{"id":44652,"date":"2023-05-03T10:09:29","date_gmt":"2023-05-03T07:09:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=44652"},"modified":"2025-05-07T15:55:48","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T12:55:48","slug":"44652","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2023\/05\/03\/44652\/","title":{"rendered":""},"content":{"rendered":"
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Answer: <\/span>Yes. <\/span>There <\/span>were <\/span>at <\/span>least <\/span>two <\/span>separate <\/span>anointing <\/span>events <\/span>recorded <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>Gospels.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

One <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>most <\/span>well-<\/span>known <\/span>accounts <\/span>of <\/span>Jesus <\/span>being <\/span>anointed <\/span>is <\/span>by <\/span>Mary <\/span>of <\/span>Bethany<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>the <\/span>sister <\/span>of <\/span>Martha <\/span>and <\/span>Lazarus<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span>This <\/span>event <\/span>is <\/span>recorded <\/span>in <\/span>John <\/span>12:<\/span>1\u2013<\/span>3<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>Matthew <\/span>26:<\/span>6\u2013<\/span>13<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>and <\/span>Mark <\/span>14:<\/span>3\u2013<\/span>9<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span>These <\/span>passages <\/span>describe <\/span>Mary <\/span>anointing <\/span>Jesus <\/span>six <\/span>days <\/span>before <\/span>the <\/span>Passover<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>town <\/span>of <\/span>Bethany<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span>Let\u2019s <\/span>look <\/span>at <\/span>the <\/span>account <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>Gospel <\/span>of <\/span>John:<\/span><\/p>\n

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John <\/span>12:<\/span>1\u2013<\/span>3 (<\/span>NIV):<\/span><\/strong>
Six <\/span>days <\/span>before <\/span>the <\/span>Passover, <\/span>Jesus <\/span>came <\/span>to <\/span>Bethany, <\/span>where <\/span>Lazarus <\/span>lived, <\/span>whom <\/span>Jesus <\/span>had <\/span>raised <\/span>from <\/span>the <\/span>dead. <\/span>Here <\/span>a <\/span>dinner <\/span>was <\/span>given <\/span>in <\/span>Jesus\u2019 <\/span>honor. <\/span>Martha <\/span>served, <\/span>while <\/span>Lazarus <\/span>was <\/span>among <\/span>those <\/span>reclining <\/span>at <\/span>the <\/span>table <\/span>with <\/span>him. <\/span>Then <\/span>Mary <\/span>took <\/span>about <\/span>a <\/span>pint <\/span>of <\/span>pure <\/span>nard, <\/span>an <\/span>expensive <\/span>perfume; <\/span>she <\/span>poured <\/span>it <\/span>on <\/span>Jesus\u2019 <\/span>feet <\/span>and <\/span>wiped <\/span>his <\/span>feet <\/span>with <\/span>her <\/span>hair. <\/span>And <\/span>the <\/span>house <\/span>was <\/span>filled <\/span>with <\/span>the <\/span>fragrance <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>perfume.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This <\/span>act <\/span>of <\/span>anointing <\/span>was <\/span>one <\/span>of <\/span>deep <\/span>love <\/span>and <\/span>devotion, <\/span>likely <\/span>also <\/span>symbolic <\/span>of <\/span>Jesus’ <\/span>impending <\/span>burial, <\/span>as <\/span>He <\/span>later <\/span>indicated (<\/span>John <\/span>12:<\/span>7).<\/span><\/p>\n

