There are many who take inconsistencies in the Bible, primarily of wording or writing style, and try to confuse Christians and those seeking to know more about the Christ faith. I felt let to look at inconsistencies to see if they, in fact, have significant information to disprove that Jesus is the Son of God. This time, the focus is going to be on the inconsistencies in reporting that the oil was put on Jesus. Since many Bible verses will mention he and him in the same verse, I will tell you who it is referring to, if it’s not clear by the wording. Additionally, I will put my analysis and/or my opinions of these passages in brackets, so that those who go to https://BiblicalProof.blogspot.com can read this proof for themselves.
First of all, I have to find out what the inconsistencies are in these passages. I will use the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible and will put the passages together to look for inconsistencies and to see if they are significant.
Matthew 26:6-13 says: And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? “For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.” But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. “For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. “For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. “Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
Mark 14:3-9 says: And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? “For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply. But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. “For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good, but Me you do not have always. “She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. “Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
Luke 7:36-50 says: Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answered and said to Him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.” “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii and the other fifty. “And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He [Jesus] said to him [Simon], “You have rightly judged.” Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. “You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. “You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. “Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
John 12:1-11 says: Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead.There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denairii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. “For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.” Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
First off, Matthew 26:7 and Mark 14:3 say a woman brought a flask of expensive fragrant oil and put it on Jesus’ head. This seems pretty consistent, right??? Well, Luke 7:37-38 and John 12:3 both say that the woman anointed Jesus’ feet with the fragrant oil and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
Are these inconsistencies significant enough to Disprove that Jesus Is God’s Son?
[Well, she either poured the oil on Jesus’ head or on His feet, but does it really matter which she poured it on? In my opinion, it is truly insignificant! Although there are minor inconsistencies in wording, it basically says the same thing. You will find out if you watch this brief video by J. Warner Wallace, a L.A. Cold-Case Detective, who tells that witnesses rarely report things exactly the same way. Were the Gospels Written by Eye Witnesses? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siOcvLyKuEk (3 minutes 27 seconds) In my opinion, this video is really worth watching, because it clarifies so many things about the inconsistencies in the Gospel recordings.]
Additionally, does it matter that in Luke 7:37-38 it says that she kissed Jesus’ feet, but the other three Gospels don’t. [Again, I feel these inconsistencies are very minor and in no way disprove that Jesus Is God’s Son. If you’re not convinced, watch the brief video that I just mentioned and hear how witnesses rarely report things exactly the same.]
The next inconsistency I see is that Matthew 26:6 and Mark 14:3 say that Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper. Luke 7:36 says that Jesus was in a Pharisee's house and in verse 40 Jesus addresses Simon. Additionally, John 12:1-2 says that they were in Bethany, where Lazarus had been raised from the dead by Jesus and there they made Jesus a super and Martha served.
[I have to admit that I read lots of different internet Biblical resources on this. Some said that this was two different times that Jesus was anointed by oil from a woman. Some said that each of the Gospels were talking about the same anointing. The website that I mention below includes lots of different points of view on this matter, but I especially like the point of view mentioned, although I have no idea which is correct. The main point of this is-does it really matter whose house it was and if the woman was Mary, the sister of Lazarus or if there were two different ladies? In my opinion, they are insignificant inconsistencies. All four gospels attest to a woman anointing Jesus with oil. It doesn’t really matter whose house they were in or if there were two different anointings of Jesus, or whether the lady mentioned in the Gospel of John is Mary, the sister of Lazarus or not. None of these minor details invalidates that Jesus was anointed by costly fragrant oil by a woman and that it most definitely doesn’t disprove that Jesus Is God’s Son!]
Bible Hub at https://biblehub.com/commentaries/matthew/26-6.htm
“Matthew 26:6-13. When Jesus was in the house of Simon the leper — That is, who had been a leper, but, as seems highly probable, had been healed by Jesus. At least, it is not to be thought that he was now a leper, for in that case he would not have been suffered [allowed] to live in a town, nor would any Jew have come to an entertainment in his house. There came a woman — Probably Mary, the sister of Lazarus, for it is highly probable, as Dr. Doddridge has shown, that the anointing of Jesus here mentioned, is the same with that recorded John 12:1. Having an alabaster box, &c. — Being deeply affected with the many instances that Christ had given her and her sister Martha of his love, and especially by his late mercy in recovering her dear brother Lazarus from the grave, she was therefore solicitous to give some uncommon token of her gratitude to so excellent a person. She brake the box, says Mark, and poured the precious ointment, or rich balsam, on his head.”
Now that we know it doesn’t really matter if the oil was put on Jesus’ feet or His head, or if there were two different times Jesus was anointed with oil from one woman or two, we need to examine the next inconsistencies in these passages to see if they are significant. We will analyze how the disciples reacted to the oil being put on Jesus and His reaction to this.
