Jesus arrives at Bethany six days before the Passover
§ 111 · Bethany
Part VI · The Festival of Tabernacles, and the subsequent transactions until our Lord's arrival at Bethany six days before the fourth Passover
John
John 11:55–12:11
55 And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves. 56 Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast? 57 Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him. 12:1 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 12:2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. 12:3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. 12:4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, 12:5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 12:6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. 12:7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. 12:8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always. 12:9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. 12:10 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; 12:11 Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.
Note
Robinson sets Mary’s anointing at the supper in Bethany (John 12:2–8) beside the anointing in the house of Simon the leper (Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9). As Passion Week has it, these were two anointings: John’s at the supper “six days before the passover” (John 12:1–2), the other after “two days” were said to remain (Matthew 26:2; Mark 14:1).
In Passion Week
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Jesus Comes to Bethany
Friday, the 9th
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A Supper at Bethany; Mary Anoints His Feet
Saturday, the 10th · The Sabbath
From Edward Robinson’s Harmony of the Four Gospels (1846).