In Mark 14:3-9 the anointing of Jesus at Bethany by a woman is recorded. Both Mark and John understand the anointing to be a preparation for Jesus' death and burial but later in John's gospel it is said that Jesus' body was embalmed by Joseph of Arimathea (Mark I5 :42-43) and Nicodemus when they placed it in the tomb. In John's gospel, the anointing at Bethany may be understood as a symbolic coronation rite of the true King of Israel who was about to enter the royal city (12:13). John's distinctive setting of the incident is in the home of Martha, Mary and Lazarus and it was Mary who anointed him. John also directs the readers' attention to Judas Iscariot, in the second reference to the betrayer in this gospel (12:4-5). John says that Judas was a thief.