Charles Ellicott Commentary John 12

Then Jesus six days before the Passover came to Bethany.—The whole question of the arrangement of days during this last great week depends upon the conclusion that we adopt regarding the day on which our Lord was crucified. The discussion of this is reserved for a separate Note, where it may be fully dealt with. (Compare Excursus F: The Day of the Crucifixion of our Lord.)

There they made him a supper.—Compare Notes on Matthew 26:6 and following, and Mark 14:3 and following, which are clearly accounts of the same supper. Here the details peculiar to Saint John, who was an eyewitness, will be noted.

Saint Matthew gives no indication of the day. Saint Mark seems to place it two days before the Passover; but compare Notes on Mark 16:1-2. Both the other accounts tell us that the supper was in the house of Simon the leper. Saint John does not define the place more definitely than to say that it was in Bethany; but he alone adds the facts that Martha was still serving, and that Lazarus was present as a guest.

And Martha served.—The tense of this verb differs from that of the others in the verse, and implies the continued act of serving, while “made a feast” is the statement of the fact as a whole .

Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.—This is a natural touch answering to the impression that the fact made. It is closely connected with the statement of the preceding verse, Lazarus had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. Here was one sitting at the table with them who had lain in the tomb four days.

The meal is in his case, as afterwards in that of our Lord Himself (Luke 24:41–43), a physical proof of the Resurrection; and his presence by the side of our Lord calls forth from Mary the anointing, which testifies to her gratitude and love.

Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard.—Here, again, St. John alone gives the name of her whom St. Matthew and St. Mark call “a woman,” and here, too, she is true to the earlier character as we have it drawn in St. Luke (Luke 10:40; Luke 10:42). From this passage also we know that it was a “pound” of ointment which she took. The other accounts tell us that it was an “alabaster box.” This pound was the Greek litra, the Latin “libra,” the pound of twelve ounces.

For the “ointment of spikenard,” see Mark 14:3. It may perhaps mean “Nard Pistik,” or Pistik ointment, the word Pistik being a local name. The fact that this peculiar word occurs only in these two passages points to this as the probable explanation.

And anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair.—St. Matthew and St. Mark both state that she anointed His head. This was the usual custom (Compare Note on Luke 7:46, and Psalms 23:5); but St. John remembers that the act of love went beyond that of common esteem, in the depth of its gratitude and reverence, and anointed the feet, and wiped them with her own hair.

And the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.—The ointment was imported from the East in sealed flasks, which were broken when it was used. The strong perfume then escaped, and spread through the house (Mark 14:3).

Then says one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot.—Compare Notes on John 6:70-71. St. Matthew tells us that the question was asked by “the disciples;” St. Mark, that it was asked by “certain persons;” St. John remembers that it was Judas who spoke, and he remembers that his words were characteristic of the man (John 12:6). He implies by the form in which he relates these words, that he spoke for himself, and that the others did not join in his feeling.

Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence?—Both the earlier Gospels preface this estimate with a reference to the use of the ointment as actual waste. St. Matthew says only, that it might have been sold for much. St. Mark, that it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, that is, in actual value, the yearly wage of a working man, and therefore the food that would have maintained a poor man’s household for a whole year. (Compare to the note on John 6:7.) St. Mark adds, and they were angry at her. (Compare to the note on John 11:33.)