John 12:7

7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “She has kept this perfume in preparation for the day of My burial.

John 12:7 Meaning and Commentary

John 12:7

Then said Jesus, let her alone
Do not disturb her in what she does, or hinder her, or blame her for it:

against the day of my burial hath she kept this;
this ointment, which she now poured on Christ; it was usual to embalm the dead with ointments and spices: Christ suggests, that the time of his death and burial were nigh, and that this woman had kept this ointment till now, for such a purpose; and whereas she would not be able to make use of it at the time of his interment, she had embalmed his body with it now, beforehand; though without any knowledge of his death, or any such intention and design in her, but the Holy Ghost so directing her: for this is not to be understood of her keeping any part of it till that time, which it does not appear she did.

John 12:7 In-Context

5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?”

6 Judas did not say this because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. As keeper of the money bag, he used to take from what was put into it.

7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “She has kept this perfume in preparation for the day of My burial.

8 The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have Me.”

9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews learned that Jesus was there. And they came not only because of Him, but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.