John Gill Commentary John 12:7

"Jesus therefore said, Suffer her to keep it against the day of my burying." — John 12:7 (ASV)

Then said Jesus, let her alone Do not disturb her in what she does, or hinder her, or blame her for it:

against the day of my burial has she kept this ; this ointment, which she now poured on Christ; it was usual to embalm the dead with ointments and spices: Christ suggests, that the time of his death and burial were nigh, and that this woman had kept this ointment till now, for such a purpose; and whereas she would not be able to make use of it at the time of his interment, she had embalmed his body with it now, beforehand;

though without any knowledge of his death, or any such intention or design in her, but the Holy Ghost so directing her: for this is not to be understood of her keeping any part of it till that time, which it does not appear she did.