Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Mark 14:3

"And while he was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster cruse of ointment of pure nard very costly; [and] she brake the cruse, and poured it over his head." — Mark 14:3 (ASV)

This is the second time Jesus was anointed by a woman . In order to highlight the contrast, Mark places this incident about the love and devotion of Mary between the hatred of the religious leaders (vv.1–2) and the betrayal of Judas (vv.10–11).

The incident took place in the home of Simon the Leper at Bethany. The occasion for the dinner is not specified. Simon was probably a leper who had been healed. The retention of the name “the Leper” would suggest this—indeed he was probably healed by Jesus. Perhaps the dinner was an expression of gratitude for this. Mark does not identify the woman who anointed Jesus, but we know from John’s gospel (12:3) that she was Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. The “nard” (perfume) was made from the root of a plant found chiefly in India and was very expensive. Mary took the bottle and broke the neck of the jar so that she could pour the ointment profusely over Jesus’ head.