SUMMARY
An unnamed woman anoints Jesus with ointment in preparation for his death and burial.
ANALYSIS
The anointing of Jesus by an unnamed woman provides an opportunity for understanding the relationship between good works and following Jesus and serves to clarify two earlier episodes. First of all, it is important to note that there is no indication that the people who criticize the woman are acting hypocritically. The problem is not that they only feign interest in the poor; it appears from the context of the episode that they are genuinely concerned with selling the ointment and helping the poor. They are, after all, at dinner in the house of Simon the LeperA leper is one who suffers from a chronic disease that eats away the flesh; it is now known as Hansen's Disease. At one time lepers were shunned as outcasts and lived in restricted or quarantined communities. Lepers appear in healing stories in both the... More, someone who would have been considered with suspicion by strict adherents of the Jewish law. These people are indignant because they understand their responsibility to give almsGiving alms is generally regarded as freely giving money or food to those in need. While not discouraging people from giving alms, Jesus cautions against the practice if it is done in a hypocritical manner. More and care for the marginalized.
Jesus’ response to them, however, flies in the face of lazy Christian rhetoric that equates Christianity with caring for the poor and needy. Jesus directs their attention to the demands that he makes upon them. By anointing him, this unnamed woman shows that she understands Jesus’ coming death and what it means that he is the MessiahThe Messiah was the one who, it was believed, would come to free the people of Israel from bondage and exile. In Jewish thought the Messiah is the anticipated one who will come, as prophesied by Isaiah. In Christian thought Jesus of Nazareth is identified... More. In other words, this woman understands the Gospel, and because of this, Jesus proclaims that she will always be remembered wherever that same Gospel is proclaimed.
This is the third and most pointed episode in which Jesus seeks to underline the incompleteness of fulfilling the commandments for being his discipleA disciple is a person who accepts and follows the pronouncements of a teacher. Jesus chose twelve disciples (also called "apostles" in some of the Gospels) to follow him and bear witness to his message Anyone who (like them) follows Jesus is engaged in Christian... More. The rich young man went away because he couldn’t bear to leave his possessions and follow Jesus. The earnest scribeA scribe is a person paid to write books or documents by hand. In Jesus' time, scribes were credentialed interpreters of Jewish law. Scribes in the New Testament, along with the elders and chief priests, are among Jesus' most committed opponents, although on one occasion... More was close to the kingdom of GodThe kingdom (reign) of God is a central theme of Jesus' teaching and parables. According to Jesus this reign of God is a present reality and at the same time is yet to come. When Christians pray the Lord's Prayer, they ask that God's kingdom... More, but not there yet, because he did not yet follow Jesus. The unnamed woman, on the other hand, devotes herself entirely to Jesus. With her ointment of great price, she puts to shame the other would-be-followers of Jesus and shows true discipleship by anointing her master for burial.
