John 12:1-8
The second anointing is recorded in the Gospel of John. It came six days before the Passover, the day before Jesus entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. (Some say this was the same anointing that is found in Mark 14 and Mathew 26 but it is clear that those gospel accounts occurred at a different time than this one in John and the facts also differ substantially.)
Jesus was invited to dine at the home of Lazarus, Martha and Mary in Bethany, a town on the Mount of Olives a couple of miles from Jerusalem. The raising of Lazarus is found in John 11. It seems this was given as a celebration for that miracle. Martha was serving and Jesus and Lazarus sat together.
Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
Judas Iscariot objected saying the money should have been given to the poor etc. But Jesus said, Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial.
Did Mary keep some of this oil for that day just seven days later?
Jesus continued: You always have the poor with you but you do not always have me.
This last remark shows the human side of Jesus. Just as, at the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus wept, reveals the human emotions He experienced.
We know though destined for heaven, He would be leaving behind on earth those He had grown to love. Not that He would leave them or us as orphans, but would always be with His friends in Spirit.
In the end it is all about love
Tomorrow is Palm Sunday and I will write about that Holy Day and will pick up with the Third Anointing on Tuesday, two days before Jesus last Passover with His disciples.
{If anyone has different views or evidence about this subject on the number, times or anything pertaining to the anointing of Jesus., please send a comment. I am certainly no biblical scholar or theologian.}
DJ Pasternak, Author 