Mark's Anointing of Jesus

Consider Raymond Brown's summary of Mk's theme in his Intro to the NT: "Readers can learn much about Jesus from the traditions of his parables and mighty deeds; but unless that is intimately combined with the picture of his victory through suffering, they cannot understand him or the vocation of his followers." In Mk 14:3-9, the woman honors Jesus as the Anointed, the one of mighty deeds, and Jesus associates that with his coming burial. This story not only captures the overall theme of the Gospel, it associates it with the title Christ and provides an example that the discples copied down to the Reformation. It transforms Mark's gospel from an historical biography into a revelation of Jesus as the Christ and a pattern for the Church's life.

Mark's gospel divides naturally into two parts. In the first part, Jesus acts as a divine wonderworker. He conquers temptation, casts out demons, cures the sick, and works other miracles. Only the demons he expels recognize him as the Anointed. The second part of the gospel sees a turn in the presentation of Jesus from the lordly Anointed to the suffering servant.. When Peter acknowledges Jesus as Christ, Jesus predicts his passion. When James and John seek places close to the Lord, he offers them a cup of suffering. Finally the early image of the omnipotent Lord gives way to the crucified one on the Cross, and only then do we hear the acclamation, "Truly this was the Son of God."

If we read the anointing of Jesus as the identifying of the Anointed One, the story echoes this basic pattern. When others see the anointing as Kingly, Jesus points it toward his burial. The position of the story underlines this meaning. It marks the transition from the preaching of Jesus to the Passion Narrative. It pulls the gospel together, making the whole of it an explanation of the title Christ. The divine lord and the suffering servant are reflected in this one anointing as Christ but for burial.

If we look at this pattern from the perspective of Justin's insight, we find another layer of meaning for the story, and for the gospel. Mark's gospel begins with the baptism of Jesus and ends with the empty tomb. "When we were baptised into Christ, we were buried in the tomb with him" as Paul says. This point of Paul's is made by the anointing; it ritually continues the baptism and says it is for burial. In explaining the title Christ, Mark reaffirms the Pauline theology and makes clear why Paul usually uses Christ when speaking about the death of Jesus.

It is conventional to read the baptism of Jesus as the type for the baptism of Christians. But this story makes it clear that the whole gospel is the type, not just the baptism by John. Christian initiation begins at the Jordan and goes through Bethany to Jerusalem.

1. Pistiki nard. The woman pours 'pistiki nard' on Jesus. Nard is a perfume, and this echoes Song of Songs 1:12. Pistiki is a debated term since it appears only here. Some have suggested it refers to the pistachio plant as the source of the perfume, but most trace its meaning to the word pistis, faith, and make it mean pure or unadulterated, a version of 'faithful.' 'Pistiki nard' is then the perfume of faith which the bride offers to the bridegroom.



2. Kalon Ergon.

The primary reference for this phrase, a "good work", is the creation story. When God looks at the work (ergon) of creation, he calls it good (kalon). When Jesus calls the woman's action good. he is echoung the Father's voice in the beginning. Another reference point for this is the mitzvot, a good work in Judaism. Preparing the dead for burial is one of these 'good works.' This meaning, which Jesus highlights, is probably the reason this phrase has sometimes been translated as "a kindness." Kittel decribes these actions as being done by God through the person's actions.

1. Faith, preaching, gospel. Werner Kramer, in Christ, Lord, Son of God1, examines how the titles of Jesus were used by early Christians. He comes to several conclusions about the title Christ and the way it is used:
1. DEATH. A standard way of expressing Christian faith, the pistis formula, was in two parts, one about the death of Jesus, the other about his resurrection. "In the Pauline period the statement about the death is uniformly associated with Christ... the statement about the resurrection is less clearcut."
2. MESSAGE. The keywords faith, preaching and gospel "are often to be found side by side... these expressions belong to a common background of ideas.. all have one content. This content is summarized in the pistis formula in two brief sentences... The christological designation which occurs in this context is almost without exception Christ (very occasionally Jesus)..."
3. INITIATION. "the actual basic text for baptism is the pistis formula." 4
   

The presence of these words in this story, along with a reference to the death of Jesus, suggests that this story is also about baptism and the title Christ. This anointing was associated with Christian initiation at the time the gospels were written. If, as I suggested, this story explains why Jesus was called the Anointed, we can take that insight and look back at Paul's writings. Here we find a myriad of passages where Paul speaks of Christ in terms of his death. Sometimes, as in Phillippians, the idea of the death of Jesus is assumed. Sometimes the rich imagery of the story reappears in other combinations: in 2 Corinthians, there is that wonderful passage about being in Christ's triumphal train. Is it as Victor? Or as captive, soon to be slaughtered? Or is it, as in Mark, both? Paul brings home the story by referring to the aroma of the Anointed, the smell of death, the smell of life. This too echoes the interpretation I have suggested.
earlier version connecting to Paul

These words are part of a larger idea that is sketched on the main page .
I encourage everyone to look there.

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