Precious Ointment Passages


Matthew 26

(1) And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended all these words, he said to his disciples: (2) You know that after two days shall be the pasch, and the son of man shall be delivered up to be crucified: (3) Then were gathered together the chief priests and ancients of the people into the court of the high priest, who was called Caiphas: (4) And they consulted together, that by subtilty they might apprehend Jesus, and put him to death. (5) But they said: Not on the festival day, lest perhaps there should be a tumult among the people.

(6) And when Jesus was in Bethania, in the house of Simon the leper, (7) There came to him a woman having an alabaster box of precious ointment, and poured it on his head as he was at table. (8) And the disciples seeing it, had indignation, saying: To what purpose is this waste?

Mark 14

(1) Now the feast of the pasch, and of the Azymes was after two days; and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might by some wile lay hold on him, and kill him. (2) But they said: Not on the festival day, lest there should be a tumult among the people.

(3) And when he was in Bethania, in the house of Simon the leper, and was at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of precious spikenard: and breaking the alabaster box, she poured it out upon his head. (4) Now there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said: Why was this waste of the ointment made?

Luke 7

(36) And one of the Pharisees desired him to eat with him. And he went into the house of the Pharisee, and sat down to meat. (37) And behold a woman that was in the city, a sinner, when she knew that he sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment; (38) And standing behind at his feet, she began to wash his feet, with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. (39) And the Pharisee, who had invited him, seeing it, spoke within himself, saying: This man, if he were a prophet, would know surely who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, that she is a sinner. (40) And Jesus answering, said to him: Simon, I have somewhat to say to thee. But he said: Master, say it.

The above seems to have happened long before the approach of the pasch. It was until chapter 19 in Luke that we read:

(26) But I say to you, that to every one that hath shall be given, and he shall abound: and from him that hath not, even that which he hath, shall be taken from him. (27) But as for those my enemies, who would not have me reign over them, bring them hither, and kill them before me. (28) And having said these things, he went before, going up to Jerusalem. (29) And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethania, unto the mount called Olivet, he sent two of his disciples, (30) Saying: Go into the town which is over against you, at your entering into which you shall find the colt of an ass tied, on which no man ever hath sitten: loose him, and bring him hither.

(31) And if any man shall ask you: Why do you loose him? you shall say thus unto him: Because the Lord hath need of his service. (32) And they that were sent, went their way, and found the colt standing, as he had said unto them. (33) And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said to them: Why loose you the colt? (34) But they said: Because the Lord hath need of him. (35) And they brought him to Jesus. And casting their garments on the colt, they set Jesus thereon.

John 12

(1) Jesus therefore, six days before the pasch, came to Bethania, where Lazarus had been dead, whom Jesus raised to life. (2) And they made him a supper there: and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that were at table with him. (3) Mary therefore took a pound of ointment of right spikenard, of great price, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. (4) Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, he that was about to betray him, said: (5) Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?


Mary Magdalen in New Testament

1 "Among whom was Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee." [Matthew 27:56]

2 "And there was there Mary Magdalen, and the other Mary sitting over against the sepulchre." [Matthew 27:61]

3 "And in the end of the sabbath, when it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalen and the other Mary, to see the sepulchre." [Matthew 28:1]

4 "And there were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joseph, and Salome:" [Mark 15:40]

5 "And Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of Joseph, beheld where he was laid." [Mark 15:47]

6 "And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought sweet spices, that coming, they might anoint Jesus." [Mark 16:1]

7 "But he rising early the first day of the week, appeared first to Mary Magdalen, out of whom he had cast seven devils." [Mark 16:9]

8 "And it was Mary Magdalen, and Joanna, and Mary of James, and the other women that were with them, who told these things to the apostles." [Luke 24:10]

9 "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen." [John 19:25]

10 "And on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalen cometh early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre; and she saw the stone taken away from the sepulchre." [John 20:1]

11 "Mary Magdalen cometh, and telleth the disciples: I have seen the Lord, and these things he said to me." [John 20:18]

12 "And certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities; Mary who is called Magdalen, out of whom seven devils were gone forth," [Luke 8:2]