Jesus is Anointed at Bethany | Matthew 26:6-13

The Anointing at Bethany

6 Now while Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table. 8 But when the disciples saw it, they were angry and said, “Why this waste? 9 For this ointment could have been sold for a large sum and the money given to the poor.” 10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? She has performed a good service for me. 11 For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. 12 By pouring this ointment on my body she has prepared me for burial. 13 Truly I tell you, wherever this good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.”

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This lenten season I was asked to paint a piece for A Sanctified Art using the John 12 version of this story. Both take place in Bethany days before Passover and the authors place us in an intimate setting of someone’s home involving the presence of Jesus, a femme protagonist, her expensive oils, and the disciples. What is fascinating is Matthew’s decision to omit particular details, or rather John’s decision to embellish. In Matthew, the woman is nameless, the house is associated with Simon the leper, the disciples are a general group of disappointed men, and the woman specifically anointed the head of Jesus. John however names names. They are in the home of Mary and Martha and Lazarus is named as one of the many reclining at the table with Jesus. The chapter before, Lazarus is resurrected by Jesus. Instead of all disciples being in an uproar, it is merely Judas disappointed at Mary using the oil instead of selling it. The anointing itself is significantly more dramatic than that of Mathew as well. Mary is anointing Jesus’s feet, crying on his toes, wiping away the excess with her hair. Where the anointing of the feet was considered something done by servants to those who were considered special or honored guests in the home, priests of Israel were ordained by having oil poured on their heads. Though in both stories Jesus acknowledges these anointings as burial preparations, alluding to his own execution. The inconsistencies between the two stories are strategic in their purpose. Matthew’s target audience is his fellow Jewish comrades, constantly trying to validate Jesus’s narrative. The anointing of his head is an exodus reference, coded language to infer that he is a priest of Israel like the prophets proclaim. The other characters aren’t relevant aside from Simon, who is also referred to as Simon the Pharisee, continuing to demonstrate Jesus’ legitimacy.

Ok, cool story, but what do we do with this?

This reminds me about the power of storytelling. For those who understand the historical subtext, the same story served two distinct purposes and engaged vastly different audiences. I’d argue that it doesn’t make one or the other more wrong or right but just different. However it also makes me think about what was lost by omitting the name of a woman or by generalizing the displeasure of using the oil on Jesus instead of selling it. I think about how important is the divinity of John’s story as a formerly dead man breaks bread with the incarnate God as a woman throws herself to the ground to anoint God’s feet. The storytelling demonstrates priorities, cultural perspectives, personalities, and overall values. And this remains true to the craft today. In a world where the general media is being monopolized and censored, we have to ask who does this narrative serve? What is being left out? Where might this be embellished? This is not to say there is no truth in what is being reported but sometimes the truth can be so deeply buried or contorted to mislead us. Matthew and John are two sides of the same coin but we couldn’t get there without additional sources. We could not build these connections without research, context, and witnesses. What if the bible was written from only one perspective? Well, we would be missing a lot of books, and even chapters within books. If God only retained one perspective, God would have never promised to avoid wiping out humanity again. God would not have granted the Hebrews judges or kings. God would have never sought to enter the world through Mary to grant us salvation. We need diversity in our views and a cooperative approach to truth. This is how we overcome propaganda. This is how we maintain our own humanity. This is how we love our neighbor.

Let us pray.

In a world contaminated by corruption, we ask you, God, to keep our spirits pure. Grant us curiosity to seek truth. Invite us to use our radical imaginations to dream of a world where our needs are met without the exploitation of our neighbors. The work is hard, the days are long, but we can no longer accept lies and propaganda as law. Storyteller, anoint us as we journey through this world trying to undo the narratives told by your enemies.

Love the Lord with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself. We do this ‘til we free us.

Amen.

Rev. Nicolette “Nic” Faison

Illinois Outreach Director, Faith in Place

Member of Trinidad Lutheran Church, Humboldt Park Chicago

Pinecrest Alumn (5 years), Faculty 2024