The Complete Sayings of Jesus

Jesus Sups in Bathany: Martha Servers, Mary's Devotion, Judas' Duplicity, Jesus Lauds Mary's Homage — Chief Priests Astir.

A.D. 30. Age 33 Bethany.

John 12, 1-11: Matthew 26, 6-13: Mark 14, 3-9.

JESUS came, six days before the passover, to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom he had raised from the dead. In the house of Simon the leper there, they made Jesus a supper; and Martha served. Lazarus was one of them at the table with Jesus. Mary, having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious, brake the box, and poured it on Jesus' head as he sat at meat, and anointed his feet, and wiped his feet with her hair.¹ Some disciples had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? Judas Iscariot [which should betray Jesus] saith, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? And they murmured against Mary. When Jesus understood it, he said. Let her alone: why trouble ye the woman? Against the day of my burying hath she done this. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath wrought a good work upon me; for she hath done what she could: for in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying (she did it for my burial). Why trouble ye her? Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, there shall also this that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her. The Jews knew that Jesus was there: and they came, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; because that by reason of him many of the Jews believed on Jesus.

Footnotes:

¹Turn back to Part 58 in this book, and read again the story of Mary's brother Lazarus. And in 25 read of a like service done by the "woman which was a sinner."