"Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 'But not during the festival,' they said, 'or the people may riot.'" NIV translation

During this festival, the population of Jerusalem swelled with people from all over making their journey to the city. It is believed that the size of the city roughly quadrupled during the required feasts.

The religious leaders could not deny Jesus' authority which was in direct conflict with their own authority and their way of making a living. Therefore, they decided to eliminate the competition (Jesus) but they were afraid to do it during the feast.

Mark 14:3

"While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head." NIV translation

A leper was considered to be unclean and so was rejected by the religious leaders as well as the common people. While others rejected him, Jesus went to the home of a leper. This was to be a big contrast to the attitude of the leaders. While He was there, a woman brought expensive perfume and poured it on His head.

Mark 14:4 & 5

"Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, 'Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor.' And they rebuked her harshly." NIV translation

Some of the disciples rebuked the woman for wasting her money. They used the example of the fact that the money could have been given to those that were in need. One of them was Judas Iscariot who controlled the purse for the group. Some may have genuinely been concerned for the poor but he actually was in love with money.

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