Mark 14:3-9, What was Written About the Burial of Jesus?

We now come to one of the most wonderful and powerful stories in the life of Christ: His anointing by Mary of Bethany.  But before we get started, we need to be sure we understand: this is a story about the burial of Christ!  It says so in 14:8: She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.  Keep that in mind!

The second thing is that we need to take time to compare this story as found in Mark 14 and John 12. 

Mark 14:3-9	John 12:1-8
1 After two days it was the Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread … 3 And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.	Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. 2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.

First, there is no conflict in the schedule.  Two days after Jesus’ Olivet Discourse was to be Passover.  He had already been in town several days before this, having arrived at the home of Lazarus.  Jesus had entered Jerusalem on the “Triumphal Entry” and then retired to this home afterwards.  At some point, a dinner was served at the house of Simon the leper.  Martha was their serving; Lazarus who had been raised from the dead several weeks before, was an honored guest as was Jesus.  This is not the same story as Luke 10:38-42 where Martha had complained that Mary was not helping her with the meal.  Different time.  Different home.

Mark 14:3-9	John 12:1-8
3. … a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard.  Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.	3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

Again, I don’t see a conflict.  She poured it on His head and it went to His feet which she wiped with her hair.  My evidence is Psalm 133:2: It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of His garments. It was meant to be a glorious picture in Ps. 133 and it is also in the Gospels!