ACC ~ Mark 14 v1 - 9

OVERVIEW:

This simple, beautiful act of a guileless Judean woman is even now being remembered the world over (CHRYSOSTOM). The woman understood that Jesus was about to die and was anointing him for his burial (BEDE). The broken vessel was a reminder that the destruction of death precedes resurrection to life. The perfume is better released to all the world than sealed up. In baptism believers are anointed with oil by analogy to his anointing (JEROME). The faithful are called nard because they share by faith in this costly, unsullied anointing, which points to the Lord’s messianic Sonship. Early exegetes thought it likely that the woman who poured ointment on Jesus’ head, as reported in Mark, was the same as she who poured ointment on his feet, as reported in Luke. Jesus was with the church bodily for only a short time, whereas the poor will always be bodily present to welcome our care (BEDE). Those who hypocritically champion the cause of the poor while pilfering the church’s funds for the poor choose the part of Judas (ORIGEN). The Passover was the Mosaic type of Jesus’ sacrifice as paschal lamb (BEDE).

14:1 | Before the Passover

THE PASCHAL LAMB

BEDE: Having observed up to that point the observances of the old Passover, he brought them to perfection, and he handed over the new sacraments to his disciples to be observed henceforth. [1] … Our Lord is the counterpart of the paschal lamb. Five days before he entered upon his suffering, he came to the place of his passion to teach that he was the one Isaiah [2] had predicted. EXPOSITION ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK 2.3. [3]

[1] Cf. Lk 22:14-20.

[2] Is 53.

[3] Cetedoc 1367, 2.3.10; HOG 2:24*. Jesus was the paschal lamb sacrificed once for all.

14:3a | A Woman Came with an Alabaster Jar of Ointment

WHICH WOMAN?

BEDE: We should not doubt that this was that same woman, once a sinner, who, as the Evangelist Luke reports, came to our Lord with an alabaster vase of ointment “and, standing behind him at his feet, began to bathe his feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet and anointed them with ointment.” [1] This is the same woman, but there, she bent over and anointed only our Lord’s feet, and she did this amid her tears of repentance. Here amid the joy of her righteous action she did not hesitate both to anoint his feet and to stand up to anoint his head also. EXPOSITION ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK 2.4. [2]

[1] Lk 7:37-38; cf. Jn 12:3.

[2] Cetedoc 1367, 2.4.9; HOG 2:36-37.

14:3b | Of Pure Nard, Very Costly

WHY NARD?

JEROME: This woman is outside the temple and carries with her a jar of ointment containing nard, genuine nard, from which she has prepared the ointment. [1] This is why the faithful are called “genuine” or pure nard. The church, gathered from the nations, is offering the Savior the abounding faith of believers. The alabaster jar which had been sealed [2] is broken that all may receive its perfume. HOMILIES OF SAINT JEROME, HOMILY 84. [3]

[1] Cf. Mt 26:7; Mk 14:3; Lk 7:37.

[2] The fulfillment of Hebrew prophecy had until now been sealed.

[3] Cetedoc 0594, 10.78; FC 57:189**.

THE MEANING OF NARD

BEDE: It was compounded from spikenard which was pure (that is, untainted and unadulterated with other different kinds), and which was precious, to imply the chastity of perfect faith and action. EXPOSITION ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK 2.4. [1]

[1] Cetedoc 1367, 2.4.102; HOG 2:37.

HEAD AND FEET ANOINTED

BEDE: His head, which Mary anointed, represents the sublimity of his deity. His feet indicate the lowliness of his incarnation. [1] We too anoint his feet when we proclaim with due praise the mystery of the incarnation which he took upon himself. We too anoint his head when we venerate the loftiness of his divinity with a consent fitting to him. EXPOSITION ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK 2.4. [2]

[1] Cf. Jn 12:3.

[2] Cetedoc 1367, 2.4.105; HOG 2:37**. Hence, by their praise of the mystery of the incarnation and consent to Christ’s lordship, the faithful continue to take part in his anointing.

14:3c | She Broke the Jar

WITHOUT BREAKING, THE FRAGRANCE IS HELD WITHIN

JEROME: Just as the grain of wheat, unless it falls into the ground and dies, does not bring forth any fruit, [1] so, also, unless the alabaster jar be broken, we cannot spread its fragrance. [2] HOMILIES OF ST. JEROME, HOMILY 84. [3]

[1] Cf. Jn 12:24.

[2] Mk 14:3.

[3] Cetedoc 0594.10.86; FC 57:189. The destruction of death precedes the resurrection to life.

PROPHETIC TESTIMONY FULFILLED

BEDE: What is accomplished here is what the bride glorifies in the canticle of love, “While the king was resting [on his couch], my spikenard gave forth its fragrance.” [1] Here it is clearly shown that what Mary once did as a type, [2] the entire church and every perfect soul should do always. EXPOSITION ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK 2.4. [3]

[1] Song 1:12.

[2] Jn 12:3.

