Mark 14:4-9 Meaning: Was It Waste? and the Heart of Worship
4But there were some who were indignant among themselves, saying, “Why has this ointment been wasted?
5For this might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” So they grumbled against her.
6But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for me.
7For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want to, you can do them good; but you will not always have me.
8She has done what she could. She has anointed my body beforehand for the burying.
9Most certainly I tell you, wherever this Good News may be preached throughout the whole world, that which this woman has done will also be spoken of for a memorial of her.”
4And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?
5For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
6And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.
7For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
8She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
9Verily 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.
4But there were some that had indignation among themselves, saying, To what purpose hath this waste of the ointment been made?
5For this ointment might have been sold for above three hundred shillings, and given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
6But Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.
7For ye have the poor always with you, and whensoever ye will ye can do them good: but me ye have not always.
8She hath done what she could; she hath anointed my body beforehand for the burying.
9And verily I say unto you, Wheresoever the gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, that also which this woman hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
4and there were certain much displeased within themselves, and saying, `For what hath this waste of the ointment been made?
5for this could have been sold for more than three hundred denaries, and given to the poor;' and they were murmuring at her.
6And Jesus said, `Let her alone; why are ye giving her trouble? a good work she wrought on me;
7for the poor always ye have with you, and whenever ye may will ye are able to do them good, but me ye have not always;
8what she could she did, she anticipated to anoint my body for the embalming.
9Verily I say to you, wherever this good news may be proclaimed in the whole world, what also this woman did shall be spoken of--for a memorial of her.'
4And there were some indignant in themselves, and saying, Why has this waste been made of the ointment?
5for this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor. And they spoke very angrily at her.
6But Jesus said, Let her alone; why do ye trouble her? she has wrought a good work as to me;
7for ye have the poor always with you, and whenever ye would ye can do them good; but me ye have not always.
8What she could she has done. She has beforehand anointed my body for the burial.
9And verily I say unto you, Wheresoever these glad tidings may be preached in the whole world, what this [woman] has done shall be also spoken of for a memorial of her.
Meaning in one sentence
In Mark 14:4-9, Jesus defends a woman's costly anointing against critics, showing that devotion to Him is never wasted.
Context
Mark places this scene in the final days before Jesus' crucifixion. The religious leaders are already plotting His death (14:1-2). At Bethany, in the home of Simon the leper, Jesus is reclining at the table when a woman approaches with an alabaster jar filled with expensive nard. She breaks it and pours the entire contents over His head. Some who witness this are angry, objecting that the perfume could have been sold for a large sum and the money given to the poor. But Jesus silences their criticism. He calls her action a 'good work' and explains that she has anointed His body in advance for burial. The passage stands as a powerful contrast between calculating prudence and wholehearted devotion, between those who see only earthly value and the woman who perceives the significance of the moment.
Key Words
Three Greek words deepen the meaning here.
First, the critics were indignant (aganakteō). This is a strong word, carrying a sense of outrage. They were not simply questioning; they were offended. Their indignation shows that they judged her act entirely by its cost, missing the heart behind it. Their calculation was correct in numbers but blind to love.
Second, Jesus calls her act a good work (kalon ergon). The word kalos means more than just morally right; it means beautiful, excellent, fitting. Jesus sees something the others cannot: her deed is lovely because it fits this moment perfectly. It is the right gift at the right time for the right Person.
Third, she came beforehand (prolambanō) to anoint His body. This verb suggests she acted preemptively, doing now what others would not think to do until after His death. She understood what the disciples still refused to accept: Jesus was going to die. Her foresight made her offering prophetic.
These words reframe the whole event. What looked like waste to some was actually wisdom and love.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have read this passage in several ways. Reformed and Protestant traditions (Matthew Henry, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) emphasize the woman's personal devotion and the principle that doing what we can for Christ is always accepted. Evangelical commentators often highlight costly worship and Jesus' valuing of heart devotion over pragmatic calculation. Wesleyan notes (Adam Clarke) stress she acted out of love, not knowing the full significance as preparation for burial. Catholic interpreters (Douay-Rheims) see this as a model of sacrificial worship, connecting it to the burial narratives. Across traditions, the unity is that her devotion pleases Christ deeply and that what seems wasteful to the world is precious to Him.
A common misunderstanding
A common misunderstanding is that Jesus dismisses care for the poor when He says, 'you always have the poor with you.' Some take this as permission to ignore poverty in favor of religious devotion. In fact, Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 15:11, which commands generosity to the poor. He affirms that helping the poor is always a worthy act. But He is also pointing out that His own physical presence is temporary. This woman seized a unique moment. His words do not cancel the call to help the poor; they establish a priority for the extraordinary occasion.
Living This Out
This week, consider what the Holy Spirit might be prompting you to do that seems impractical or excessive to others. It could be setting aside a whole evening for prayer when your schedule is full, giving a gift that stretches your budget, or speaking a word of appreciation to someone who rarely hears it. The woman in this story ignored the voices that called her wasteful. She acted in love, and Jesus honored her. You might face similar criticism, even from well-meaning people. But the question is not whether your act appears efficient. The question is whether it springs from love for Jesus and attention to what He is doing. Let her example free you to do one beautiful thing this week simply because you love Him.
Main takeaway: Love for Jesus may look wasteful to the world, but He calls it beautiful and receives it fully.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
A woman gave Jesus a very special gift, her most expensive perfume. Some people said it was a waste. But Jesus said it was beautiful. You can give Jesus your best too, even if others don't understand.
For ages 9, 12
The perfume cost about a year's wages, and the woman poured every drop on Jesus. Her critics calculated what else the money could buy. But Jesus saw her heart. She understood that He was about to die, and she wanted to honor Him while she could. Sometimes the most important thing you can do for Jesus will not make sense to everyone else. But He sees your love, and He calls it beautiful.
Questions People Ask
What was the ointment worth?
The perfume was worth more than three hundred denarii, which represented about a year's wages for a common laborer. That is roughly equivalent to ten thousand dollars or more in today's terms.
Who criticized the woman for wasting the perfume?
Mark says 'some' were indignant. John's gospel (12:4-6) tells us that Judas Iscariot was the main objector, and he influenced others. His concern for the poor was a pretext, as he was a thief who kept the money bag.
Does Jesus really mean we should ignore the poor?
No. Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 15:11, which commands care for the poor. He is not dismissing poverty but highlighting the unique moment of His presence. Extravagant worship and care for the poor are both important, but this was a once-in-history opportunity.
Did the woman know she was anointing Jesus for burial?
The text says she 'came beforehand to anoint my body for the burying.' Jesus interprets her act as prophetic preparation. She may not have fully understood, but her love and intuition were guided by the Spirit to honor Him at the right time.
Why did Jesus promise that her story would be told everywhere?
Jesus saw her act as the very essence of the gospel: costly love poured out for Him. Wherever the good news of His death and resurrection is proclaimed, her devotion stands as a memorial, a reminder that heart worship is never wasted.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study