The streets of Jerusalem are packed with Jewish travelers from all over Palestine with their animals ready for sacrifice. It is now two days before Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the national celebration of Israel's deliverance from Egyptian captivity (Exod 12). The disciples of Jesus follow their Rabbi and Messiah in and out of the city in the final days before "the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again" (Mk 8:31).
According to Mark, there are two very different crowds in Jerusalem during this week: the "foes" of Christ and the "friends" of Christ.
In Mark 14:1–2, the foes of Christ "were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him." In Mark 14:3–9, the friend of Christ is a woman who generously anoints His head with very costly ointment of pure nard. And in Mark 14:10–11, the foes of Christ "sought an opportunity to betray him."
This "sandwich" structure in Mark 14:1–11 is arranged in such a way that the reader does not miss the surrounding context of man's depravity in addition to the woman's costly devotion to Christ. The dark backdrop of the scheming, scandalous scribes and the satanically-driven Judas Iscariot sets this woman's beautiful deed done unto Jesus in clear focus to be admired and followed by all who would call themselves "friends" of Christ.
Many times what makes our good deeds "beautiful" (14:6) is when pure, unashamed, undivided devotion to Christ is surrounded by the foes of Christ hurling their insults and satisfying their sinful pleasures that lead them to rebel against His authority as the Son of God. Stand with Christ when men only stand against Him. Prize Christ so highly that you'd be willing to risk it all just to serve at His feet.
