Charles Spurgeon Commentary Mark 16:1

"And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the [mother] of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him." — Mark 16:1 (ASV)

And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

We know that "him" whose name is not given here. There is scarcely need to mention that it was Jesus whom the women came to anoint.

Oh, how gladly would we also anoint "him" whose name is The Anointed One! But not as a dead Christ, for He is risen.

Our sweet spices must from now on be for that living One whom we anoint with our living joy and consecration; or, rather, we must receive our anointing from him, for he is the Christ, and we Christians derive our very name and life from him.

As he was supposed to be dead and still lying in the tomb, these holy women came to anoint him.

And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

True love had made a mistake; but it was true love for all that, and the Lord accepted it, although he had no need of the sweet spices that the women brought.