Mark 14:8 kjv
She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
Mark 14:8 nkjv
She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.
Mark 14:8 niv
She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.
Mark 14:8 esv
She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial.
Mark 14:8 nlt
She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time.
Mark 14 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 26:6-13 | While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to Him with an alabaster jar... | Parallel account of the anointing in Bethany. |
| John 12:1-8 | Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived... Then Mary took a pound of expensive ointment... | Parallel account, identifies woman as Mary. |
| Mark 15:42-47 | When evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea came and... laid Him in a tomb. | Jesus' actual burial. |
| Luke 23:50-56 | Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and righteous man... who took the body of Jesus down... and laid it in a tomb. | Jesus' burial process. |
| John 19:38-42 | After this, Joseph of Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus... asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Nicodemus also came... bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes... | Detailed account of Jesus' burial preparation. |
| Mark 12:41-44 | And He sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box... And many rich people put in much. But a poor widow came... | Exemplifies sacrificial giving, doing "what she could". |
| Luke 7:36-50 | A woman in the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that Jesus was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask... | Different anointing, same theme of great love. |
| John 12:5-6 | "Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?"... He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief... | Judas' false motive contrasted with woman's devotion. |
| Matt 6:21 | For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. | Highlights priorities: spiritual over material. |
| Philippians 3:7-8 | But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord... | All-consuming love and devotion for Christ. |
| Romans 12:1 | I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. | Call to give one's whole self to God. |
| Hebrews 11:6 | And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would approach God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. | Faith acts, believing Jesus' words about her act. |
| Ecclesiastes 9:10 | Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might... | The principle of doing "what you can" now. |
| Proverbs 27:1 | Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. | Emphasis on the timely, proactive nature of her act. |
| 1 Peter 1:8 | Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy. | Pure love and devotion to Christ. |
| Isaiah 53:9 | And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death... | Prophecy of Jesus' burial, fitting a rich man's tomb. |
| Psalm 16:10 | For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. | Prophecy of Christ's incorruptible body, emphasizing importance of proper burial. |
| 2 Timothy 4:7-8 | I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. | Doing what you could to serve God. |
| John 14:15 | "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." | Love expressed through obedient actions. |
| Matthew 25:31-46 | "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." | Connection between serving others and serving Christ. While not direct, the principle of service being recognized by Christ is applicable. |
Mark 14 verses
Mark 14 8 Meaning
Mark 14:8 presents Jesus' profound interpretation of an act of devotion by a woman anointing Him with expensive perfume. Jesus declares that she has proactively fulfilled a critical role in preparing His body for burial. Her singular act of selfless love and foresight, doing what she could with what she had, unknowingly became a prophetic act signifying His impending death and interment, overriding the disciples' concern for 'waste' or their earthly priorities.
Mark 14 8 Context
This verse is part of the narrative immediately preceding Jesus' Passover and crucifixion. It takes place in Bethany, at the home of Simon the Leper, just two days before the Passover feast. While reclining at supper, an unnamed woman in Mark (identified as Mary, sister of Lazarus, in John 12:1-8) pours an entire flask of expensive pure nard ointment, valued at 300 denarii (a year's wages), on Jesus' head. The disciples, particularly Judas (John 12:6), become indignant, deeming it a waste that could have been sold for the poor. Jesus defends her, using this act as a prefigurement of His imminent death and burial. This moment stands in stark contrast to the betrayal plots and materialistic concerns brewing around Jesus.
Mark 14 8 Word analysis
- She (Greek: αὕτη - hautē): Refers to the woman who performed the anointing. Her identity, whether a repentant sinner (Luke 7) or Mary of Bethany (John 12), highlights the inclusivity of Christ's acceptance of fervent devotion. In Mark, she is deliberately unnamed, perhaps to generalize the power of such worship.
- has done (Greek: ἔσχεν - eschen): From the verb ἔχω (echō), meaning "to have" or "to do/hold." Here, it signifies a complete action, an accomplishment. It emphasizes her proactive choice and personal effort.
- what she could (Greek: ὃ ἔσχεν ἐποίησεν - ho eschen epoiēsen): Literally, "that which she had, she did." This phrase indicates that she poured out all she possessed of value for Jesus. It conveys a total, unrestrained, and maximum effort based on her capacity. It sets a benchmark for genuine worship.
- she has anointed (Greek: προέλαβεν ἀλεῖψαι - proelaben aleipsai): This is crucial. "ἀλεῖψαι" (aleipsai) means "to anoint." "προέλαβεν" (proelaben), from προλαμβάνω (prolambanō), means "she anticipated," "she took beforehand," or "she did beforehand." It denotes a proactive, pre-emptive action. She acted before the time when such anointing would traditionally happen (i.e., after death). This is Jesus’ interpretation, attributing foresight to her devotion, whether she consciously understood it or not.
- My body (Greek: τὸ σῶμά μου - to sōma mou): Direct reference to Jesus' physical form, highlighting the literal object of the anointing. This links the action specifically to His human reality and impending suffering.
- beforehand for burial (Greek: εἰς τὸν ἐνταφιασμόν - eis ton entaphiasmon): "εἰς" (eis) means "for" or "unto." "ἐνταφιασμόν" (entaphiasmon) refers specifically to "preparation for burial," the process of anointing, wrapping, and laying out a corpse. This is the ultimate interpretive key, revealing Jesus' understanding of His immediate future and her unique role in prefiguring it. This demonstrates His sovereignty over the event.
Mark 14 8 Bonus section
The anointing of Jesus' body beforehand for burial highlights a critical theological point: because of the haste of Jesus' actual burial and the Sabbath's arrival, the full customary anointing and preparation of His body were not completed after His death by the women who later visited the tomb (Mark 16:1; Luke 23:56-24:1). Thus, this woman's anticipatory act essentially becomes the only pre-burial anointing His body received. Jesus, therefore, sees her action not as merely a generous gift but as fulfilling a crucial, otherwise-missed, customary practice for a dead body. Her single act therefore stands out as singularly important in the context of Jesus's passion narrative. This demonstrates divine providence using unexpected means to ensure prophecies and customary respects are met.
Mark 14 8 Commentary
Mark 14:8 is a profound statement of divine interpretation of human action, serving multiple purposes. First, it powerfully validates a woman's act of radical devotion, demonstrating that Jesus values love and sacrifice over calculated utilitarianism, a stark contrast to the disciples' worldly grumbling. Her act of anointing, intended by her as an act of adoration, is revealed by Christ as a divinely appointed prophetic gesture for His impending burial. She “did what she could,” emptying herself in service, becoming an example of maximal worship where intent and love transcend perceived practical value. Second, it highlights Jesus' unique understanding of His mission. He knew His death was imminent, and He saw this woman's action as an unprompted, faith-filled preparation for His death. Her timing, though unplanned by her, perfectly aligned with God's timing, demonstrating how human obedience can unknowingly fulfill divine purpose. This passage teaches that genuine love for Christ expressed through lavish giving is never wasted in God's eyes, even when it appears excessive to others. It calls believers to selfless giving, prioritizing devotion to Christ above all else, in anticipation of His work in our lives.