The Woman Anointing Jesus' Body - Mark 14:8

Mark wrote how Jesus, “being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble you her? she has wrought a good work on me. For you have the poor with you always, and whensoever you will you may do them good: but me you have not always”, and in chapter fourteen and verse eight of his book, Mark shared how Jesus said, “she is come beforehand to anoint my body”, where we read:

She has done what she could: she is come beforehand to anoint my body to the burying.

The verse reads, “She has done what she could:” Mark began with the words, “she has done” or “the woman with the alabaster box performed, produced, made ready and prepared” “what she could” which means “that which the woman was able”. Mark shared how Jesus said the woman who poured precious ointment upon His head did that which she was able to do.

The verse goes on to say, “she is come beforehand to anoint my body to the burying.” Mark continued with the words, “she is come beforehand” which means “the woman with the alabaster box arose and appeared in advance of and in anticipation” “to anoint my body” or “to apply unguent to Jesus' physical body” “to the burying” which means “toward preparing for interment or burying after death”. Mark shared how Jesus declared the woman's act towards Him was in preparation for His body being buried.

When we consider Mark's words in this verse, we notice Jesus' view of the deed of this woman. Rather than being a “waste” as was determined by the indignant onlookers, Jesus said the woman was performing a wonderful act upon Him. God the Father loves people, and His desire is for them to love Him in return by receiving His Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”. Jesus came to the earth to die on the cross for the sins of every person, and those who are wise will yield their lives to Him and “pour out” everything they have in appreciation for His sacrifice for them.

Next time we see Mark share how Jesus says, “that she has done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".