The Anointing at Bethany
Matthew 26:6-13
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Matt.26.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Του: ART,gen,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- Ιησου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- γενομενου: VERB,aor,mid,part,gen,sg,m
- εν: PREP
- Βηθανια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- εν: PREP
- οικια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- Σιμωνος: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- λεπρου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Mark 14:3 (verbal): Direct synoptic parallel: places Jesus in Bethany 'in the house of Simon the leper' immediately before the anointing; closely parallels Matthew's wording and context.
- John 12:1 (structural): John situates Jesus in Bethany shortly before Passover (the same temporal and geographical setting for the anointing narrative), linking Jesus to Lazarus and events in Bethany.
- John 12:3 (thematic): John's account of the anointing at Bethany (Mary anointing Jesus' feet) corresponds to the same episode introduced in Matthew 26:6, providing complementary details about participants and actions.
- Luke 7:36-38 (thematic): A thematically related anointing story set in a 'Simon’s' house: although a different occasion (Simon the Pharisee, earlier in Galilee) it parallels motifs of a woman anointing Jesus' feet, hospitality, and host named Simon.
Alternative generated candidates
- Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,
- Now when Jesus was at Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
Matt.26.7 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- προσηλθεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
- γυνη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- εχουσα: VERB,pres,act,ptc,nom,sg,f
- αλαβαστρον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- μυρου: NOUN,gen,sg,n
- βαρυτιμου: ADJ,gen,sg,n
- και: CONJ
- κατεχεεν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- επι: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- κεφαλης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,3,m
- ανακειμενου: VERB,pres,mid,ptc,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Mark 14:3 (verbal): Almost word‑for‑word parallel: a woman with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume pours it on Jesus’ head while he reclines (same setting and action).
- John 12:3 (verbal): A closely related account: Mary of Bethany anoints Jesus with expensive perfume (here on his feet) shortly before Passover; John identifies the woman and supplies chronological/locational detail.
- Mark 14:8-9 (thematic): The immediate interpretive comment in Mark (and echoed in Matthew) — Jesus says she anointed him for burial and will be remembered — giving theological significance to the act.
- Luke 7:37-38 (thematic): A different anointing story (a ‘sinful’ woman anointing Jesus’ feet and wiping them with her hair) that parallels the motif of a woman showing costly, intimate devotion by anointing Jesus; later tradition sometimes conflates the two episodes.
Alternative generated candidates
- a woman came to him having an alabaster jar of very costly perfume of pure nard; and she poured it on his head as he sat at table.
- a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at table.
Matt.26.8 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ιδοντες: VERB,aor,act,ptc,nom,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- μαθηται: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- ηγανακτησαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- λεγοντες·Εις: PART,pres,act,nom,pl,m
- τι: ADV
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- απωλεια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- αυτη: PRON,dat,sg,f
Parallels
- Mark 14:4-5 (verbal): Direct synoptic parallel: the disciples (or bystanders) are indignant and ask why the costly perfume was 'wasted'—same complaint as Matt 26:8.
- John 12:4-6 (verbal): Parallel account in John names Judas as objecting that the perfume should have been sold and the money given to the poor, echoing the disciples' indignation about the 'loss'.
- Luke 7:37-39 (thematic): Earlier, a different woman anoints Jesus and onlookers (led by Simon) object to the propriety of her act—thematic parallel of an anointing prompting criticism.
- Matt 26:10 (structural): Immediate literary parallel within Matthew: Jesus defends the woman ('Why trouble her?')—the response that follows the disciples' indignation in 26:8.
Alternative generated candidates
- But when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste?
- When the disciples saw it, they were indignant and said, 'Why this waste?'
Matt.26.9 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- εδυνατο: VERB,impf,mid,ind,3,sg
- γαρ: CONJ
- τουτο: PRON,acc,sg,n
- πραθηναι: VERB,aor,pass,inf
- πολλου: ADJ,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- δοθηναι: VERB,aor,pass,inf
- πτωχοις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
Parallels
- Mark 14:5 (verbal): Near‑identical wording and idea: the ointment could have been sold for much and the money given to the poor — direct Synoptic parallel to Matthew's line.
- John 12:5 (verbal): John records the same objection (Why was this not sold for 300 denarii and given to the poor?), echoing the exact critique of 'waste' in Matthew.
- John 12:3-8 (structural): John's fuller Bethany anointing narrative contains the same incident, the objection about selling the perfume for the poor, and Jesus' defence, paralleling Matthew's episode.
- Luke 7:37-38, 44-47 (thematic): Different anointing scene (the sinful woman) but shares key themes — an expensive anointing, criticism/judgment by onlookers, and issues of devotion/forgiveness — thematically related to Matthew's account.
- Matt 26:11 (structural): Immediate continuation in Matthew: Jesus' remark 'For you always have the poor with you' responds directly to the proposal to give the money to the poor and is part of the same pericope.
Alternative generated candidates
- For this could have been sold for a great sum and given to the poor.”
- For this could have been sold for much and given to the poor.
