bethany 3 Bethany . . 1 Bethany 1 Bethany .
Dwelling location 6 House of Simon the leper 3 House of Simon the leper 36 House of a Pharisee 38 House of Martha and Mary . . .
People mentioned 6-7 Jesus, Simon the leper, a woman 3 Jesus, Simon the leper, a woman 36-37 Jesus, a Pharisee, a woman of the city who was a sinner 38-39 Jesus, Martha, Mary 1-3, 7, 16, 31, 42 Jesus, Lazarus, Martha, Mary, messengers, the disciples, Thomas, the Jews, the crowd 1-4 Jesus, Lazarus, Martha, Mary, Judas Iscariot 1-2, 5-6 Jesus, Judas son of Simon Iscariot, the disciples, Simon Peter
Identity of person who did the anointing or bathing 7 a woman 3 a woman 37 a woman of the city who was a sinner . 2 Mary 3 Mary 5 Jesus
Condition of the woman . . 38 weeping . . . .
Location of the woman or of Mary . . 38 standing behind him at his feet 39 sitting at Jesus' feet . . .
Activity of woman 7 poured ointment on Jesus' head 3 broke the flask and poured ointment over Jesus' head 38 wet Jesus' feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment 39 listened to Jesus . . .
What substance was used to anoint or bathe? 7, 9 three hundred denarii of expensive ointment in an alabaster flask 3, 5 very costly ointment of pure nard in an alabaster flask 37-38 her tears (to bathe) and ointment in an alabaster flask (to anoint) . . 3 a pound of costly ointment of pure nard 5 water
What part of body was anointed or bathed (and additionally mentioned)? 7 head 3 head 38, 44-46 feet, (head) 39 (feet) 44 (hands, feet, face) 3 feet 5-10 feet
What was used to wipe the body part? . . 38 her hair . . 3 her hair 5 the towel that was wrapped around Jesus
Who was/were indignant one/s? 8 the disciples 4 some 39 the Pharisee who had invited Jesus 40 Martha . 4 Judas Iscariot 8 Peter
What did the indignant one or ones say or think? 8-9 "Why this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for a large sum, and given to the poor." 4-5 "Why was the ointment thus wasted? For this ointment might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and given to the poor." 39 "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner." 40 "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me." . 5 "Why was not this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" 8 "You will never wash my feet."
Jesus' initial response, commending the example 10-12 "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body she has done it to prepare me for burial." 6-8 "Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you will, you can do good to them; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burying." 44-46 "Do you see this woman? I entered your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I cam in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment." 41-42 "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her." . 7-8 "Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of my burial. The poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me." 8-15, 20, 34-35 " "Unless I wash you, you have no share with me. Simon Peter said to him, Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head! Jesus said to him, One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you... Do you know what I have done to you. You call me Teacher and Lord -- and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you...   
Jesus' concluding response 13 "Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her." 9 "And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her." 47-50 "Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.. And he said to her, Your sins are forgiven... Your faith has saved you; go in peace." 42 "Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her." . 7 "Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of my burial." 20, 34-35 "Whoever receives one whom I send receives me; and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.,..I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
Details Mat 26 Mar 14 Luk 7 Luk 10 Joh 11 Joh 12 Joh 13

 

Copyright 1996-2002 Robert Nguyen Cramer