Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him,
The verse names the speaker at the supper in Simon's house in Bethany as Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, one of Christ's disciples who would betray Him. After Mary anointed Jesus with costly ointment, he spoke out angrily that it was waste that should have been sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor. His plea for the poor was false and covetous, for he cared nothing for them but as keeper of the bag stole what was put in and wanted the ointment money under his control for his own use. Jesus' reproof of his greed wounded his pride and opened him to Satan, so his cherished love of money led him to sell his Lord to the priests and rulers for thirty pieces of silver. His history stands as a warning to professed Christians today against the first deviation from righteousness, letting selfishness and covetousness shut the heart against Christ until it becomes a devouring passion.
Setting and Identification
The words belong to the feast at Simon's house in Bethany, six days before the Passover, when Jesus on His way from Jericho to Jerusalem to attend the Passover stopped for rest and refreshment, just before His betrayal and death. Simon of Bethany, whom Jesus had healed of leprosy, made a supper to show Jesus special honor and invited Jesus and His friends as guests. Jesus sat at the table with Simon, cured of loathsome disease, on one side and Lazarus, raised from the dead, on the other, while Martha served at the table and Mary earnestly listened to every word falling from His lips.
Crowds gathered at Bethany because Lazarus had been raised from the dead, and his testimony about Jesus increased public excitement. That excitement alarmed the priests and rulers, who feared losing their influence and sought an opportunity to remove Jesus. The supper held in Jesus' honor with His disciples shows that He accepted invited hospitality and social invitations and shared in the social life of His countrymen. He used such gatherings to make His character and teachings known.
The speaker is named as one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him. At the feast he objected to Mary's costly gift, but his stated concern for the poor concealed selfishness and cultivated covetousness, for he was a thief who stole from the disciples' money bag and took for himself money entrusted to him for them. His complaint shamed Mary, stirred distrust of her devotion among the disciples and discontent among those present, and reproached Jesus for allowing the gift. Though he had witnessed Jesus' works and ministry, his heart was selfish and covetous, and Mary's gift rebuked his greed, while his presence among the twelve despite his faults shows his failure does not mean there were no genuine disciples who loved Christ and sought to follow Him.
Objection and Covetousness
Mary had anointed Jesus with costly ointment of spikenard from an alabaster box, and its fragrance made the hidden act known to all present when Judas spoke out angrily that it was waste and should have been sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor. He was named as one of the disciples who would betray Jesus, and though at first he did not appear notably wicked in speech, conduct, or appearance and had valuable qualities, he was not teachable and was vexed when Jesus defended her.
His plea of concern for the poor was false and covetous, for he cared nothing for them and was a stranger to the deep devotion and homage that moved her deed of love. He regarded her gift as wasteful, grudged the offering, and judged it wasteful rather than an act of homage, with a selfish heart closed to others' needs and constantly planning to benefit self. He hid his selfishness under a pious, conscientious regard for the poor, wishing the ointment had been in his own possession so it would not be lavished upon the Saviour but could be applied to his own use and sold for money.
As holder of the disciples' united funds and treasurer of money for Christ's work, he dishonestly took for himself what was put in the bag, stealing small sums and gifts meant for God's service and the poor without recording them. He had misused money entrusted to him for them and for the church's expenses, keeping some gifts from the account and idolizing the little treasure entrusted to his care to be used for the benefit of the church and to relieve the necessities of the poor. At the time the other disciples did not know he was a thief, though they knew it afterward.
He justified his theft by deciding his work was not sufficiently valued and paying himself by his own selfish estimate, putting a price upon all his actions. Acting on that reasoning corrupted his conscience and character, and had he submitted to the Holy Spirit he would have kept his integrity. His covetousness was held fast as a precious treasure and became more and more confirmed, he treated saving money as evidence of godliness, Christ's lessons on unselfishness were unheeded, and his love of money and selfishness grew as he indulged them.
His calculating of the ointment's value contrasts with the gratitude of those who have received saving love, who give generously rather than begrudge the offering. His complaint shamed Mary and stirred distrust of her devotion and discontent among those present and among the disciples. He reproached Jesus for allowing the gift and tried to instruct Jesus about what was proper, accusing Mary of extravagance, but Jesus defended her, for her deed was not to be reproved, and Christ's defense supplied evidence that would be needed later.
Path to Betrayal
Mary's generous gift rebuked his greed, and Christ's reproof of his covetousness stirred wounded pride and revenge in him. Annoyed at the implied rebuke, he yielded to the tempter and gave Satan easy access to his mind. Cherished selfishness, ambition, and unresisted sin leave a person open to Satan's temptation and captivity, and each accusing expression conforms character to Satan the great accuser.
