John 12:7

7 Yeshua said, "Leave her alone! She kept this 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 "This perfume is worth a year's wages! Why wasn't it sold and the money given to the poor?"
6 Now he said this not out of concern for the poor, but because he was a thief -- he was in charge of the common purse and used to steal from it.
7 Yeshua said, "Leave her alone! She kept this for the day of my burial.
8 You always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me."
9 A large crowd of Judeans learned that he was there; and they came not only because of Yeshua, but also so that they could see El`azar, whom he had raised from the dead.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.