(It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
that Mary.
John 12:3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
Matthew 26:6,7 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, …
Mark 14:3 And 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.
anointed.
Luke 7:37,38 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, …
was to anoint the Lord with perfume
This phrase foreshadows an event described in John 12:1-8, where Mary anoints Jesus with expensive perfume. This act of anointing is significant as it symbolizes honor and devotion, and in the context of Jesus, it prefigures His burial. Anointing with perfume was a customary practice in Jewish culture for guests and for preparing bodies for burial, indicating both reverence and prophetic insight into Jesus' impending death.
and wipe His feet with her hair
Mary's act of wiping Jesus' feet with her hair is an expression of humility and devotion. In the cultural context of the time, a woman's hair was considered her glory, and using it to wipe Jesus' feet demonstrates profound humility and love. This act also signifies the breaking of social norms, as women typically did not let their hair down in public. It reflects Mary's deep personal commitment to Jesus and serves as a model of worship and service.
Each phrase in this verse connects to broader themes in the Gospel of John, such as the revelation of Jesus' identity, the foreshadowing of His death and resurrection, and the intimate relationships He formed with His followers.
• John identifies “Mary” as a specific woman already familiar to many believers, distinguishing her from other women named Mary in the Gospels (Luke 10:38-42).
• She is the sister who “sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to His teaching” (Luke 10:39), revealing a pattern of personal devotion.
• By linking her name to the later anointing (John 12:3), the verse underscores her intimate relationship with Jesus long before that public act of worship.
• The illness of Lazarus (John 11:1) sets the immediate context and foreshadows the miraculous resurrection in John 11:43-44.
• Mentioning Mary’s family ties shows that Jesus’ forthcoming miracle impacts a real household He loves (John 11:5).
• The statement reminds readers that faith often grows in the middle of suffering (Romans 5:3-5; James 1:2-4).
• John looks ahead to the evening meal in Bethany where Mary “took a pound of expensive perfume of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet” (John 12:3).
• This anticipatory note highlights the prophetic nature of her action, for Jesus links it to His burial (John 12:7; cf. Mark 14:8).
• Sacrificial worship is costly: the perfume was worth “a year’s wages” (John 12:5), echoing King David’s refusal to offer God what cost him nothing (2 Samuel 24:24).
• By calling Jesus “the Lord,” the text affirms His divine authority, worthy of honor reserved for God alone (Psalm 45:7).
• Wiping Jesus’ feet with her own hair is an act of humility and total self-abandonment, paralleling the servant-nature Jesus will model when He washes the disciples’ feet (John 13:5).
• In that culture a woman’s hair was her glory (1 Corinthians 11:15); Mary lays her glory at Jesus’ feet, illustrating true discipleship (Luke 14:26-27).
• The fragrant aroma filling the house (John 12:3) becomes a living picture of how worship spreads the knowledge of Christ “like a sweet fragrance” (2 Corinthians 2:14-15).
John 11:2 introduces Mary by recalling her forthcoming act of extravagant devotion. The verse roots her identity in relationship (sister of Lazarus), anticipates her sacrificial anointing, and showcases her humble service. Together these details emphasize that authentic faith loves Jesus personally, serves Him selflessly, and honors Him lavishly—truths confirmed in the very miracle that follows and in the cross toward which the Gospel steadily moves.
(2) It was that Mary which anointed the Lord.--Comp. Notes on Matthew 26:6 et seq., and Mark 14:3 et seq. John himself relates the anointing in John 12:3 et seq. Here he simply mentions it as distinguishing Mary from others of the same name. and assumes it as a well-known incident which had been, as Christ declared it should be, "told for a memorial of her wheresoever the gospel had been preached" (Matthew 26:13). Still, the other Evangelists had not told the name, and St. John, when the name first occurs in his narrative, connects it with the person whose deed of love was known to all.There is no sufficient reason for identifying Mary of Bethany with the "woman which was a sinner" (see Notes on Luke 7:37 et seq.), or for identifying either with Mary Magdalene. . . .
Verse 2. - Now it was that Mary who anointed the Lord with perfume, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. The word μύρον is used of any aromatic balsam which is distilled from trees and herbs by itself. In classical Greek μύρον was used of costly ointments used by women. Ἐλαίον was the common oil used by men for purposes of health, which might be perfumed. Our Lord clearly draws a distinction between the ἐλαίον and μύρον in Luke 7:46. Ἀλείφω has been said to be used for the more superfluous anointings and χρίω for the sanitary anointing with oil. No trace of such distinction is found in the New Testament (cf. Mark 6:13 with James 5:14). One great distinction in biblical Greek is that χρίειν is used of religious anointings, from its association with Ξριστός, but ἀλείφειν in the LXX. is only twice used in this sense, while χρίειν is used times without number (Archbishop Trench, 'New Test. Syn.,' § 38.). The use of the term Κύριον, "Lord," shows that the story was widely known, and that when the Gospel was written it had passed into a commonplace of Christian experience and illustration. The anointing has not yet been referred to by John, but he is looking back upon the events and anticipates his own subsequent record.