The Plot Against Jesus And God's Preparation For It In The Anointing Of Jesus For His Burial (14:1-11).
In this passage the leaders of the Jews plot His downfall (Mark 14:1-2), and in the event get the opportunity earlier than expected through the treachery of Judas (Mark 14:10-11). Meanwhile, sandwiched in between these two events, Jesus' head is anointed with oil, a token of His position as Prophet, Priest and especially King, and in recognition of His coming death, although the one who did it was unaware of what a great act that she was performing.
Analysis.
a Now after two days was the feast of the Passover and the Unleavened Bread, and the Chief Priests and the Scribes were seeking how they might take Him discreetly and kill Him (Mark 14:1).
b For they said, “Not during the feast (or ‘Not in the presence of the festival crowd') in case there be a serious disturbance among the people” (Mark 14:2).
c And while He was in Bethany at the house of Simon the Leper, as He sat at the meal, there came a woman having an alabaster vessel of ointment of spikenard, which was very costly, and she broke the vessel and poured it over His head (Mark 14:3).
d But there were some who were indignant among themselves, saying, “To what purpose has this waste of the ointment been made” (Mark 14:4).
e “For this ointment might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they muttered against her (Mark 14:5).
f But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you bother her? She has wrought a good work on Me” (Mark 14:6).
e “For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you will you may do them good, but you will not always have Me” (Mark 14:7).
d “She has done what she could. She has anointed My body beforehand for burying” (Mark 14:8).
c “And truly I say to you, wherever the Gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, that also which this woman has done will be spoken of for a memorial of her” (Mark 14:9).
b And Judas Iscariot, he who was one of the twelve, went away to the Chief Priests that he might deliver Him to them (Mark 14:10).
a And they, when they heard it, were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently hand Him over (Mark 14:11).
Note that in ‘a' they were seeking how they might kill Him, and in the parallel they are glad that they have found a way, and Judas is seeking a way in which to hand Him over. In ‘b' they were hesitating because they dared not do it in front of the people, and in the parallel the solution unexpectedly presents itself. In ‘c' the woman's action is described, and in the parallel it will be ever remembered as a memorial of her. In ‘d' some mutter because the perfumed oil has been wasted, and in the parallel they learn that it has been in preparation for His burial. In ‘e' they argue that it could have been used for the benefit of the poor, and in the parallel Jesus informs them that the poor are ever there, while He will not be. Centrally in ‘f' she is to be left alone because she has wrought a good work on Jesus.