John 11:2

(It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

John 11:2 (KJV)

Context

John 11 opens with the account of Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead. Verse 2 is a parenthetical note that identifies Mary as the sister of Lazarus and as the same woman who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair. This detail orients the reader before the miracle unfolds, linking Mary’s known devotion to the crisis her family now faces.

Meaning

The verse points forward to the fuller account in John 12:1-8, where Mary anoints Jesus’ feet with costly perfume and wipes them with her hair. That act drew criticism from Judas Iscariot, but Jesus defended it as significant for His impending death and burial. By identifying Mary here, John connects her extravagant worship with the miracle of Lazarus’s resurrection, showing that her devotion was already established before the events of this chapter.

Anointing with oil was a common practice in the Old Testament to honor kings or prophets. In anointing Jesus, Mary acknowledged Him as the Anointed One and expressed faith in His divine identity. Her use of expensive perfume and the intimate gesture of wiping His feet with her hair demonstrated love, humility, and reverence for Jesus as Lord.

Biblical connections

The mention of Lazarus’s sickness establishes the context for his resurrection and highlights the close relationship between Jesus and the siblings Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Their personal connection intensifies the weight of the miracle. Lazarus’s illness and death provided an opportunity for Jesus to demonstrate His power over death and to reveal Himself as the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25).

Application

Mary’s devotion did not exempt her family from suffering. Her brother still became sick and died. Yet her prior love for Christ positioned her to witness His glory in the midst of that trial. This verse reminds believers that personal devotion to Jesus and the experience of divine intervention are intertwined. Faith does not prevent hardship, but it prepares the heart to see God’s power at work even in the darkest circumstances.

Reflection

John’s deliberate choice to identify Mary as the anointer links worship, suffering, and resurrection in one narrative. Her act of devotion, mentioned here in passing, was remembered and recorded in Scripture as a model of extravagant love for Jesus. The verse invites readers to consider whether their own devotion to Christ is deep enough to sustain them when trials come, and whether they trust Him to bring life out of death.