Matthew 26:8-13 says: But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? “For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.” But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. “For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. “For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. “Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
Mark 14:4-9 says: But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? “For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply. But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. “For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good, but Me you do not have always. “She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. “Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
Luke 7:39-50 says: Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answered and said to Him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.” “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii and the other fifty. “And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He [Jesus] said to him [Simon], “You have rightly judged.” Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. “You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. “You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. “Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
John 12:4-11says: But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denairii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. “For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.” Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
Well, Matthew 26:8-9 and Mark 14:4-5 talk about the disciples/ some being indignant that the expensive fragrant oil was put on Jesus when it could have been sold and the money given to the poor. Luke 7:39 doesn’t mention this, but Simon is upset with Jesus, because the woman who anointed Him with oil was a sinner. The impression is that she was a woman of ill-repute, but it doesn’t exactly say that. Does it matter if she was? [In my opinion, it doesn’t really matter, although it explains why Jesus told the parable in Luke 7:41-43 about a creditor who forgave the debts of two who owed him money, one a small amount of money and the other a large amount of money.]
Additionally, does it matter that Luke is the only Gospel that records Jesus sharing this parable about the creditor? [In my opinion, I don’t think it matters. Remember, some of the disciples add the details that they think are significant such as the parable, others put basic facts, and others include elaborate details.] John 12:4-6 specifically notes that Judas Iscariot was upset that the expensive oil was used to anoint Jesus, when it could have been sold for the poor, but he [Judas] really wanted the money for himself.
[In my opinion, in that Matthew and Mark didn’t mention Judas Iscariot the way the Gospel of John did, but talked about the same things, is more corroboration that this event happened and there is nothing significant in this to determine otherwise.]
The next portion that we need to evaluate is whether the inconsistencies are significant related to Jesus’ reactions to those who objected to the woman anointing Him with the costly fragrant oil.
Matthew 26:10-13 says: But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. “For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. “For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. “Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
Mark 14:6-9 says: But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. “For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good, but Me you do not have always. “”She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. “Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
Luke 7:44-50 says: But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. “For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good, but Me you do not have always. “She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. “Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
John 12:7-11 says: But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. “For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.” Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
[In analyzing all four Gospels, they all pretty much say the same thing. Jesus told them that she had anointed Him to prepare Him for His burial. The Gospel of John adds additional details, that since Lazarus whom Jesus had raised from the dead was in the house at the meal with Jesus, many people came to see Lazarus and came to believe that Jesus Is truly the Son of God, because who else could raise someone who had been dead for several days? The chief priests didn’t like this and plotted to not only kill Jesus, but Lazarus, as well. I could tell this, because it said about plotting to put Lazarus to death also, which implies in addition to Jesus. It appeared to me that the chief priests were hoping to stop people from believing in Jesus, and figured that Lazarus’ being alive was living testimony that Jesus had performed a significant miracle in raising Lazarus from the dead.]
[None of the inconsistencies in reporting these Biblical passages was significant enough to infer that Jesus wasn’t anointed with oil by a woman and most definitely, it doesn’t disprove that Jesus Is God’s Son! The thing that I think is most significant in all of this is that every one of the four Gospels said that Jesus told them to not be hard on the woman who anointed Him, because she did it to prepare Him for His death. This is extremely significant in that who, but the Son of God, would be able to know and foretell His own death! ]
[Don’t let others confuse you due to inconsistencies in the Gospels. Generally, they are insignificant, are related to some sharing more details, some fewer, or some that have interviewed more first hand witnesses and included their information. Remember John 3:16-19 says: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. “and this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. Don’t let people confuse you about Christ and lead you into the darkness. Check things out thoroughly, so you will follow the Light that only Jesus Christ can provide! ]
See note on John 12:3. When the disciples saw it,
they had indignation — Several of them were angry, though none so much so
as Judas, saying, To what purpose is this waste? — Such a quantity of this
rich balsam poured out to so little purpose. For this ointment might
have been sold for much — The disciples being sensible that their Master was
not delighted with luxuries of any kind, were grieved, and murmured against the woman, says
Mark, for throwing away so much money idly, as they imagined. But they
expressed themselves so as to cast a tacit reflection on Jesus himself. Jesus said, Why trouble ye
the woman? — Why do ye grieve and distress the good woman, of whose piety and
friendship we have had so long an experience? For she hath wrought a good
work upon me — Hath given a great proof of her faith, gratitude, and love; and therefore
deserves to be commended rather than to be blamed. For with respect to what has
been now suggested, in favour of the poor, ye have them always with you — By the wise and gracious
providence of God, it does, and always will happen, that objects needing your
compassion and charity shall always be with you, that you may always have
opportunities of relieving their wants, and so of laying up for yourselves
treasures in heaven. But me ye have not always — I am soon to leave you,
and to be placed beyond the reach of your kindness. In that she hath poured
this ointment on my body — On my feet as well as my head; see John 12:4. She did it for my burial — As it were, for the
embalming of my body. Indeed this was not her design; but our Lord puts this
construction upon it, to confirm thereby what he had before said to his
disciples concerning his approaching death. Verily, wheresoever this
gospel — That is, this part of the gospel history; shall be preached, this
that this woman hath done shall be told, &c. — To make them
further sensible of their folly in blaming her for this expression of her love
to him, he assured them that however much she might be condemned by them, she
should be highly celebrated for this action through the world, and live in the
memory of all ages.
