Mark 14:3-11

³ And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.

⁴ But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted?

⁵ For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply.

⁶ But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me.

⁷ For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always.

⁸ She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.

⁹ Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

¹⁰ Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them.

¹¹ And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.

Also found in Matthew 26:6-13, 26:14-16, Luke 22:3-6, and John 12:2-8.

From John we learn that this feast was given six days before the Passover. The other accounts postponed the mention of it, plainly because of an incident which occurred then, but is vitally connected with a decision arrived at somewhat later by the priests. Two days before the Passover, the council finally determined that Jesus must be destroyed. They recognised all the dangers of that course. It must be done with subtlety; the people must not be aroused; and therefore they said, not on the feast-day. It is remarkable, however, that at the very time when they so determined, Jesus clearly and calmly made to His disciples exactly the opposite announcement. “After two days the Passover cometh, and the Son of Man is delivered up to be crucified” (Matthew 26:2). Thus we find at every turn of the narrative that their plans are over-ruled, and they are unconscious agents of a mysterious design, which their Victim comprehends and accepts. — Chadwick, page 360.

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The ointment is described by Mark in three words, nardos referring to a perfume which came from India, well known to the Greeks and Romans, and procured from the hills on the banks of the Ganges River, pistikos, speaking of the fact that it was genuine, not imitation or adulterated, and poluteles, telling us that it was very costly. — Wuest, page 256.

more than three hundred denarii (v.5) — A denarius was a days wage, so the cost of the perfume was  roughly equivalent to a laborer’s wage for the greater part of a year. It apparently was sold in a flask that had to be broken to be opened, so it was intended for a one-time use.

some who were indignant (v. 4) — John reports that Judas raised the objection. Mark says that the other apostles “had indignation among themselves,” exchanging remarks or looks which told of their sympathy with Judas. … They murmured against the woman. The word is embrimaomai “to be very angry, sternly to charge.” The verb in the imperfect tense, as it is here, is used in another connection, of the snorting of horses. — Wuest, page 256.

good (v.6) = goodness seen on the outside as it strikes the eye, a beautiful, pleasing goodness, possessing true moral beauty.

The Lord wasn’t contrasting service to Himself with service for the poor. He was only saying that service to the poor could (and should) be done at any time, but service to Him would soon be impossible.

Mary could not comprehend our Lord’s death, but she showed sympathy for Him, a thing which the others did not do. … The fragrant unguents were used for anointing the dead body after it had been washed, but this is to be distinguished from the process of embalming, which consisted of laying myrrh and aloes in the folds of the grave clothes. Mark relates that the women came to anoint the body of Jesus, but the resurrection prevented the fulfillment of their purpose. So the only anointing which the Lord received was the anticipatory one by Mary. — Wuest, page 257.

I get the idea that Jesus was notably down, anticipating His coming ordeal. He had attempted several times to tell the disciples what was about to occur, but they didn’t ( or wouldn’t) understand. In addition, Jesus knew that Judas was about to betray Him. Mary, and only Mary, knew the Lord was sad and did the best she could to comfort Him. Nobody else in the room understood this either, but the Lord knew and honored Mary for it.

This which Mary did shall be told while the world stands, as being among the few human actions which refreshed the lonely One, the purest, the most graceful, and perhaps the last. — Chadwick, page 363.

one of the twelve (v.10) — lit. “the one of the twelve.” The one who betrayed the Lord.

betray (v.10) = to hand over or alongside

glad (v.11) = an audible or visible expression of joy