Do you think the anointing of Jesus in John 12 by Mary is the same one mentioned in Matthew 26?
“There came unto Him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on His head…” (Matt. 26:7).
“Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus…” (Jn. 12:3).
It is commonly taught that the anointing of Christ in Matthew 26:6-13 and the similar account in John 12:1-8 are the same event. There are similarities between these accounts but also major differences.
The similarities: Both events took place in “Bethany” (Matt. 26:6; Mk. 14:3; Jn. 12:1). The ointment was worth the same amount, “three hundred pence” (Mk. 14:5; Jn. 12:5). Objection was made that the ointment could have been sold and the money given to the poor (Matt. 26:9; Mk. 14:5; Jn. 12:5). The Lord’s response is practically the same in each account (Matt. 26:11-12; Mk. 14:7-8; Jn. 12:7-8).
The differences: John’s account took place at the home of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary (12:2); the other account is at “the house of Simon the leper” (Matt. 26:6; Mk. 14:3). John’s account took place “six days before the Passover” (12:1); the other took place “two days” before the Passover (Matt. 26:2; Mk. 14:1). In John, it took place before the Triumphal Entry (12:12-15); the other took place after it (Matt. 21:1-11; Mk. 11:1-11). In John, “Mary” is named (12:3); in the other, the “woman” is unnamed (Matt. 26:7,10; Mk. 14:3). In John, the ointment was poured on Christ’s “feet” (12:3); in the other, the ointment was poured on Christ’s “head” (Matt. 26:7; Mk. 14:3). In John, Mary “wiped His feet with her hair” (12:3); in the other, the woman’s hair is not mentioned. In John’s account, only “one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot” objected (12:4-6); in the other, “some” of the disciples objected (Matt. 26:8; Mk. 14:4).
The details of the two accounts differ significantly, and not because of any contradiction, but because these were two similar but different anointings of Christ that took place four days apart.