John 12:3 (WEB)
Therefore Mary took a pound of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.
Fathers and councils · 31
Ambrose of Milan
“Mary herself pours ointment on the feet of the Lord Jesus.” — editor's note: S. John xii. 3.
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Augustine of Hippo
“And what she did a second time in Bethany is a different matter, which does not belong to Luke’s narrative, but is related by three of the evangelists in concert, namely, John, Matthew, and Mark.” — editor's note: John xii. 1–8; Matt. xxvi. 3–13; Mark xiv. 3–9.
Read the whole comment“Once more, John joins Matthew and Mark in what is recorded about Bethany, where the scene took place with the precious ointment which was poured upon His feet and His head by Mary.” — editor's note: John xii. 1–9; Matt. xxvi. 6–13; Mark xiv. 3–9.
Read the whole comment“A certain “woman anointed Him with most costly ointment,” that “house was filled with the odour;” but we were not there; lo, we did not smell, yet we believe.” — editor's note: John xii. 3.
Read the whole comment“But in that sort of way Christ was served also by the reprobate Judas; for it was he also who had the money bag; and although he had the exceeding wickedness to steal of its contents, yet it was he also who provided what was needful for the meal.” — editor's note: Chap. xii. 2–6. There is no ground in these verses for Augustin’s notion that the expense of that supper was defrayed out of the funds in Judas’ keeping. The…
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John Chrysostom
“On this account she poured out the ointment, and wiped (His feet) with the hairs of her head, which was the action of one who did not entertain the same opinion concerning Him as did others; yet Judas rebuked her, under the pretense forsooth of carefulness.” — editor's note: Ver. 3–6. “Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair: and the whole…
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Catena Aurea on Matthew
- JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
“Another Evangelist instead of ‘alabastruin’ has ‘nardum pisticam,’ that is, genuine, unadulterated. [marg. note: John 12:3]” — the author cites it
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Catena Aurea on John
- Alcuin of YorkCatena Aurea on John
As the time approached in which our Lord had resolved to suffer, He approached the place which He had chosen for the scene of His suffering: Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany. First, He went to…
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
On the tenth day of the month they took the lamb which was to be sacrificed on the passover, and from that time began the preparation for the feast. Or rather the ninth day of the month, i. e. six days before the…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
He lived, talked, feasted; the truth was established, the unbelief of the Jews confounded.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
Mary did not take part in serving the guests generally, but gave all her attention to our Lord, treating Him not as mere man, but as God: Then took Mary a pound of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
The word pistici seems to be the name of some place, from which this precious ointment came.
Read the whole comment - Alcuin of YorkCatena Aurea on John
Or pistici means genuine, non-adulterated. She is the woman that was a sinner, who came to our Lord in Simon’s house with the box of ointment.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
That she did this on another occasion in Bethany is not mentioned in Luke’s Gospel, but is in the other three. Matthew and Mark say that the ointment was poured on the head, John says, on the feet. Why not suppose…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
Remember the Apostle’s words: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. (2 cor. 11:16)
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
Then saith one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray Him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? In the other Gospels it is the disciples who…
Read the whole comment - Alcuin of YorkCatena Aurea on John
He carried it as a servant, he took it out as a thief.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
Judas did not perish at the time when he received money from the Jews to betray our Lord. He was already a thief, already lost, and followed our Lord in body, not in heart; wherein we are taught the duty of…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
But why was a thief entrusted with the bags of the poor? Perhaps it was to give him no excuse of wanting money, for of this he had enough in the bag for all his desires.
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
Some suppose that Judas had the keeping of the money, as being the lowest kind of service. For that the ministry of money matters ranks below the ministry of doctrine, we know from what the Apostle says in the Acts,…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
Christ, with great forbearance, does not rebuke Judas for his thieving, in order to deprive him of all excuse for betraying Him.
Read the whole comment - Alcuin of YorkCatena Aurea on John
Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of My burying hath she kept this: meaning that He was about to die, and that this ointment was suitable for His burial. So to Mary who was not able to be present,…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
Again, as if to remind His betrayer, He alludes to His burial; For the poor ye have always with you, but Me ye have not always: as if He said, I am a burden, a trouble to thee; but wait a little, and I shall be gone.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
He was speaking of His bodily presence; for in respect of His majesty, providence, ineffable and invisible grace, those words are fulfilled, Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. (Mat. 28:20) (c.…
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
They wished to see with their own eyes him who had been raised from the dead, and thought that Lazarus might bring back a report of the regions below.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
When the news of this great miracle had spread every where, and was supported by such clear evidence, that they could neither suppress or deny the fact, then, The chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
No other miracle of Christ excited such rage as this. It was so public, and so wonderful, to see a man walking and talking after he had been dead four days. And the fact was so undeniable. In the case of some other…
Read the whole comment - Alcuin of YorkCatena Aurea on John
Mystically, that He came to Bethany six days before the passover, means, that He who made all things in six days, who created man on the sixth, in the sixth age of the world, the sixth day, the sixth hour, came to…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
The ointment with which Mary anointed the feet of Jesus was justice. It was therefore a pound. It was ointment of spikenard (pistici) too, very precious. Πίστις is Greek for faith. Dost thou seek to do justice? The…
Read the whole comment - Alcuin of YorkCatena Aurea on John
And observe, on the first occasion of her anointing, she anointed His feet only, but now she anoints both His feet and head. The former denotes the beginnings of penitence, the latter the righteousness of souls…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
The house was filled with the odour; the world was filled with the good fame.
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Cross-references · 12
Cited together in Theophylact of Ohrid on John 12:1–11 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Jerome on Matthew 26:6–13 (2) (Catena Aurea) and 1 other place.
Cited together in Jerome on Matthew 26:6–13 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Jerome on Matthew 26:6–13 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Jerome on Matthew 26:6–13 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Jerome on Matthew 26:6–13 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Jerome on Matthew 26:6–13 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Jerome on Matthew 26:6–13 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Jerome on Matthew 26:6–13 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Augustine of Hippo on John 12:1–11 (7) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Augustine of Hippo on John 12:1–11 (3) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Augustine of Hippo on John 12:1–11 (7) (Catena Aurea).