3 And he, being in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, at his reclining (at meat), there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment, of spikenard, very precious, and having broken the alabaster box, did pour on his head;
and lo, a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having known that he reclineth (at meat) in the house of the Pharisee, having provided an alabaster box of ointment, and having stood behind, beside his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with the tears, and with the hairs of her head she was wiping, and was kissing his feet, and was anointing with the ointment. And the Pharisee who did call him, having seen, spake within himself, saying, `This one, if he were a prophet, would have known who and of what kind `is' the woman who doth touch him, that she is a sinner.'
Thy shoots a paradise of pomegranates, With precious fruits, Cypresses with nard -- nard and saffron, Cane and cinnamon, With all trees of frankincense, Myrrh and aloes, with all chief spices.
And Jesus having been in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, there came to him a woman having an alabaster box of ointment, very precious, and she poured on his head as he is reclining (at meat). And having seen `it', his disciples were much displeased, saying, `To what purpose `is' this waste? for this ointment could have been sold for much, and given to the poor.' And Jesus having known, said to them, `Why do ye give trouble to the woman? for a good work she wrought for me; for the poor always ye have with you, and me ye have not always; for she having put this ointment on my body -- for my burial she did `it'. Verily I say to you, Wherever this good news may be proclaimed in the whole world, what this `one' did shall also be spoken of -- for a memorial of her.'
Jesus, therefore, six days before the passover, came to Bethany, where was Lazarus, who had died, whom he raised out of the dead; they made, therefore, to him a supper there, and Martha was ministering, and Lazarus was one of those reclining together (at meat) with him; Mary, therefore, having taken a pound of ointment of spikenard, of great price, anointed the feet of Jesus and did wipe with her hair his feet, and the house was filled from the fragrance of the ointment. Therefore saith one of his disciples -- Judas Iscariot, of Simon, who is about to deliver him up -- `Wherefore was not this ointment sold for three hundred denaries, and given to the poor?' and he said this, not because he was caring for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and what things were put in he was carrying. Jesus, therefore, said, `Suffer her; for the day of my embalming she hath kept it, for the poor ye have always with yourselves, and me ye have not always.'
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Mark 14
Commentary on Mark 14 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 14
In this chapter begins the account which this evangelist gives of the death and sufferings of our Lord Jesus, which we are all concerned to be acquainted, not only with the history of, but with the mystery of. Here is,
Most of which passages we had before, Mt. 26.
Mar 14:1-11
We have here instances,
Now,
Now see,
Mar 14:12-31
In these verses we have,
Now, in answer to their enquiry, Christ saith that,
But Christ encourages them with a promise that they shall rally again, shall return both to their duty and to their comfort (v. 28); "After I am risen, I will gather you in from all the places wither you are scattered, Eze. 34:12. I will go before you into Galilee, will see our friends, and enjoy one another there.'
Mar 14:32-42
Christ is here entering upon his sufferings, and begins with those which were the sorest of all his sufferings, those in his soul. Here we have him in his agony; this melancholy story we had in Matthew; this agony in soul was the wormwood and the gall in the affliction and misery; and thereby it appeared that no sorrow was forced upon him, but that it was what he freely admitted.
Now the consideration of Christ's sufferings in his soul, and his sorrows for us, should be of use to us,
As those whom Christ loves he rebukes when they do amiss, so those whom he rebukes he counsels and comforts.
Mar 14:43-52
We have here the seizing of our Lord Jesus by the officers of the chief priests. This was what his enemies had long aimed at, they had often sent to take him; but he had escaped out of their hands, because his hour was not come, nor could they now have taken him, had he not freely surrendered himself. He began first to suffer in his soul, but afterward suffered in his body, that he might satisfy for sin, which begins in the heart, but afterwards makes the members of the body instruments of unrighteousness.
Mar 14:53-65
We have here Christ's arraignment, trial, conviction, and condemnation, in the ecclesiastical court, before the great sanhedrim, of which the high priest was president, or judge of the court; the same Caiaphas that had lately adjudged it expedient he should be put to death, guilty or not guilty (Jn. 11:50), and who therefore might justly be excepted against as partial.
Mar 14:66-72
We have here the story of Peter's denying Christ.