The Anointing Woman
Mark 14:1-9


Elizabeth Joy

Introduction

This story dramatically illustrates how in a very patriarchal Jewish society, an ordinary woman anoints Jesus. Jesus in turn appreciates her when others despise and condemn her. Jesus concludes saying that wherever the gospel is preached, what she has done also will be told in memory of her.  Let us now look into this story in detail in the light of the following questions:

What is the significance of the woman’s act?
 
What are the implications of the responses from the people around and Jesus for communities, our societies and us today?


The Significance of the woman’s act of anointing Jesus


She perceived Jesus’ identity as the Messiah and worked to fulfil this identity

Right from birth, Jesus’ identity as Immanuel, King, Saviour, Liberator, Prophet, Christ (Messiah) etc. posed great threat to the kings, priests and others who wielded power either in the socio-economic, political or religious spheres. It was very difficult for them to accept Jesus as the Messiah who will save every one.  The term Christ in Greek or Messiah in Hebrew both mean the Anointed one. In fact, no body else anointed Jesus until then and this woman dared to anoint him publicly!


She witnessed to Jesus as the Messiah

Even as she recognized the special significance of his physical presence, she also symbolically witnessed to the host and others present around that Jesus was the Messiah. Unfortunately, none of them could sense her act in the right manner. When some one was designated for a particular or a special task/mission, that person was anointed. Probably that is the reason Jesus perceives that this act was done in relation to his burial. This was shared with the disciples earlier too, that he, the Christ had to suffer and have a pathetic death.




She broke the existing oppressive hierarchical traditions

It was customary in the Jewish tradition to welcome the guest with a little oil for the head and water to wash the feet.  However, it was exclusively the hierarchical male members - the High priests, priests or the prophets who did the ritual anointing of a priest, prophet or a king.  Here we see that this woman broke the existing norms and traditions and boldly anointed Jesus.


She revealed her spiritual insight

As a person who had experienced Jesus as the Saviour, liberator and the messiah, she revealed her firm faith in God’s promises. She participated in fulfilling God’s promises.  She believed that though she was a vulnerable person in the gender ridden society, she had an acceptable position in God’ reign to express her spiritual faith and insight.

She exposed the spiritual blindness of the Religious leaders

All through the historical life of Jesus, there was a distinct tension between Jesus and the hierarchical structures - be they socio-political/economic/religious. Jesus was pointing out to their weaknesses and shortcomings giving new lines of direction for a new humanity with equality, peace and justice.  Though the religious leaders were long awaiting the coming of the messiah, when it did happen they were unable to perceive it and accept it. Recognizing Jesus as the messiah meant a radical change in their way of life, which was very difficult and suffocating.  They could not go along with Jesus and this prevented them from having the right perception about Jesus.  However, they knew that Jesus was a different person and the large crowds that followed Jesus confessing him to be their saviour and liberator threatened their survival.


People’s response and its implications

The people who witnessed the woman anointing Jesus felt that the woman’s expression in anointing Jesus, that too with a costly perfume was wrong and unacceptable. She wasted a huge amount. She could have sold this perfume for a greater price, which could have been spent instead on the poor about whom Jesus was always concerned.



The implications for us today

We need to go beyond the present patriarchal structures that blind us and bind us from perceiving the right relationship between men and women and the other hierarchical structures preventing the entry into God’s reign.

Many a times people comment on new challenges posing to be concerned about poorer people, or the marginalized, whereas in reality they are firm in their mind set that the existing structures of oppression should not change for any reason.  Therefore they come out with very valid or convincing statements to keep the vicious circle all alive and active.

We need to dare to break the existing oppressive and exploitative structures even at the cost of being condemned by such evil forces that work hard to perpetuate discriminations and exclude people on the basis of gender, colour, class, race, region or religion.

When he said that “the poor are always with you”, he probably pointed to their unfulfilled duties towards the poor and the conviction that they will never do it either.  The economic justice was a not an issue for them anyway! However, for those who experience Jesus, the preferential option for the poor becomes an obligation.  The economic empowerment of the weak and the backward are pre requisites for entering into God’s reign and to experience salvation.  Jesus makes this explicit through the stories of Zacchaeus (Lk 19; 1-10) and the young rich man (Lk 18: 25). Therefore our participation in God’s mission will never be complete if we turn a deaf ear to the poor.




Jesus’ Response and its Implications

When the people rebuked her harshly, Jesus immediately demands that the people leave her alone i.e. he clearly asks them not step into her life and decide what she has to do and what she cannot do.  He sees her as an individual who has chosen to do the right thing at the right time!  Jesus appreciates her and comments that she has done a beautiful thing for him to prepare him for the death and the burial. 

In spite of Jesus revealing himself to the disciples (when peter confessed that he was Christ) that he has to suffer many things, be rejected by the religious authorities, crucified and then rise again, Peter rebuked him. Jesus in turn rebuked Peter saying, “Get behind me Satan!”  There is a striking difference here when he appreciates this vulnerable woman for anointing him.  He accepts her anointing and also points to what it meant.

Jesus in conclusion said that wherever the gospel is preached, what she had done will also be told in her memory.  This immediately prods us to raise the following question:
Has the Church ever preached the Gospel in its truest sense?  How can the church deny ordination for women on whatever reason that they base it on?  How can women be excluded from the ordained ministry?

The implications for us today

There can be no proclamation of the gospel without sharing the liberation experience of the woman who anointed Jesus i.e. the liberation experience of the dominated gender.

There can be no gospel preached without realising that we are all made equally in the image of God.

If a woman could anoint Jesus the messiah, women have equal responsibilities within the life and growth of the Church.




Conclusion

This story clearly reveals to us that God works with the oppressed to resist, challenge and change all principles, principalities and powers that discriminate and exploit people and the natural world. There can be no Gospel preached without enabling the discriminated experience new life and life in abundance.  The freedom to choose to do the right thing at the right time is very important and acceptable to God. God calls all people, irrespective of the gender, class, caste, colour, race, region, religion etc. to extend God’s reign on earth.