John 12.3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

This event happened 6 Days before the Passover. Prior to this there was the raising of Lazarus who was brought back to his sisters Martha and Mary from 4 days in the grave (John 11). Many Jews believed because of this miracle and told the chief priests and Pharisees, but they felt Jesus was usurping their place in society and in front of the Romans too, so they decided to plot in order that he would be killed. Therefore, Jesus took himself into the wilderness for a time to avoid those who sought to seize him. However, as the Passover was only days away Jesus as well as many other Israelites came towards Jerusalem and he arrived at Bethany, a few miles from Jerusalem, as the Sabbath was commencing at 6 p.m. Now he would be safe from capture for a while.

Hence 6 days before the Passover on the 9th of Nisan Jesus came to the home of Simon the leper. Mary, Martha and Lazarus were there; Lazarus at the table and Martha serving. Presumably there were family gathered including Simon. It was as much a home to Jesus as anywhere and a place he must have been many times during his three and a half year ministry. How would they feel now about Jesus? He was like a saviour having saved 4-days-dead Lazarus as well as being their much loved friend and teacher.

Mary and the spikenard

What do we know about Mary? She was the one known for sitting at Jesus' feet and listening to him while her sister Martha worked in the kitchen. Jesus said she had made the better choice in deciding to listen to him rather than help her sister (Luke 10.42). Jesus loved her (John 11.5). Then after Lazarus had died and Jesus came and called for her, after speaking to Martha, Mary kneels at Jesus' feet crying saying "if you had come Lazarus would not have died". Jesus, being overwhelmed in emotion, cries too.

The spikenard was very costly. It was a spice that came from the Himalayas and countries such as India, Nepal and Bhutan and grows from about 3,000 to 5,000 feet high. Snowdon, the highest peak in England and Wales is just at 3,085 feet high. Mont Blanc in France is just under 5,000 feet high. The plant could be entombed in snow half the year, their flowers white as though expressing that purity and isolation from the valleys below in which they could not live. Apparently many aromatic plants grow in the high places. Great skill was required in blending. It was a high art and the apothecary of that day was not a seller of medicines but a maker of rare perfumes. It's cost - a year's wages.

There has been conjecture as to whether Mary alone owned it but it seems likely they owned it as a family and all of them would have agreed to its use. They probably were very eager for Mary to do this and one can imagine she was the instigator.

The pouring

The Matthew account (26.7) and the Mark account (14.3) state that it was poured on Jesus' head but the John account, which was the last of the gospels to be written, states that it was on his feet. So it's reasonable to assume that it was both his head and feet; on his feet she wiped it with her hair (John 12.3). This may be hard to imagine but this was a place in the world that washed others' feet and customs quite different to Britain and other parts of the world in the twenty first century.

But what did the oil represent?

Jesus says she 'kept it for the time of my preparation for burial' (John 12.7 Weymouth). Does this mean that it was used on dead people? John 19.38-39 says 'Joseph of Arimathaea took the body of Jesus and also Nicodemus, who at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes of a hundred pound weight.' Joseph and Nicodemus did not use spikenard but two other products mixed so the spikenard was not for burying.

What were the priests anointed with in the tabernacle?

In Exodus 30.22-25 the chief priest, in this case Aaron, was anointed with holy anointing oil which was a mixture of myrrh, sweet calamus, sweet cinnamon, cassia and olive oil.

Kings Anointed

Kings were also anointed with oil. Saul was anointed with oil by Samuel (1 Sam.10.1). David was anointed with oil even though he was still a youth at the time. (1 Sam.16.13). An interesting point here is that the scripture records that once David was anointed the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul. There seems to be a connection here with the Holy Spirit. Solomon was also anointed king after riding into Jerusalem on King David's mule. (1 Kings 1.34-39)

But what was in this anointing oil for kings? Was it one product or a blend? It does not seem to be written in scripture. One suggestion was that it was the same blend as for the High Priest in the tabernacle and temple arrangement. Samuel who first anointed a king in Israel would be familiar with it from his time under Eli in Shiloh. Solomon is connected with spikenard in scripture. It is mentioned twice in Song of Solomon: The second reference as a plant in the garden in Song of Solomon 4.14 and more significantly Song of Solomon 1.12 where the spikenard smells while Solomon was at his table; Solomon was known for his sumptuous food and fine clothing. The connection seems to be with a king. In addition Solomon is thought to be a type of Christ, him being a Son of David of the kingly line. (Isa.11.1)

Did Mary remember Solomon and this account in chapter 1? It seems significant if the context of Song of Solomon is interpreted as a poem or love song and even more significant if it is typical of the mutual love of Christ and his church. Mary did show her devotion to our Lord in pouring the spikenard and Jesus loved Mary and her family.

Unlike the anointing oil for the priest the spikenard for Solomon appears on its own and Mary anointed Jesus with a single product not a mixture. Jesus had no need to be anointed by the Holy Spirit or be endowed by gifts at this late stage of his earthly ministry as he had been full of the Spirit since his baptism. (Luke 4.1; 18-19)

King Jesus

Even back as far as the days of Moses, Numbers 24.17 states "I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel". A similar assertion is given even earlier in Genesis 49.10, which says "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh (Messiah) come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be". The thought is of someone who is a king with a right to rule rather than a priest or judge. King Saul was the first king coming hundreds of years after Moses. David looks forward to a future king in Psalm 2.6-7 which says "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee." Isaiah the prophet sees a future king being born "the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David." (Isa.9.7)

Kings and priests received a costly anointing. When Mary of Bethany took her "pound of ointment of spikenard very costly" for the anointing of Jesus, she at least knew what she was doing. So did the recipient of her generosity and outpouring of her love, for he knew himself to be both King and High Priest shortly to complete his sacrificial work upon the earth as the Passover Lamb. The word 'Christ' should be a pointer as it means 'anointed one'. At the very least it was for distinguished people and our Lord was at least that and he was alive.

The next event in the last week of our Lord Jesus' ministry was the triumphal entry also known as Palm Sunday when Jesus rode in as King. It was timely. This ought to be taken into account when considering the significance of this anointing as well as the title Pilate had placed on the cross "Jesus, the Nazarene, the King of the Jews."

NAC