Indulged love of money perverted his nobler nature and led him to sell his Lord to wicked men and to the murderous priests and rulers. He valued Jesus only enough to betray Him for a few pieces of silver, for thirty pieces of silver. Made by this course a fit agent for Satan, he stands as an example of abandoning good principles for earthly gain.
Even in deciding to sell his Master he had no thought Jesus would permit Himself to be taken. He expected Jesus to escape by divine power and to display divine power in deliverance, leaving the priests cheated of their purpose and Judas with the money to use for his own purpose. When he saw Jesus meekly submit to abuse and condemnation, he remembered His kindness, recognized the full extent of his crime, and was filled with remorse.
Though he had been with Christ through His ministry, witnessed His works, been included among those sent out with the apostles, and worked alongside them, association did not make him one with Christ. He had a divided heart, loved worldly praise and gain, never entrusted his eternal interests to Christ, maintained only superficial religion, and speculated for selfish profit. He was not teachable or willing to humble himself and submit to the Holy Spirit to keep his integrity. Christ loved him, freely received him, and sought to awaken his conscience and soften his heart so he would repent and be pardoned. But his pride and stubbornness kept him from surrendering, he would not submit to counsel or reproof, and he went on in sin and thereby ruined himself, for forgiveness requires repentance.
Warning for Believers
That one betrayer stood among the twelve does not erase the reality that the others were genuine disciples who loved Christ and sought to follow Him. Judas stands as the type of a large class of professed Christians today, and his name has become the term for betrayal, unfaithfulness, and covetous opposition to Christ's work found even in churches and in sacred positions. Though as near to Christ as anyone can be, he was ruined by Satan shutting his heart against practical sympathy, which is the test of purity and unselfishness of heart, and because association did not cultivate sincere sympathy for those for whom Christ gave His life he was left outside of Christ and the sport of temptation. His case is therefore a warning to guard against the first deviation from righteousness and the first neglect to manifest the spirit of Christ, lest cultivated selfishness become a devouring passion which nothing but the power of Christ can subdue. He is set forth as an example of a character opposed to the divine likeness, showing how covetousness can lead a disciple to oppose Christ's work and how those claiming faith and devotion can act against Christ by serving Satan and harming fellow believers.
He hid his selfishness under a pious, conscientious regard for the poor, wishing the ointment had been in his own possession so it would not be lavished upon the Saviour but could be applied to his own use and sold for money, prizing his Lord just enough to sell Him to wicked men for a few pieces of silver. That bringing up of the poor as an excuse for selfishness is repeated by covetous professed Christians who hide their selfishness under put-on conscientiousness and oppose systematic benevolence. His history warns that misusing the Lord's goods, keeping back gifts from the account and justifying it by deciding his work was underpaid, corrupts the conscience, and what is hidden from men costs the thief his soul. It warns that dishonest business practices and selfish speculation sacrifice Christ, for Judas with a divided heart loved worldly praise and gain, never entrusted his eternal interests to Christ, maintained only superficial religion, and betrayed his Master to the priests while wrongly assuming Jesus would not allow Himself to be taken, whereas genuine faith works through love and purifies the soul.
Though he was with Jesus throughout His public ministry with opportunities to serve, and though Christ loved him, freely received him, and sought to awaken his conscience and soften his heart so he would repent and be pardoned, his pride and stubbornness kept him from surrendering and he went on in sin and thereby ruined himself, for forgiveness requires repentance. After being reproved by the Lord before others he became provoked, resolved to take revenge, and sold his Lord for thirty pieces of silver, which warns against letting hatred and revenge take hold of the heart. His complaint about the woman who poured the ointment on Jesus displayed an accusing spirit revealing a heart unwilling to humble itself, and each such expression conforms character more closely to Satan, the great accuser. He shows that a person may remain connected with God for years, profess to keep God's law and be strict about some requirements while neglecting mercy and love, yet become more fixed in objectionable traits and be given over to a corrupt nature.
His call for the cheapest way and his question to what purpose is this waste reveal a narrow spirit that treats costly devotion to honor God as waste. That same spirit objects when God's house is built well and furnished with costly materials. God directed rich and careful work for the sanctuary in the wilderness to teach that He is a being of greatness and majesty to be worshiped with reverence and awe, not to be honored with cheapness. When Judas objected to her act, Jesus defended Mary, and that defense supplied evidence that would be needed later that her deed was not to be reproved.
