John 11:3

"It was that Mary who had anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick."

Key Reflection

In John 11:3, we find a poignant reference to an earlier act of devotion by Mary, who had anointed Jesus with expensive ointment and wiped his feet with her hair. This act, deeply symbolic in its gesture of reverence and affection, sets the stage for the subsequent narrative where Jesus will perform a miraculous resurrection of Lazarus. The cultural context highlights the significance of this gesture: using such costly ointment and personal intimacy to honor someone was an extraordinary show of love and respect that underscores Mary's deep devotion to Christ.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Verse 3. Whom thou lovest, Joh 11:5. The members of this family were among the few peculiar and intimate friends of our Lord. He was much with them, and showed them marks of special friendship Lu 10:38-42, and they bestowed upon him peculiar proof of affection in return. This shows that special attachments are lawful for Christians, and that those friendships are peculiarly lovely which are tempered and sweetened with the spirit of Christ. Friendships should always be cemented by religion, and one main end of those attachments should be to aid one another in the great business of preparing to die. Sent unto him.

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