Today we are looking back in John chapter 12, at the anointing of Jesus by Mary of Bethany just about a week before his arrest and crucifixion. Now, what is so interesting about this chapter is that it seems to have these subtle parallels to the birth details recorded for us at the beginning of the gospels of Luke and Matthew. We often call those stories the "Nativity" at this time of year. Nativity means "the occasion of a person's birth." So I wonder… is the writer John intentionally arranging these stories in the manner he does to draw our attention to these similarities? Could we have a sort of nativity of Jesus' Death? The occasion and origin of the death of Jesus Christ. If so, why would John do that? and what might be good for us to remember that today as well?