However, <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>Gospel <\/span>of <\/span>Luke<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>we <\/span>find <\/span>another <\/span>account<\/span><\/strong> that <\/span>closely <\/span>resembles <\/span>this <\/span>one <\/span>but <\/span>contains <\/span>distinct <\/span>details <\/span>and <\/span>takes <\/span>place <\/span>at <\/span>a <\/span>different <\/span>time <\/span>and <\/span>location<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>and <\/span>involves <\/span>a <\/span>different <\/span>woman<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Luke <\/span>7:<\/span>36\u2013<\/span>38 (<\/span>NIV):<\/span><\/strong>
When <\/span>one <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>Pharisees <\/span>invited <\/span>Jesus <\/span>to <\/span>have <\/span>dinner <\/span>with <\/span>him, <\/span>he <\/span>went <\/span>to <\/span>the <\/span>Pharisee\u2019s <\/span>house <\/span>and <\/span>reclined <\/span>at <\/span>the <\/span>table. <\/span>A <\/span>woman <\/span>in <\/span>that <\/span>town <\/span>who <\/span>lived <\/span>a <\/span>sinful <\/span>life <\/span>learned <\/span>that <\/span>Jesus <\/span>was <\/span>eating <\/span>at <\/span>the <\/span>Pharisee\u2019s <\/span>house, <\/span>so <\/span>she <\/span>came <\/span>there <\/span>with <\/span>an <\/span>alabaster <\/span>jar <\/span>of <\/span>perfume. <\/span>As <\/span>she <\/span>stood <\/span>behind <\/span>him <\/span>at <\/span>his <\/span>feet <\/span>weeping, <\/span>she <\/span>began <\/span>to <\/span>wet <\/span>his <\/span>feet <\/span>with <\/span>her <\/span>tears. <\/span>Then <\/span>she <\/span>wiped <\/span>them <\/span>with <\/span>her <\/span>hair, <\/span>kissed <\/span>them <\/span>and <\/span>poured <\/span>perfume <\/span>on <\/span>them.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

There <\/span>are <\/span>several <\/span>key <\/span>differences<\/span><\/strong> between <\/span>the <\/span>two <\/span>events:<\/span><\/p>\n

1. <\/span>Different <\/span>Locations<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
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    Luke <\/span>7<\/span><\/strong> occurs <\/span>in <\/span>a <\/span>Pharisee\u2019s <\/span>house, <\/span>in <\/span>one <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>towns <\/span>of <\/span>Galilee<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>likely <\/span>Nain <\/span>or <\/span>Capernaum<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>where <\/span>Jesus <\/span>had <\/span>been <\/span>preaching (<\/span>Luke <\/span>7:<\/span>11; <\/span>Luke <\/span>7:<\/span>1).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    The <\/span>John <\/span>12<\/span><\/strong> event <\/span>occurs <\/span>in <\/span>Bethany<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>near <\/span>Jerusalem <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>south, <\/span>and <\/span>specifically <\/span>at <\/span>the <\/span>house <\/span>of <\/span>Simon <\/span>the <\/span>Leper<\/span><\/strong> (<\/span>as <\/span>identified <\/span>in <\/span>Matthew <\/span>26:<\/span>6 <\/span>and <\/span>Mark <\/span>14:<\/span>3).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    2. <\/span>Different <\/span>Timing<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
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      The <\/span>event <\/span>in <\/span>Luke <\/span>7<\/span><\/strong> happens <\/span>much <\/span>earlier <\/span>in <\/span>Jesus\u2019 <\/span>ministry<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>before <\/span>His <\/span>final <\/span>trip <\/span>to <\/span>Jerusalem.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      The <\/span>anointing <\/span>by <\/span>Mary <\/span>of <\/span>Bethany<\/span><\/strong> occurs <\/span>just <\/span>days <\/span>before <\/span>His <\/span>crucifixion<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>during <\/span>Passion <\/span>Week.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      3. <\/span>Different <\/span>Women<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
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        In <\/span>John <\/span>12<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>the <\/span>woman <\/span>is <\/span>explicitly <\/span>named <\/span>as <\/span>Mary<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>the <\/span>sister <\/span>of <\/span>Lazarus.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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        In <\/span>Luke <\/span>7<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>the <\/span>woman <\/span>is <\/span>unnamed, <\/span>only <\/span>described <\/span>as <\/span>\u201c<\/span>a <\/span>sinful <\/span>woman\u201d<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>traditionally <\/span>understood <\/span>to <\/span>be <\/span>a <\/span>known <\/span>sinner, <\/span>possibly <\/span>a <\/span>prostitute (<\/span>though <\/span>the <\/span>Bible <\/span>does <\/span>not <\/span>name <\/span>her <\/span>or <\/span>confirm <\/span>her <\/span>background).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        4. <\/span>Different <\/span>Spiritual <\/span>Expressions<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
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          The <\/span>woman <\/span>in <\/span>Luke <\/span>7<\/span><\/strong> shows <\/span>deep <\/span>repentance<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>weeping <\/span>at <\/span>Jesus\u2019 <\/span>feet, <\/span>kissing <\/span>them, <\/span>and <\/span>wiping <\/span>them <\/span>with <\/span>her <\/span>hair\u2014<\/span>an <\/span>outpouring <\/span>of <\/span>love <\/span>from <\/span>a <\/span>forgiven <\/span>sinner (<\/span>see <\/span>Luke <\/span>7:<\/span>47\u2013<\/span>50).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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          Mary <\/span>of <\/span>Bethany<\/span><\/strong> pours <\/span>perfume <\/span>on <\/span>Jesus <\/span>in <\/span>a <\/span>more <\/span>worshipful, <\/span>prophetic <\/span>act<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>anticipating <\/span>His <\/span>death <\/span>and <\/span>burial (<\/span>John <\/span>12:<\/span>7; <\/span>Mark <\/span>14:<\/span>8).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Theological <\/span>Insight:<\/span><\/h3>\n

