Last week’s examined the tension between Judas and Mary regarding Mary’s anointing of Jesus’ feet. Today’s post focuses on an unnamed woman’s anointing of Jesus’ head—the third instance of anointing in the scriptures and the only time Jesus’ head was anointed. The disciples were indignant when the woman anointed Jesus with a costly ointment, complaining that it was a waste. Jesus intervened, rebuking the disciples. (John 12:1-8).
The lesson of this passage is often about appreciating Jesus and giving God the best. However, it is also a conflict scene because of the tension between the disciples and the woman. As in many conflicts, a party is unaware that their actions or interests clash with the other party’s. In this case, the woman’s innocent appreciation of Jesus offended the disciples, who considered it a waste.
Setting
The story appears in the gospels of Matthew and Mark. In both accounts, the event happened in the house of Simon the leper at Bethany after Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem and two days before the Passover, where Jesus was killed (Matthew 26:6–13 andMark 14:3–9).
This Simon differs from Simon the Pharisee in the first anointing recorded in Luke. Since Jesus healed lepers, Simon the leper probably invited Jesus for a meal in appreciation for curing him of the illness.
Both accounts said that Jesus “sat at table” (Matt 26:7; Mark 14:3). Matthew’s account recounts that a woman came in with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, which she poured on Jesus’ head as he sat at table. Mark identifies the very expensive ointment as nard and adds that the woman broke the jar, pouring the ointment on Jesus’ head.
Matthew narrates that the disciples were angry at this point, saying, “Why this waste? For this ointment could have been sold for a large sum, and the money given to the poor” (Matt 26:8-9). Mark says that some of those present said to one another in anger: “Why was the ointment wasted in this way? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor” (Mark 14:4-5).
The value of the ointment is “more than three hundred denarii” (Mark 14:5). Only Mark’s account adds that they scolded the woman for her action (Mark 14:5). This is understood since only Mark indicates that the woman broke the jar and may have wasted some of this expensive ointment.
There are differing arguments on the worth of 300 denarii today. Based on last week’s post, it is worth about 15,000 US dollars today. Using the average January 2024 currency exchange of N1,400 to a US dollar, 300 denarii amounts to 21 million naira. On the other hand, with the minimum wage at N30,000 per month as of January 2024, 300 denarii are worth N450,000.
The response of Jesus
Just like in the case of Judas and Mary, the sister of Lazarus, Jesus rebuked the disciples. In Mark’s gospel, Jesus said:
“Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her” (Mark 14:6-9).
Jesus’ response in Matthew’s account is very similar (Matt 26:10-13).
Jesus’ response contrasts his response in most other conflict scenarios. In this case, he rebuked a party in the conflict (the disciples) to resolve the tension completely, thereby defending the other party. Jesus’ words were direct: ‘Let her alone’; ‘Why do you trouble her’.
It is unsurprising that Jesus rebuked the disciples. They were angry at a woman who greatly appreciated Jesus by using a very expensive ointment. It seemed that the disciples did not value Jesus as much as others did because if they did, they would have been happy that an expensive ointment was used on their master. Of course, this is not strange because familiarity breeds contempt, and people don’t often value what they have. The woman found a little opportunity to appreciate Jesus and gave her all.
Second, as Jesus said, the anointing was needed to prepare Jesus’ body for his death and burial—a necessary passage to manifest his resurrection from the dead and complete his mission on earth.
In all, Jesus never spoke to the woman.
(a) Genuine expression of love can lead to conflict:
As good as love is, a genuine expression of love can lead to conflict because of third-party involvement. The woman showed deep love for Jesus by anointing him with a costly perfume. But the disciples were indignant with the action, perhaps because she broke the jar. This indignancy could have led to conflict between the three parties, setting Jesus against the woman alongside the woman and the disciples. Jesus’ strategy of rebuking the disciples ended this possibility.
(b) Conflict resolution sometimes involves telling a party the raw truth:
A mediator must be cautious in the words used while communicating with each party to keep communications alive and avoid misinterpretation and prejudice. Yet, Jesus teaches us that a mediator needs to rebuke a party in some situations. Three conditions are discernable in this story. The first is that the mediator must have moral authority or influence over the party or parties to be rebuked. Second, it should concern cases where parties’ interests are built on lies or hypocrisy. Third, there should be a danger to a collective interest or a common purpose. Jesus had moral authority over the disciples, whose interests in the costly perfume were on profits rather than its expression of value on Jesus. The anointing of Jesus’ feet was in preparation for Jesus’ burial—an indispensable passage to the salvation of humanity.
The disciples had no moral authority to create tensions nor discourage a woman who was grateful to Christ.
(c) Jesus managed the disciples’ shortcomings:
Jesus called twelve imperfect men as disciples. Unfortunately, one of their shortcomings was preventing people from coming close to Jesus or displeasure when people expressed genuine love for Christ. Since this shortcoming interfered directly with Jesus’ openness to all—an indispensable strategy to reach out to sinners—Jesus never tolerated it. The commonest story is when Jesus scolded his disciples for rebuking those bringing little children to him (Mark 10:14). In last week’s post, Jesus rebuked Judas for impeding Mary’s expression of love. In today’s post, he rebuked the disciples for challenging the woman’s appreciation.
Managing imperfections is part of conflict management.
May God continue to help us🙏🏾
K’ọdị🙋🏾♂️
