Plotting, anointing, and Judas’s deal

Theological significance

The woman's costly anointing interprets Jesus' approaching death as burial and gives him honor while leaders plot and Judas arranges betrayal. Jesus' defense of her does not dismiss the poor; his words assume the continuing obligation and opportunity to care for them while recognizing the singular moment of his death. Her act becomes a witness to devoted understanding amid hostility and misunderstanding. Mark's arrangement contrasts generous honor with calculated betrayal, directing readers toward the self-giving path Jesus is about to take rather than using devotion as an excuse for neglect or extravagance without mercy.