Verily I say unto you, Wherever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she has done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
All Commentaries on Mark 14:9 Go To Mark 14
Bede
AD 735
The Lord when about to suffer forthe whole world, and to redeem all nations with His Blood, dwells in Bethany, that is, in the house of obedience. Wherefore it is said, “And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman.”.
He says “of Simon the leper”, not because he remained still a leper at that time, but because having once been such, he was healed by Our Saviour; his former name is left, that the virtue of the Healer may be made manifest.
Alabaster is a sort of white marble, veined with various colors which is often hollowed out for boxes of ointment, because it keeps things of that nature most uncorrupt. Nard is an aromatic shrub of a large and thick root, but short, black and brittle; though unctuous, it smells like cypress, and has a sharp taste, and small and dense leaves. Its tops spread themselves out like ears of corn, therefore, its gift being double, perfumers make much of the spikes and the leaves of the nard. And this is what is meant by Mark, when he says “spikenard very precious”, that is, the ointment which Mary brought for the Lord was not made of the root of nard, but even, what made it more precious, by the addition of the spikes and the leaves, the gratefulness of its smell and virtue was augmented.
and in that he says, “And they murmured against her,” we must not understand this to be spoken of the faithful Apostles, but rather of Judas mentioned in the plural. Wherefore it goes on: “And Jesus said, Lether alone, why trouble ye her?” For after she had brought her gift, they wished to prevent her purpose by their reproaches.
To me, indeed, He seems to speak of His bodily presence, that He should by no means be with them after His Resurrection, as He then was living with them in all familiarity.
As if the Lord said, What ye thinkis a waste of ointment is the service of my burial. Wherefore it goes on: “Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.”.
Observe, also, that as Mary won glory throughout the whole world for the service which she rendered to the Lord, so, on the contrary, he who was bold enough to reprove her service, is held in infamy far and wide; but the Lord in rewarding the good the due praise has passed over in silence the future shame of the impious.
