John 12:3

3 Mary therefore, having taken a pound of ointment of pure nard of great price, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair, and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

John 12:3 Meaning and Commentary

John 12:3

Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard very costly,
&c.] Worth three hundred pence, according to Judas's estimation of it. This Mary was the other sister of Lazarus; (See Gill on Matthew 26:7), (See Gill on Mark 14:3), concerning the nature and value of this ointment:

and anointed the feet of Jesus;
as he lay upon the bed or couch, at supper:

and wiped his feet with her hair; (See Gill on Luke 7:38).

And the house was filled with the odour of the ointment;
see ( Song of Solomon 1:3 Song of Solomon 1:12 ) ; ointment of spikenard was very odoriferous: this may be an emblem of the sweet savour of Christ, in the ministration of the Gospel, throughout the whole world.

John 12:3 In-Context

1 Jesus therefore, six days before the passover, came to Bethany, where was the dead [man] Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from among [the] dead.

2 There therefore they made him a supper, and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those at table with him.

3 Mary therefore, having taken a pound of ointment of pure nard of great price, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair, and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

4 One of his disciples therefore, Judas [son] of Simon, Iscariote, who was about to deliver him up, says,

5 Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?

Footnotes

• [a]. Or 'liquid;' a word difficult of interpretation, but most likely 'pure:' see Note, Mark 14.3.