The woman anointed Jesus with precious ointment because He was about to die and be buried — Jesus Himself said the act was for His burial.
In Bethany, a woman poured a very precious ointment on Jesus' head (Matthew 26:7). Jesus interpreted her action plainly: 'she did it for my burial' (Matthew 26:12). Les Feldick's teaching on Jewish burial custom confirms the background: bodies were routinely anointed with spices and ointments, which is why Mary Magdalene went to the tomb to anoint Jesus' body the Sunday morning after the crucifixion.
Matthew 26:12 — Jesus directly states the purpose of the woman's anointing: she did it for His burial.
Matthew 26:7 — This is the record of the woman coming to Jesus with an alabaster box of very precious ointment.
The Bible records that while Jesus was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him with an alabaster box of very precious ointment and poured it on His head (Matthew 26:7). Jesus defended her and gave the meaning of the act: 'For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial' (Matthew 26:12). The burial custom itself is seen in the Gospel accounts of the resurrection. After the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought sweet spices so they could come and anoint Jesus' body (Mark 16:1). When Mary arrived at the tomb, she found it empty and said, 'Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him' (John 20:13). Jesus also promised that this woman's act would be remembered wherever the gospel is preached: 'Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her' (Matthew 26:13).
Les Feldick highlights the common Jewish practice of anointing a dead body with spices and ointments. He points out that when Mary Magdalene went to the sepulcher on that early Sunday morning, she was 'to carry out the custom of anointing the body with spices and so forth' (Clip 5). She had no thought that Jesus would rise; she expected to anoint a corpse. Les also stresses that the disciples and the women had no understanding that Jesus would die and rise again, even though He had told them. He reminds us that had they understood, they would have been outside the tomb waiting for Him. Instead, as Mary approached the tomb, she was 'all shook up because the body was gone' (Clip 3). In the final days leading up to the crucifixion, Les calls attention to the woman with the alabaster box of very precious ointment who came to Jesus in Bethany (Clip 0), setting the stage for the burial customs that followed.
Les explains that it was customary to anoint a dead body with spices and ointments. This is why Mary Magdalene went to the sepulcher on Sunday morning to anoint the body of Jesus. She wondered, Les says, who would roll away the stone so she could perform this customary anointing (Clip 1).
No. Les points out that even after three years of Jesus' ministry, the disciples and followers had no indication of His death, burial, and resurrection. Once He was dead, they expected to anoint His body in the usual way. Mary Magdalene came to the tomb to anoint the body — not to see if He had risen (Clips 3, 5).
Jesus said that wherever the gospel is preached, what this woman did would also be told as a memorial of her (Matthew 26:13). Her act was connected to His burial and was so significant that He promised it would be remembered globally.
The Bethany Anointing Narrative
Les sets the scene for the final days before the crucifixion, mentioning the woman's alabaster box of very precious ointment and her anointing of Jesus in Bethany.
Custom of Anointing the Body
Les describes Mary Magdalene coming to the sepulcher on Sunday morning to anoint Jesus' body as was the custom.
Mary's Surprise at the Empty Tomb
Mary expected to anoint a body, but the tomb was already open and empty; the body was gone.
The Disciples Had No Understanding
Les shows that none of the disciples expected the resurrection; Mary went to the tomb to dress the body and was shaken when it was gone.
Mary's Encounter with the Angels
Mary's grief and purpose to anoint Jesus' body are shown by her weeping and her response that someone had taken away her Lord.
The Custom of Anointing the Body
Les explicitly says Mary was there to carry out the custom of anointing the body with spices and so forth.
Why Jesus Forbade Mary to Touch Him: The High Priest & His Blood
Now you want to remember, what did he go through before he even went to the cross? He went through the scourgings, which literally made a man's back like hamburger. He had the crown of thorns pushed on his head, he had his beard ripped out, and you don't pull a beard out without taking flesh with it.
Mary's Last Impression of Jesus
Les explains how disfigured Jesus was by crucifixion, which deepens the context of why the burial anointing was so important.
Matthew 26:7: There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.
This records the woman's act of anointing Jesus with precious ointment in Bethany.
Matthew 26:11: For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.
Jesus responds to the disciples' complaint about the ointment being wasted.
Matthew 26:12: For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.
Jesus directly explains that the anointing was for His burial.
Matthew 26:13: Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.
Jesus promises that the woman's act would be remembered wherever the gospel is preached.
Mark 16:1: And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
This shows the burial custom of anointing the body with spices.
John 20:13: And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.
Mary Magdalene came to anoint Jesus' body but found the tomb empty.
The transcripts do not identify the woman who anointed Jesus in Bethany. Les separately describes Mary Magdalene going to the tomb to anoint the body after the crucifixion, following the same burial custom, but the two events are not conflated in the evidence.
The Gospel of Matthew records that the disciples were indignant and said the ointment could have been sold and the money given to the poor. Jesus answered that the poor would always be present, but He would not always be there with them (Matthew 26:11).
The evidence does not explicitly state her understanding. The Bible shows Jesus interpreting her act as being for His burial, but it does not say whether she fully comprehended it. Les's teaching emphasizes that even the closest followers did not understand Jesus' coming death and resurrection, so it is possible she acted without fully knowing.
Watch the Teaching: Why Did the Disciples Not Know Jesus Would Die?