Why did a lady pour perfume all over Jesus?
"Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard. It was an expensive perfume. She poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the sweet smell of the perfume" (John 12:3).
"'Why wasn’t this perfume sold? Why wasn’t the money given to poor people? It was worth a year’s pay.' He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor. He said it because he was a thief. Judas was in charge of the money bag. He used to help himself to what was in it" (John 12:5-6).
"'Leave her alone,' Jesus replied. 'The perfume was meant for the day I am buried. You will always have the poor among you. But you won’t always have me'" (John 12:7-8).
Mary poured perfume all over Jesus to prepare Him for burial.In John 12, we learn about Mary of Bethany who poured perfume all over Jesus. This is the same Mary, who is the sister of Martha and Lazarus. Jesus was relaxing at dinner with Lazarus and His disciples. While they were resting, Mary poured a very expensive perfume on Jesus. Then she wiped His feet with her hair.
One of Jesus’ disciples, Judas Iscariot, said some mean things to Mary. Mary didn’t say anything back to Judas. Instead, Jesus defended Mary. He told Judas and everyone else there that Mary was doing a wonderful thing. He told them that she was preparing Him for His burial.
Jesus was going to be crucified in a few days. Mary’s act of pouring perfume over Jesus was a good thing. She was serving Jesus and honoring Him. By pouring perfume on Jesus, Mary was preparing Jesus for His burial.
There was another unnamed woman who also anointed Jesus’ head with perfume. You can read about her in Mark 14.
