What Does Mark 14:8 Mean in the King James?
She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
She does not wait for burial to honor the body: she brings its burial fragrance while it is still present.
THE MEANING
What you can give in a moment of approaching loss has meaning before it can alter the outcome. She anoints the body while it is here, and the fragrance accompanies the coming burial without undoing it.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
If you cannot prevent a loss, what you offer before it happens is useless. This verse shows care can matter even when it cannot stop death.
THE ROOT
προέλαβεν
proelaben
GROWS FROM
λαμβάνω
lambanō
Take, receive; with προ- (pro, before), take beforehand.
“aforehand” in this verse is proelaben. The verb joins “before” to “take”: she has taken up the act of anointing ahead of the burial. What English can make sound like timing alone is an act that arrives before the loss.
ALSO GROWS
lambanō: take, receive
λαμβάνω
This is the base verb inside “aforehand,” showing that she takes the act into her hands.
paralambanō: receive, take along
παραλαμβάνω
It shares the root λαμβάνω; the family carries the sense of taking or receiving something into one’s care.
μυρίσαι
myrisai
GROWS FROM
μυρ-
myr-
Fragrant ointment or perfume; to apply it to the body.
The Greek verb μυρίζω means to anoint or perfume with ointment, keeping the scent and touch of the act in view. The body receives fragrance before burial; this is care made tangible.
ALSO GROWS
myron: ointment, fragrant oil, perfume
μύρον
This noun names the fragrant substance behind the anointing.
myrizō: perfume or anoint with ointment
μυρίζω
This verb describes applying the fragrance to the body, making the act itself visible.
ἐνταφιασμόν
entaphiasmon
GROWS FROM
τάφος
taphos
Tomb, grave, burial.
“burying” in this verse is entaphiasmon. The noun names burial and its rites; its related verb ἐνταφιάζω describes preparing a body for burial. The wording places her anointing within that preparation, where the body is honored before burial.
ALSO GROWS
taphos: tomb, grave
τάφος
This related noun names the grave that gives the burial word its root image.
entaphiazō: prepare a body for burial
ἐνταφιάζω
This related verb makes the connection between burial and care for the body explicit.
THE PATTERN
Embodied care remains meaningful even when it cannot keep death from coming.
And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel.Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.THE THREAD
Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.Mark’s “to the burying” and John’s “my burying” use the same Greek noun, ἐνταφιασμός (entaphiasmos), meaning burial. John makes explicit what Mark’s wording holds: the anointing is care directed toward burial while the body is still present.
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