Thematic Bible: Showed her gratitude


Thematic Bible



Then Mary took about a pint of expensive, aromatic perfume; [it was] genuine nard [Note: This was a sweet-smelling herb] and poured [some of] it on Jesus' feet and wiped them with her hair. The [whole] house was filled with the fragrant scent of the perfume. Verse ConceptsSweet OdoursFeetAnointing, Social CustomAnointing With OilGuestsHairsPerfumeSmellsAdoration, Of ChristAdmirationAnointed By PeopleExpensiveOther References To HairPure ThingsWeights Of Other ThingsHair

And she had a sister named Mary who was also sitting at the Lord's feet, listening to what He said. Verse ConceptsFeetListeningSittingSitting At The FeetHearing ChristChrist TeachingIdentityIdentity In Christdistractions

So, when Mary arrived at where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell down at His feet and said, "Lord, if [only] you had been here, my brother would not have died." Verse ConceptsGesturesFeetThe Presence Of ChristNot DyingBowing Before MessiahDeath Prevented

Now a certain man named Lazarus, from Bethany, became sick. Bethany was the town where Mary and her sister Martha lived. [See 11:18]. Verse ConceptsdiseasesSick Individualsoverworkinglazarus

So, when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went [out to the edge of town. See verse 30] to meet Him, but Mary [just] sat at home [i.e., probably grief-stricken]. Verse ConceptsVisitingMeeting PeopleSitting In Dejection

Now as the Sabbath day ended and the first day of the week [i.e., Sunday] approached [Note: See Mark 16:1-2 for the exact timing], Mary from Magdala and the other Mary [i.e., Jesus' mother. See Matt. 27:56] went to look at the grave site. Verse ConceptsDawnGood FriendsThe First Day Of The WeekSundaySabbath, In NtFriendship, Examples OfDaybreakJesus TombAt DaybreakSabbath ObservedEarly RisingA New DayThe Empty Tomb Testifying His Resurrection

Mary from Magdala and the other Mary [i.e., probably Jesus' mother. See verse 56], stood near the grave site. Verse ConceptsWomenOpposite SidesPeople Sitting DownJesus Tomb

but Mary [from Magdala] was standing outside of the cave-like tomb crying. While she was [still] crying she stooped down to look in the tomb, and there she saw two angels [dressed] in white [clothing] sitting where Jesus' body had lain, one at His head and one at His feet. They said to Mary, "[My dear] woman, why are you crying?" She answered, "They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have put Him." read more.
After she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but did not know it was Him. [Then] Jesus said to her, "[My dear] woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?" Assuming He was the grounds keeper, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away from here, tell me where you laid Him, and I will go and get Him." [Then] Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned toward Him and replied in the Hebrew language, "Rabboni," which means "Teacher." Jesus said to her, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not ascended to the Father yet [Note: Apparently Jesus was discouraging Mary from embracing Him in worship as was done in Matt. 28:9, and thereby causing a delay of when the rest of the disciples would learn of His resurrection], but go to my brothers and tell them [I said] 'I am [about] to ascend to my Father and to your Father, and to my God and your God.'" So, Mary from Magdala went and told the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and that He had said these things to her. [See Matt. 28:7-10].

And there were also some women watching all this from a distance. Among them were Mary from Magdala; Mary the mother of the younger James and [his brother] Joseph [i.e., probably the wife of Clopas. See John 19:25]; and Salome [i.e., the mother of James and John and wife of Zebedee. See Matt. 27:56]. These women had ministered to Jesus' needs when they followed Him from Galilee. Others watching were many women who had come up to Jerusalem with Him.

Now standing near Jesus' cross were His mother; His mother's sister [i.e., Salome, the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. See Matt. 27:55; Mark 15:40]; Mary the wife of Clopas [i.e., the mother of James and Joseph. See Matt. 27:55]; and Mary, from Magdala. Verse ConceptsMaternal LoveLove, And The WorldExamples Of Mothers' LoveThe CrossDeath Of A MotherJesus Deathcrucifixion