Note 2 at Lk. 10:39: This Mary was apparently the younger sister of Martha, and it was her brother Lazarus who Jesus raised from the dead (Jn. 11:43-44). Like her sister Martha, Mary is only mentioned on three occasions in scripture (see note 1 at Lk. 10:38, p. 255). In this instance, Mary's priorities were more in line with God's will than her sister Martha's.

Mary had a heart to really know God deeply and Jesus commended her for that (v. 42). Mary was also a true worshiper of Jesus as can be seen in John 12:3. Matthew and Mark also record this instance of Mary anointing Jesus' feet with costly perfume and drying them with her hair (Mt. 26:6- 7; Mk. 14:3), but only John reveals that Mary was this woman (Jn. 11:2; 12:3).

Judas Iscariot rebuked Mary for anointing Jesus and called it a waste (Jn. 12:4-8), but Jesus defended her actions and said that the story of what she had done would accompany the preaching of the gospel throughout the whole world, and it has.