This passage introduces the passion narrative and contrasts the devotion of an unnamed woman with the deceitfulness of the religious authorities, along with the disloyalty of a disciple.

v1-2. The die is cast in that the religious authorities have decided to act against Jesus, planning to seize him and put him to death. They understand well Jesus' popularity and so plan to arrest him away from public gaze. All they need is the opportunity. Mark tells us that it is two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread which will commence on Nisan 14, Thursday evening. So it is Wednesday.

v3-5. Mark dramatically changes the scene to a meal at Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper. His full name is given to distinguish him from the other Simons in the gospel. We know nothing more about him, nor are we even sure if Jesus is staying with him or just having a meal at his home. Having set the scene, Mark focuses on the woman and her act of love as a counter to the deceitful plans of the religious authorities and of the disloyalty of Judas. She destroys the perfume container, indicating her intention to use all the perfume. It is spike nard, most likely adulterated with pistachio nut oil. The anointing may image the prophetic anointing of the messiah, but is more likely an expression of loving devotion contrasted with the evil of Judas and the religious authorities. There is a ripple of disapproval - a grumble here and there, an unfriendly stare. Mark underlines their winging, not so much to expose their hypocrisy, but rather to emphasize the woman's devotion. Her critics concluded that the perfume was extremely valuable and could have been sold and used for a more legitimate purpose. It is typically human to go on about the poor and then ignore them. Interestingly, Matthew says it was the disciples who reacted this way, Luke that it was a "Pharisee" and John that it was Judas. Mark doesn't really specify since his focus is on the woman.

v6-8. Jesus defends her action, calling it a "beautiful thing", a noble act. It is true, her loving kindness toward Jesus could have been redirected toward the poor, but the poor will always be with us and so there is always tomorrow. The woman seized the moment of the day. In the midst of hostility toward Christ she expressed loving devotion. Jesus raises the stakes by interpreting her action prophetically, well beyond her intentions. Her anointing of Jesus is highly appropriate because of his approaching death, a death where the proper anointing of the body prior to burial will not be performed; the death of a common criminal.

v9. Jesus raises the stakes even further by telling those present, primarily the disciples, that the significance of this unnamed woman's action is so profound that the story of her anointing of Jesus will be carried alongside the gospel as a memorial to her.

v10-11. From the devotion of an unnamed woman, an act which carried with it prophetic significance, Mark takes us back to real life. The authorities are seeking to arrest Jesus secretly and one of his own disciples is looking for the best time and place for them to do their dirty deed. Mark doesn't tell us why Judas is out to get Jesus, although the offer of money points to a motive of greed, cf. Matt.26:15a.

She did the right thing at the right moment. The unnamed woman who anointed Jesus remains a mystery to us. Not only do we not know her name, probably because the disciples never new it (she passed Him by), but we know nothing of her motives. Did she understand the full significance of her act of love toward Jesus? Jesus knew his passion was imminent, but his disciples were blind to the gathering storm, so there is probably little chance that this unnamed woman understood that the anointing prefigured Jesus' death, a death of a common criminal where anointing for burial is not an option. Some commentators suggest she was anointing Jesus the messiah in preparation for his enthronement in Jerusalem, but again, we don't know. What we can say is that it was an act of selfless love toward the person of Jesus - an act of faith, generosity, acceptance, recognition, ...., an act, says Jesus, that will be remembered throughout time. In the midst of deception and disloyalty we find an act of dedication.

In the journey of life, circumstances will often conspire and we find ourselves with a momentary opportunity to act in accord with the passion of Christ. Someone is sick and in hospital and just for one moment we get the feeling that we should do something, visit, send some flowers. The moment quickly passes and the rush of life takes over. The crazy thing is that often the outcome is disastrous and we are left wondering why we didn't act, why we didn't follow our gut feeling.

A momentary act of love, seemingly unimportant, prompted by a gut feeling, can have enormous consequences when it taps into the sovereign will of God. When we place ourselves within God's intentions, what was of little consequence can be carried through to a wondrous end.

Doing the right thing at the right moment is rarely our normal practice. For most of us life is filled with lost opportunities. None-the-less, next time a situation arises that is overshadowed by the passion of Christ, take it with both hands and let the oil flow.

1. Comment on the placement of the anointing with v1-2, 10-11.

2. Discuss the possible motives behind the woman's action.

3. Discuss how Christ's passion transforms a loving act.