John 12:3 Meaning and Explanation
“Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Mary anoints the feet of Jesus with a pound of costly spikenard and wipes them with her hair, and the fragrance fills the house.
What Does John 12:3 Mean?
Mary of Bethany, who once sat at Jesus' feet to hear his word, now kneels at them. The perfume is worth nearly a year's wages, yet she pours it out freely and wipes his feet with her unbound hair, taking the place of the lowliest servant.
Love like this does not calculate. Jesus will soon say she has kept this for his burial, giving her act a meaning deeper than even she may have fully seen. And the detail John remembers is telling: the whole house was filled with the fragrance. Devotion poured out on Christ is never contained; it blesses everyone in the room.
John 12:3 in the Original Language
nardos (νάρδος), 'spikenard' -- an aromatic oil from a plant root imported from distant lands, which made it rare and costly.
Frequently Asked Questions About John 12:3
What does John 12:3 mean?
Mary anoints the feet of Jesus with a pound of costly spikenard and wipes them with her hair, and the fragrance fills the house.