The verse names the speaker at the supper in Simon's house in Bethany as Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, one of Christ's disciples who would betray Him. After Mary anointed Jesus with costly ointment, he spoke out angrily that it was waste that should have been sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor. His plea for the poor was false and covetous, for he cared nothing for them but as keeper of the bag stole what was put in and wanted the ointment money under his control for his own use. Jesus' reproof of his greed wounded his pride and opened him to Satan, so his cherished love of money led him to sell his Lord to the priests and rulers for thirty pieces of silver. His history stands as a warning to professed Christians today against the first deviation from righteousness, letting selfishness and covetousness shut the heart against Christ until it becomes a devouring passion.
Setting and Identification
The words belong to the feast at Simon's house in Bethany, six days before the Passover, when Jesus on His way from Jericho to Jerusalem to attend the Passover stopped for rest and refreshment, just before His betrayal and death. Simon of Bethany, whom Jesus had healed of leprosy, made a supper to show Jesus special honor and invited Jesus and His friends as guests. Jesus sat at the table with Simon, cured of loathsome disease, on one side and Lazarus, raised from the dead, on the other, while Martha served at the table and Mary earnestly listened to every word falling from His lips.
Crowds gathered at Bethany because Lazarus had been raised from the dead, and his testimony about Jesus increased public excitement. That excitement alarmed the priests and rulers, who feared losing their influence and sought an opportunity to remove Jesus. The supper held in Jesus' honor with His disciples shows that He accepted invited hospitality and social invitations and shared in the social life of His countrymen. He used such gatherings to make His character and teachings known.
The speaker is named as one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him. At the feast he objected to Mary's costly gift, but his stated concern for the poor concealed selfishness and cultivated covetousness, for he was a thief who stole from the disciples' money bag and took for himself money entrusted to him for them. His complaint shamed Mary, stirred distrust of her devotion among the disciples and discontent among those present, and reproached Jesus for allowing the gift. Though he had witnessed Jesus' works and ministry, his heart was selfish and covetous, and Mary's gift rebuked his greed, while his presence among the twelve despite his faults shows his failure does not mean there were no genuine disciples who loved Christ and sought to follow Him.
Objection and Covetousness
Mary had anointed Jesus with costly ointment of spikenard from an alabaster box, and its fragrance made the hidden act known to all present when Judas spoke out angrily that it was waste and should have been sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor. He was named as one of the disciples who would betray Jesus, and though at first he did not appear notably wicked in speech, conduct, or appearance and had valuable qualities, he was not teachable and was vexed when Jesus defended her.
His plea of concern for the poor was false and covetous, for he cared nothing for them and was a stranger to the deep devotion and homage that moved her deed of love. He regarded her gift as wasteful, grudged the offering, and judged it wasteful rather than an act of homage, with a selfish heart closed to others' needs and constantly planning to benefit self. He hid his selfishness under a pious, conscientious regard for the poor, wishing the ointment had been in his own possession so it would not be lavished upon the Saviour but could be applied to his own use and sold for money.
As holder of the disciples' united funds and treasurer of money for Christ's work, he dishonestly took for himself what was put in the bag, stealing small sums and gifts meant for God's service and the poor without recording them. He had misused money entrusted to him for them and for the church's expenses, keeping some gifts from the account and idolizing the little treasure entrusted to his care to be used for the benefit of the church and to relieve the necessities of the poor. At the time the other disciples did not know he was a thief, though they knew it afterward.
He justified his theft by deciding his work was not sufficiently valued and paying himself by his own selfish estimate, putting a price upon all his actions. Acting on that reasoning corrupted his conscience and character, and had he submitted to the Holy Spirit he would have kept his integrity. His covetousness was held fast as a precious treasure and became more and more confirmed, he treated saving money as evidence of godliness, Christ's lessons on unselfishness were unheeded, and his love of money and selfishness grew as he indulged them.
His calculating of the ointment's value contrasts with the gratitude of those who have received saving love, who give generously rather than begrudge the offering. His complaint shamed Mary and stirred distrust of her devotion and discontent among those present and among the disciples. He reproached Jesus for allowing the gift and tried to instruct Jesus about what was proper, accusing Mary of extravagance, but Jesus defended her, for her deed was not to be reproved, and Christ's defense supplied evidence that would be needed later.
Path to Betrayal
Mary's generous gift rebuked his greed, and Christ's reproof of his covetousness stirred wounded pride and revenge in him. Annoyed at the implied rebuke, he yielded to the tempter and gave Satan easy access to his mind. Cherished selfishness, ambition, and unresisted sin leave a person open to Satan's temptation and captivity, and each accusing expression conforms character to Satan the great accuser.