[3] Cetedoc 1367, 2.4.129; HOG 2:38. Mary’s anointing is anticipatory of the church’s abiding praise of his lordship.

14:3d | She Poured It over His Head

BAPTISMAL ANOINTING ANTICIPATED

JEROME: This woman has a very special message for you who are about to be baptized. She broke her alabaster jar that Christ may make you “christs,” his anointed. Hear what it says in the Canticle of Canticles: “Your name spoken is a spreading perfume, therefore the maidens love you. We will follow you eagerly in the fragrance of your perfume!” [1] HOMILIES OF ST. JEROME, HOMILY 84. [2]

[1] Song 1:3-4.

[2] Cetedoc 0594, 10.50; FC 57:188. The anointing of the believer with oil recalls the Lord’s own messianic anointing.

BEDE: We anoint our Lord’s head when we cherish the glory of his divinity, along with that of his humanity, with the worthy sweetness of faith, hope and charity, [1] [and] when we spread the praise of his name by living uprightly. We anoint our Lord’s feet when we renew his poor by a word of consolation, so that they may not lose hope when they are under duress. We wipe [the feet of] these same ones with our hair when we share some of what is superfluous to us [to alleviate] the wants of the needy. [2] EXPOSITION ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK 2.4. [3]

[1] Cf. 1 Cor 13:13.

[2] Cf. Deut 15:11; Prov 31:9; Lk 14:13; Gal 2:10.

[3] Cetedoc 1367, 2.4.118; HOG 2:37-38.

14:4 | Why Wasted?

JEROME: To him [Judas], it seemed to be wasting the ointment because the jar is broken, but, for us, it was a great good because the perfume spread throughout the world. Why are you indignant, Judas, because the alabaster jar is broken? God, who made you and all the nations, is blessing us with that precious perfume. You wanted to keep the perfume sealed up so that it would not reach others. HOMILIES OF SAINT JEROME, HOMILY 84. [1]

[1] Cetedoc 0594, 10.111; FC 57:190*. Those who freely receive the fragrance of grace perceive its value differently than did the miserly betrayer who wanted to save it.

14:5 | It Might Have Been Sold and Given to the Poor

IN DEFENSE OF THE POOR

ORIGEN: The traitor Judas, who in appearance championed the cause of the poor, said with indignation, “This ointment might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” [1] But in reality he “was a thief, and as he had the money box he used to take what was put into it.” [2] If, then, any one in our time who has the money box of the church speaks like Judas as if speaking for the poor, but steals what is placed there, let there be assigned to him the same portion along with Judas. COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 11.9. [3]

[1] Jn 12:5.

[2] Jn 12:6.

[3] ANF 9:438; TLG 2042.030, 11.9.81-89.

14:6 | A Beautiful Thing

BETWEEN BEAUTY AND NEED

JEROME: When the apostles [1] pleaded that the ointment was being wasted, they were rebuked by the voice of the Lord. Christ did not need the ointment, nor do martyrs need the light of candles. Yet that woman freely poured out the ointment in honor of Christ, and her heart’s devotion was accepted. … Hence throughout the whole Eastern Church, even when there are no relics of the martyrs, whenever the gospel is to be read the candles are lighted although the dawn may be reddening the sky, not of course to scatter the darkness, but by way of evidencing our joy. AGAINST VIGILANTIUS 7. [2]

[1] Cf. Mt 26:8.

[2] Cete-doc 0611, 7.361.11; NPNF 2 6:420**.

14:7 | You Always Have the Poor with You, and Whenever You Will, You Can Do Good to Them

HIS VISITATION BRIEF

BEDE: [Jesus] was going to remain bodily with the church for but a brief while, whereas the poor, for whom alms could be provided, were always to be found in it. EXPOSITION ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK 2.4. [1]

[1] Cetedoc 1367, 2.4.169; HOG 2:39. Jesus could not be bodily always with his disciples, whom he had to die to save. Yet under the continuing conditions of sin in history, the poor will always be there to receive our gifts.

14:8 | Anointed My Body Beforehand for Burying

WHAT SHE UNDERSTOOD

BEDE: As though Judas was asking an innocent question, our Lord simply and gently explained the mystery of what Mary’s action meant, namely that he himself was about to die, and that he was to be anointed for his burial with the spices. … This is to say clearly, “She will not be able to touch my body once I am dead; she has done what she was able to do; she has anticipated, while I am still alive, the performance of the duty of burying me.” EXPOSITION ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK 2.4. [1]

[1] Cetedoc 1367, 2.4.156; HOG 2:39.

14:9 | In Memory of Her

WHO REMEMBERS HER?

CHRYSOSTOM: The Persians, the Indians, Scythians, Thracians, Samaratians, the race of the Moors and the inhabitants of the British isles celebrate a deed, performed in a private family in Judea by a woman who had been a sinner. THE GOSPEL OF ST. MATTHEW, HOMILY 80.2. [1]

[1] TLG 2062.152, 57.725.53-57; NPNF 1 10:481; GMI 355.