          These <\/span>accounts <\/span>highlight <\/span>different <\/span>aspects <\/span>of <\/span>faith <\/span>and <\/span>devotion:<\/span><\/p>\n

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            Forgiveness <\/span>leads <\/span>to <\/span>love<\/span><\/strong> \u2013 <\/span>as <\/span>seen <\/span>in <\/span>Luke <\/span>7:<\/span>47: <\/span>“<\/span>Therefore, <\/span>I <\/span>tell <\/span>you, <\/span>her <\/span>many <\/span>sins <\/span>have <\/span>been <\/span>forgiven\u2014<\/span>as <\/span>her <\/span>great <\/span>love <\/span>has <\/span>shown.”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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            Reverent <\/span>worship <\/span>and <\/span>prophetic <\/span>insight<\/span><\/strong> \u2013 <\/span>as <\/span>Mary <\/span>understood <\/span>something <\/span>even <\/span>Jesus’ <\/span>disciples <\/span>missed: <\/span>His <\/span>death <\/span>was <\/span>near, <\/span>and <\/span>she <\/span>honored <\/span>Him <\/span>beforehand.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            Conclusion:<\/span><\/h3>\n

            Yes, <\/span>there <\/span>were <\/span>at <\/span>least <\/span>two <\/span>distinct <\/span>anointing <\/span>events<\/span><\/strong> involving <\/span>different <\/span>women<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>at <\/span>different <\/span>times<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>in <\/span>different <\/span>places<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>with <\/span>different <\/span>motives<\/span><\/strong> and <\/span>spiritual <\/span>messages<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

            While <\/span>the <\/span>identity <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>woman <\/span>in <\/span>Luke <\/span>7<\/span><\/strong> remains <\/span>unknown, <\/span>what <\/span>matters <\/span>most <\/span>is <\/span>the <\/span>faith <\/span>and <\/span>love<\/span><\/strong> displayed <\/span>in <\/span>both <\/span>stories. <\/span>These <\/span>acts <\/span>of <\/span>anointing <\/span>are <\/span>profound <\/span>illustrations <\/span>of <\/span>repentance<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>worship<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>and <\/span>preparation <\/span>for <\/span>Christ\u2019s <\/span>sacrifice.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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