Matt.26.10 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- γνους: VERB,aor,act,ptc,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ειπεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις·Τι: PRON,dat,pl,m+PART
- κοπους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- παρεχετε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- γυναικι: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- εργον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- γαρ: CONJ
- καλον: ADJ,acc,sg,n
- ηργασατο: VERB,aor,mid,ind,3,sg
- εις: PREP
- εμε·: PRON,acc,sg,1
Parallels
- Mark 14:6-9 (verbal): Near-verbatim parallel of Jesus' defense: 'Let her alone... she has done a good work for me,' and the promise that her deed will be remembered.
- John 12:3-8 (verbal): John's account of Mary anointing Jesus includes the same defence of the woman, Judas' objection, and Jesus' remark about the anointing's relation to his burial.
- Luke 7:36-50 (thematic): Different anointing episode (a 'sinful' woman) but shares the motif of a woman anointing Jesus, public criticism, and Jesus' vindication of her loving/forgiving act.
- Matt 26:12-13 (structural): Immediate continuation in Matthew: Jesus explains the anointing was for his burial and declares that the woman's deed will be proclaimed wherever the gospel is preached, amplifying 26:10.
Alternative generated candidates
- But Jesus, aware of it, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? She has done a beautiful thing for me.
- But Jesus, aware of it, said to them, 'Why do you trouble the woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me.
Matt.26.11 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- παντοτε: ADV
- γαρ: CONJ
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- πτωχους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- εχετε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- μεθ᾽εαυτων: PREP+PRON,gen,pl,m
- εμε: PRON,acc,sg,1
- δε: CONJ
- ου: PART
- παντοτε: ADV
- εχετε·: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
Parallels
- Mark 14:7 (quotation): Near-verbatim parallel in Mark’s anointing narrative: same line about always having the poor and not always having Jesus.
- John 12:8 (quotation): John’s account of the Bethany anointing preserves the same saying in response to Judas’ objection.
- Deuteronomy 15:11 (allusion): OT background: the law’s recognition that the poor will always be present, providing a thematic/legal frame for Jesus’ remark.
- Matthew 26:12 (structural): Immediate narrative follow-up in Matthew explaining the temporal contrast—she honored Jesus now because she could not do so later.
Alternative generated candidates
- For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.
- For you will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.'
Matt.26.12 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- βαλουσα: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,sg,f
- γαρ: CONJ
- αυτη: PRON,dat,sg,f
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- μυρον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- τουτο: PRON,acc,sg,n
- επι: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- σωματος: NOUN,gen,sg,n
- μου: PRON,gen,sg,1
- προς: PREP
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- ενταφιασαι: VERB,aor,act,inf
- με: PRON,acc,sg,1
- εποιησεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- Mark 14:8 (verbal): Almost identical wording: the woman 'poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare me for burial'—direct synoptic parallel to Matthew's statement about anointing for burial.
- John 12:7 (verbal): Jesus explains that the woman kept the perfume 'for the day of my burial,' echoing the same purpose for the anointing found in Matthew 26:12.
- Luke 7:37-38 (thematic): A different anointing scene (a ‘sinful’ woman anoints Jesus' feet); thematically linked by the act of anointing Jesus with perfume/oil and its implications of devotion, forgiveness, and honor.
- Matt.26:13 (structural): The immediate literary follow-up in Matthew: Jesus' declaration that the woman's deed will be remembered wherever the gospel is proclaimed—ties the anointing to its intended memorial and proclamation function.
Alternative generated candidates
- For she has poured this perfume on my body to prepare it for burial.
- For she poured this ointment on my body to prepare me for burial.
Matt.26.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- αμην: PART
- λεγω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,m
- οπου: ADV
- εαν: CONJ
- κηρυχθη: VERB,aor,pass,subj,3,sg
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- ευαγγελιον: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- τουτο: PRON,acc,sg,n
- εν: PREP
- ολω: ADJ,dat,sg,neut
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- κοσμω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- λαληθησεται: VERB,fut,pass,ind,3,sg
- και: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- εποιησεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτη: PRON,dat,sg,f
- εις: PREP
- μνημοσυνον: NOUN,acc,sg,neut
- αυτης: PRON,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- Mark 14:9 (verbal): Near-verbatim parallel of Matthew 26:13 in Mark’s account of the anointing (Mark 14:3–9); same promise that what the woman did will be told wherever the gospel is preached.
- John 12:7-8 (thematic): Mary of Bethany anoints Jesus; Jesus defends her act, links it to his burial, and the scene includes the remark about the poor—parallels Matthew’s anointing tradition and the theme of remembrance.
- Luke 7:44-48 (thematic): Different episode (a ‘sinful’ woman anointing Jesus’ feet and receiving forgiveness) but shares the anointing motif, the woman’s devotional act, and the pronouncement concerning her being remembered/forgiven.
- Matt.24:14 (structural): Uses similar language about the gospel being proclaimed ‘in the whole world’; provides a structural/thematic parallel emphasizing the global proclamation in Matthew’s Gospel.
Alternative generated candidates
- Truly I tell you, wherever this good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”
- Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.
Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
a woman came to him having an alabaster jar of very costly perfume, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. But the disciples, when they saw it, were indignant and said, "Why this waste?
For this perfume could have been sold for much and the money given to the poor." But Jesus, aware of it, said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing for me.
For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.
For when she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.
Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be spoken in remembrance of her."