As we read the Gospel of John, we need to also consider the Synoptics to understand how certain events transpired. For example, the narrator of the fourth Gospel left Jesus in Ephraim in chapter 11. How did Jesus get to Bethany? John doesn’t say, but the Synoptics do. Jesus came to Jerusalem from Jericho and over the top of Mount Olives on the east side of Jerusalem (cp. Luke 19:1, 28-29). From that point he entered Jerusalem, but this was not the so-called Triumphal Entry! How do we know? Because, no one came out to meet Jesus upon his arrival, and many within the city didn’t know who he was, and, when he left the city, he went to Bethany (Matthew 21:10, 17). John describes Jesus’ Triumphal Entry, as his coming from Bethany (John 12:12-19, not Jericho (cp. Matthew 21:10 and John 12:18)! Therefore, John begins his record of Jesus’ final week before his crucifixion with Jesus already at Bethany (John 12:1), after having come from Jerusalem, where he cleansed the Temple for the first time that week (cp. Matthew 21:12-13, 17).
It was Jesus final days before his crucifixion, and he came to Bethany six days before the Passover Holy Day (John 12:1). According to our method of marking time, Jesus came to Bethany on Friday evening, before sundown on the ninth day of the first month in the Jewish calendar (Nisan). The Holy Day the Gospel narrator pointed to was the Feast of Unleavened bread (Nisan 15), which would begin on the following Wednesday just after sunset.[1] The annual holy days occurred on different days of the week each year like our Christmas or New Years Day.
Bethany was the place where Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead, only a few weeks prior to his coming to celebrate this Passover. He came to Bethany because it had been prearranged, probably during his visit to raise Lazarus from the dead, for Martha to provide the evening meal for Jesus and the Twelve (John 12:1-2).
It was probably after the meal was finished that Mary, Martha’s sister, came and sat at Jesus’ feet and anointed him by pouring the contents of a bottle of expensive ointment onto his feet and dried them with her hair (John 12:3). Why would she do this? The text doesn’t say, but, if Judas’ reaction (John 12:5) is any indication, it may be that she discovered that at least some of the love offerings, which she had given to Jesus for his support and ministry (cp. Luke 8:2-3) wasn’t used for that purpose. If this is true, pouring the whole contents of expensive ointment upon Jesus’ feet in front of the thief, would serve its purpose in more ways than one.
According to the text, Judas Iscariot was one of the Twelve, and he betrayed Jesus. It also says he was Simon’s son, whom I identified in an earlier study as Simon the Zealot, and husband of Martha.[2] If my understanding of the family relationships is correct, Judas spoke out against Mary, his aunt, for what she did, saying the ointment should have been sold for what amounts to a man’s annual wage, and the money from the sale should have been given to the poor (John 12:4-5).
Nevertheless, he spoke out in pretense. He didn’t care for the poor. Rather, Judas had another use for the money, which he had been stealing from the funds given to the group to provide for Jesus’ ministry. The text says Judas had that bag, meaning he was the group’s treasurer. Judas’ name, Iscariot, shows he was a member of the notorious Sacarii, a political extremist group and a sect of the zealots. The Sacarii murdered anyone helping Rome, whom they considered the enemy of Israel. Judas stole to help support the political plots of the Sacarii.[3] Thus, if these speculations are logical and true, Judas, one of the Twelve, acted more like one of Jesus’ enemies, who sought to pull the strings of a puppet messiah, than a disciple and a friend.
Jesus spoke out in Mary’s defense, saying the poor would always be with us, so opportunity for helping them would always be present. On the other hand, Jesus was with them only a short while longer. Mary’s act would be considered the anointing of his body for burial.
_____________________________________________________
[1] I have several studies that chronicle Jesus’ final week on earth before his crucifixion: Jesus Arrives on the Mount of Olives; Jesus’ Three Entries Into Jerusalem; Jesus’ Triumphant Entry!; A Sabbath Day’s Journey; A Friday Crucifixion?; How About a Thursday Crucifixion?; Jesus Was Crucified on a Wednesday!; Differing Crucifixion Traditions. Anyone who wishes may read any of these and judge for him/herself.
[2] See: Who Is Simon the Pharisee?
[3] See my earlier studies about Judas: A Traitor at the Table of the Lord; The Secret Life of Judas; Why Did Judas Steal from Jesus?; Why Did Judas Betray Jesus?
Smoodock's Blog 