Indulged love of money perverted his nobler nature and led him to sell his Lord to wicked men and to the murderous priests and rulers. He valued Jesus only enough to betray Him for a few pieces of silver, for thirty pieces of silver. Made by this course a fit agent for Satan, he stands as an example of abandoning good principles for earthly gain.
Even in deciding to sell his Master he had no thought Jesus would permit Himself to be taken. He expected Jesus to escape by divine power and to display divine power in deliverance, leaving the priests cheated of their purpose and Judas with the money to use for his own purpose. When he saw Jesus meekly submit to abuse and condemnation, he remembered His kindness, recognized the full extent of his crime, and was filled with remorse.
Though he had been with Christ through His ministry, witnessed His works, been included among those sent out with the apostles, and worked alongside them, association did not make him one with Christ. He had a divided heart, loved worldly praise and gain, never entrusted his eternal interests to Christ, maintained only superficial religion, and speculated for selfish profit. He was not teachable or willing to humble himself and submit to the Holy Spirit to keep his integrity. Christ loved him, freely received him, and sought to awaken his conscience and soften his heart so he would repent and be pardoned. But his pride and stubbornness kept him from surrendering, he would not submit to counsel or reproof, and he went on in sin and thereby ruined himself, for forgiveness requires repentance.
Warning for Believers
That one betrayer stood among the twelve does not erase the reality that the others were genuine disciples who loved Christ and sought to follow Him. Judas stands as the type of a large class of professed Christians today, and his name has become the term for betrayal, unfaithfulness, and covetous opposition to Christ's work found even in churches and in sacred positions. Though as near to Christ as anyone can be, he was ruined by Satan shutting his heart against practical sympathy, which is the test of purity and unselfishness of heart, and because association did not cultivate sincere sympathy for those for whom Christ gave His life he was left outside of Christ and the sport of temptation. His case is therefore a warning to guard against the first deviation from righteousness and the first neglect to manifest the spirit of Christ, lest cultivated selfishness become a devouring passion which nothing but the power of Christ can subdue. He is set forth as an example of a character opposed to the divine likeness, showing how covetousness can lead a disciple to oppose Christ's work and how those claiming faith and devotion can act against Christ by serving Satan and harming fellow believers.
He hid his selfishness under a pious, conscientious regard for the poor, wishing the ointment had been in his own possession so it would not be lavished upon the Saviour but could be applied to his own use and sold for money, prizing his Lord just enough to sell Him to wicked men for a few pieces of silver. That bringing up of the poor as an excuse for selfishness is repeated by covetous professed Christians who hide their selfishness under put-on conscientiousness and oppose systematic benevolence. His history warns that misusing the Lord's goods, keeping back gifts from the account and justifying it by deciding his work was underpaid, corrupts the conscience, and what is hidden from men costs the thief his soul. It warns that dishonest business practices and selfish speculation sacrifice Christ, for Judas with a divided heart loved worldly praise and gain, never entrusted his eternal interests to Christ, maintained only superficial religion, and betrayed his Master to the priests while wrongly assuming Jesus would not allow Himself to be taken, whereas genuine faith works through love and purifies the soul.
Though he was with Jesus throughout His public ministry with opportunities to serve, and though Christ loved him, freely received him, and sought to awaken his conscience and soften his heart so he would repent and be pardoned, his pride and stubbornness kept him from surrendering and he went on in sin and thereby ruined himself, for forgiveness requires repentance. After being reproved by the Lord before others he became provoked, resolved to take revenge, and sold his Lord for thirty pieces of silver, which warns against letting hatred and revenge take hold of the heart. His complaint about the woman who poured the ointment on Jesus displayed an accusing spirit revealing a heart unwilling to humble itself, and each such expression conforms character more closely to Satan, the great accuser. He shows that a person may remain connected with God for years, profess to keep God's law and be strict about some requirements while neglecting mercy and love, yet become more fixed in objectionable traits and be given over to a corrupt nature.
His call for the cheapest way and his question to what purpose is this waste reveal a narrow spirit that treats costly devotion to honor God as waste. That same spirit objects when God's house is built well and furnished with costly materials. God directed rich and careful work for the sanctuary in the wilderness to teach that He is a being of greatness and majesty to be worshiped with reverence and awe, not to be honored with cheapness. When Judas objected to her act, Jesus defended Mary, and that defense supplied evidence that would be needed later that her deed was not to be reproved.