1 Then six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, who had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 2 So they made him a supper there. Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with him. 3 Mary, therefore, took a pound of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment. 4 Then Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, one of his disciples, who would betray him, said, 5 “Why wasn’t this ointment sold for three hundred denarii, and given to the poor?” 6 Now he said this, not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and having the money box, used to steal what was put into it. 7 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She has kept this for the day of my burial. 8 For you always have the poor with you, but you don’t always have me.”

9 A large crowd therefore of the Jews learned that he was there, and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 But the chief priests conspired to put Lazarus to death also, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.

John 12:1-11 - World English Bible

In John 12, Jesus traveled to the family of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Passover was less than a week away and they shared a meal with him. During the meal, Mary poured an expensive, fragrant perfume on his feet and dried his feet with her hair, reminiscent of the woman who anointed him in Matthew 26:6-13 and Mark 14:3-9. In all three passages, he understood the anointing as preparation for his burial; in all three, he stated that "poor you will have with you always, but you don't always have me." In other words, the pouring of the perfume had prophetic significance. John mentioned the reaction of Judas in 12:4-6 to foreshadow his betrayal and to exclude the disciple from the others as an unbeliever.

12:9-11 mentioned two details that foreshadowed the death of Jesus: the curiosity of the crowd and the intents of the leaders. People came to see the miracle maker and the one he raised from the dead; the leaders meant to blunt that curiosity to keep the populace in line. At the death of Jesus, people came to see the once great healer die shamefully at the hands of the leaders; yet, that death would be a sign of God's presence and power, challenging the onlooker to believe.

Does the sight of Jesus on the cross challenge your faith?