Mary of Bethany

*Mary’s story is told in Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; Luke 10:38-42; John 11:17-45;12:1-11

Who Is Mary of Bethany?

  • Sister to Martha and Lazarus
  • Lived in Bethany, near Jerusalem
  • A follower of Jesus Christ
  • Not to be confused with other Marys in the Bible (e.g., Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Jesus)

Strengths and Accomplishments

Devotion to Jesus

  • Showed deep love and loyalty to Jesus
  • Sat at His feet to listen to His teachings, placing spiritual learning above the social norms of her time

Act of Anointing

  • Anointed Jesus’ feet with costly perfume made of pure nard
  • Her action foreshadowed Jesus’ death and burial

Spiritual Insight

  • Understood the significance of Jesus’ mission before many others did
  • Her actions were defended by Jesus Himself when questioned by others

Weaknesses and Mistakes

Limited Mention

  • Very few appearances in the Bible, so not much is known about her weaknesses or mistakes

Social Norms

  • Went against the societal expectations of her time (but this could also be viewed as a strength)

Confusion with Other Marys

  • Sometimes wrongly identified with Mary Magdalene or the sinful woman who also anointed Jesus, leading to misunderstandings about her character

Lessons from Her Life

Importance of Devotion

  • Her story underscores the importance of having a deep spiritual connection and understanding of Jesus

Courage to Go Against Norms

  • Demonstrates that societal norms should not stand in the way of genuine expressions of faith

Value of Spiritual Over Material

  • Her act of using the expensive perfume signifies the importance of spiritual things over material possessions

Key Verses (NIV)

  • John 11:2

    It was Mary who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill.

  • Luke 10:39

    She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.

  • John 12:3

    Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.