Anointing in Bethany: A Dialogue Between John and the Synoptics

Abstract

The narrative of the anointing of Jesus in Bethany constitutes a significant pericope for understanding the dialogue of the Fourth Gospel with the Synoptic traditions. Although John preserves structural elements found in Mark, Matthew, and Luke, he reworks the account and assigns it a distinctive theological meaning. The presence of the Bethany family highlights Jesus’ personal bond with that community, and the identification of Mary as the one who anoints Jesus’ feet interprets the gesture as an expression of love and an anticipation of his burial. Through synchronic analysis and Synoptic comparison, this study examines the convergences and divergences among the accounts. The results indicate that John, by reinterpreting the anointing tradition, attributes to the episode a distinctly Christological character. Thus, the Johannine pericope reveals the evangelist’s theological priorities and presents the anointing as a hermeneutical key for understanding the Passion.