Scripture · Luke 22:54-62
Mark 14:3
Mary Anointing Jesus
While Jesus was in Bethany reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke open the jar and poured it on Jesus’ head.
A woman standing behind the seated Jesus pours perfume onto his head as the other guests watch the anointing.
About the artwork
Copping makes the pouring action easy to follow: the small vessel is held above Jesus, and the woman’s position behind him raises her hands over the surrounding company. The watching guests give the act a public setting. What she does at the table becomes an event that others must interpret.
The title Mary Anointing Jesus names the woman, but the action follows Mark and Matthew, where the perfume is poured onto Jesus’ head and the woman remains unnamed. John’s account names Mary and describes anointing his feet. The reproduction therefore carries a traditional title that combines details from distinct Gospel accounts; the original painting’s location is untraced.
Featured in: Was Jesus a Feminist? How Jesus Treated Women, in 10 Paintings
What does Mark 14:3 mean?
Mark 14:3–9 places the meal in Bethany at the house of Simon the Leper. A woman breaks an alabaster jar and pours costly perfume on Jesus’ head. Some guests object to the expense, but Jesus defends the act and interprets it in relation to his approaching burial.
The passage ends with a promise that her deed will be remembered wherever the Gospel is proclaimed. Copping’s gathered witnesses make the contrasting responses visible: an act of anointing becomes an occasion for criticism and for Jesus’ recognition of its meaning. The woman’s deed, rather than a name supplied from elsewhere, remains Mark’s focus.
The perfume poured on Jesus’ head follows Mark’s Bethany account, where Jesus defends the unnamed woman’s act and connects it with his burial.
Sources
Harold Copping — Mary Anointing Jesus.
Was Jesus a Feminist? How Jesus Treated Women, in 10 Paintings. Artwork reading adapted from this guide.
Mark 14 — Berean Standard Bible. Context for Mark 14:3.
John 12 — Berean Standard Bible. John names Mary and describes the anointing of Jesus’ feet.
Also from Mark:A ForerunnerThe Calling of the Apostles Peter and Andrew
Continue looking:Let the Little Children Come to Me (second version)Christ and His Disciples Before the Last SupperLet the Little Children Come unto Jesus