Why did Mary wipe Jesus' feet with her hair?

from the old testament

• The account of Mary wiping Jesus' feet with her hair is not found in the Old Testament.

from the new testament

• The account of the woman anointing Jesus with oil is found in all four Gospels: Matthew 26:6–13, Mark 14:3–9, Luke 7:36–50, and John 12:1–8. Of the four accounts, Luke’s is the longest. However, the other three accounts provide details not found in Luke, and John includes details unique to that account.
• The woman is unnamed in Matthew, Mark, or Luke, but from John we learn that she is Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus (John 12:1–2). Luke’s account calls her a sinner (Luke 7:37). However, he sin is never detailed. While some suggest she committed adultery or was involved in prostitution, Scripture’s lack of explanation indicates that point is irrelevant. What is relevant is that the entire town, including the meal’s host, the Pharisee Simon, knows (Luke 7:39).
• While Luke’s focus is on the character of the woman anointing Jesus, the other three accounts focus on the cost of the oil. Judas Iscariot said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” (John 12:5). A denarius was roughly the wage for a day’s work. Judas' motivation was not the poor, “but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it” (John 12:6).
• Matthew and Mark record the woman pouring the oil on Jesus’ head (Matthew 26:7; Mark 14:3), whereas Luke and John record that she anointed Jesus’ feet (Luke 7:38; John 12:3). Those differences can be harmonized. Jesus noted that the woman poured the oil on His body to prepare Him for burial (Matthew 26:12), and thus, while two of the authors highlighted the general anointing, perhaps even focused on what it symbolized, as kings were so anointed, Luke and John highlighted her humility. Servants were the ones who washed someone’s feet, and by washing his feet with oil, her hair, and tears (Luke 7:38), she was honoring Him as his servant (cf. John 13:4–5).
• Simon knew the woman was sinful and thought, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner” (Luke 7:39). He had invited Jesus to eat, but not because he believed in Jesus. Perhaps, as with other Pharisees, He intended to put Jesus to the test or at least to examine Him closely.
• Jesus knew what Simon was thinking and gave a parable and asked Simon a question: “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he canceled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” (Luke 7:41–42). Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he canceled the larger debt (Luke 7:43).
• Jesus then pointed at the woman, saying, “I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment” (Luke 7:44–46). He was contrasting Simon’s lack of love and basic respect for his guest with the woman who unashamedly prostrated herself before Jesus and honored Him.
• Because her act displayed her genuine faith in Jesus, He forgave her sins (Luke 7:47–50). This account, then, shows that true faith is a humble faith, and that Jesus forgives those who come to Him with that kind of faith: “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little” (Luke 7:47).

implications for today

The primary story is about a sinful woman publicly humbling herself to love Jesus, and Jesus’ resulting proclamation of forgiveness. However, there is a third person there: Simon. We don’t know his motivation for inviting Jesus, but his disdain for the woman and response to Jesus demonstrated his self-righteousness. Simon apparently saw himself as having little need for forgiveness—he had little appreciation for Jesus.

Jesus corrected Simon by asking who is more grateful: the one who was forgiven a lot or a little? Simon probably didn’t think he was perfect, but as a Pharisee, he kept the law (cf. Philippians 3:5–6) and thus didn’t think he needed forgiveness.

The woman, however, knew she was sinful. She came despite her shame and the lavish “waste” of perfume, expressing her contrite heart. Like the tax collector beating his chest (Luke 18:13), she knew she needed God’s mercy.

Today, most people don’t think of themselves as perfect, but many think they are good enough. “Why wouldn’t God welcome me into heaven—look at what I’ve done (or not done)!”

But God looks at our hearts (1 Samuel 16:7). He doesn’t save you if you’ve done some good things. He demands that you are perfect (Matthew 5:48); failing once brings condemnation (James 2:10). And, if we’re honest with ourselves, we’ve all failed more than once. Indeed, Scripture says no one is righteous (Romans 3:10–12).

How then could Jesus forgive a sinful woman, and how can He forgive you? He came to live perfectly (Hebrews 4:15) and to die sacrificially (Romans 3:25) so that God could count His death as payment for sin. If you repent and trust in Jesus, God will count Jesus’ righteousness as yours (Romans 4:5), treating you as if you were perfect and giving you eternal life (John 3:16).

Humble yourself and turn to Him. Jesus forgives those who do!