The Woman Who Anointed Jesus
In each of the four gospels, there is a report of a woman who anointed Jesus with expensive perfume (Matt. 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9, Luke 7:36-50, John 12:1-8). Each account says Jesus praises this disciple. In Matthew and Mark, Jesus is reported to have said, “Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her” (Matt. 26:13, Mark 14:9). This declaration may be the only example we have of Jesus specifying what is important to note in our history of the faith.
Connecting the four gospel accounts as the same instance or woman is not necessary. The woman who anoints Jesus is unnamed in Matthew and Mark, referred to as a sinner in Luke, and referred to as Mary, sister to Martha in John’s Gospel. While there are clear differences in these four eyewitness accounts, perhaps indicating different events, we can focus our interest on the similarities between narratives in each gospel demonstrating the importance of this comparable act. Whether this event took place more than once, or if Mary is also the woman of Bethany, or the sinner, is not clear. What is clear is all four gospel accounts found this event or events important enough to include and Jesus himself said this woman’s memory would stand the test of time.
It is unlikely this woman was aware of how her actions echoed those of a prophet and a priest, but they did. Her symbolic action proclaimed Jesus publicly as the Son of David, the coming Messiah, Christ, the anointed one just as Samuel anointed David to be king (1 Samuel 16:12-13) and the priest Zadok anointed Solomon to be king (1 Kings 1:39).[1] The disciples and the Gospel writers did not recognize her as a prophet.[2] In each instance, Jesus’ disciples or his company respond to her actions with indignance. In Matthew, Mark, and John one or more disciples criticize the woman for wasting an expensive resource and in Luke a Pharisee raises the issue of her reputation. Unfazed, Jesus welcomes the interruption, the expense, and the actions of the bold woman who burst into the room seemingly uninvited. Jesus defends her before her critics, indicating she has done well with her actions.
The woman who anoints Jesus made herself part of what God is doing and invites disciples throughout history us to do the same. Her prophetic proclamation was silent, as it was expressed in action not in words, and what she has done will continue to be told in memory of her, just as Jesus said. This brings us to our next examples of faithful witnesses, Lois and Eunice.
[1] Torjesen, When Women Were Priests, 27, and Hauerwas, Stanley. 2006. Matthew, 214. SCM Theological Commentary on the Bible. SMC-Canterbury Press Ltd.
[2] Torjesen, When Women Were Priests, 27.