How many times was Jesus anointed with oil?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10

In the Coptic Orthodox tradition, based on a harmony of the four Gospels, there are three distinct anointings of our Lord Jesus Christ. While some modern scholars or other denominations attempt to merge these into one or two events, the Alexandrian tradition and the Holy Fathers distinguish them based on the timing, the location, and the spiritual purpose of the act.

The three anointings are:

1. The Anointing by the "Sinful Woman" (Luke 7:36–50)

• Location: The house of Simon the Pharisee in Galilee.
• The Person: An unnamed woman described as "a sinner" (often identified in Western tradition as Mary Magdalene, though the Coptic Church remains cautious about this specific identification).
• The Act: She wept at His feet, wiped them with her hair, and anointed them with fragrant oil.
• The Message: This was an act of Repentance. Christ used this moment to rebuke the arrogance of the Pharisee and to show that "her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much." This occurred early in His ministry.

2. The Anointing by Mary of Bethany (John 12:1–8)

• Location: The house of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary in Bethany.
• The Timing: Six days before the Passover (the Saturday before Palm Sunday).
• The Person: Mary, the sister of Lazarus (who had recently been raised from the dead).
• The Act: She anointed His feet and wiped them with her hair.
• The Message: This was an act of Devotion and Thanksgiving. It was here that Judas Iscariot (the thief and traitor) complained about the "waste" of the oil, revealing his internal darkness.

3. The Anointing for Burial (Matthew 26:6–13 and Mark 14:3–9)

• Location: The house of Simon the Leper in Bethany.
• The Timing: Two days before the Passover (Holy Wednesday).
• The Person: An unnamed woman (though some traditions associate her with Mary of Bethany again, the Church treats the liturgical focus of Holy Wednesday differently).
• The Act: She poured the oil over His head.
• The Message: This was the Anointing for Burial. Christ explicitly stated, "In that she has poured this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial" (Matthew 26:12).

Theological and Liturgical Significance

In the Coptic Church, these anointings are central to the rites of Holy Pascha:

• Holy Wednesday: This day is dedicated to the remembrance of the woman who anointed the Lord’s head with expensive ointment. We contrast her lavish love with the betrayal of Judas, who sold the Creator for thirty pieces of silver on the same day.
• The Fragrance of the Oil: The oil represents the sweet savor of Christ and the "oil of joy." Oil (Greek: elaion) is linguistically and spiritually tied to mercy (Greek: eleos). When the woman poured the oil, she was pleading for the "Lord have mercy" that we cry out today.
• Christ as the Anointed One: The word "Christ" literally means "The Anointed One." In these earthly anointings, we see the physical manifestation of the fact that He is the High Priest, the King, and the Prophet, anointed by the Holy Spirit from His conception.

There were three anointings: one for forgiveness (Galilee), one for love (Bethany, 6 days before), and one for death/burial (Bethany, 2 days before). Each one reveals a deeper layer of the Mystery of the Incarnation and our response to the Savior's sacrifice.