Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
Judas objected to Mary's costly anointing of Jesus by asking why the ointment was not sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor, rebuking her generous gift as waste. His plea for the poor was false, a pretense concealing covetousness and dishonesty, for as keeper of the disciples' money bag he cared nothing for the poor but longed to control the proceeds for himself. Mary in love and gratitude gave her most precious treasure to honor her Saviour who had forgiven her and raised her brother, anointing Him for burial while He was still with them. Jesus approved and accepted her deed rather than condemning it, showing her unselfish devotion shamed Judas' selfish calculation and that honoring Christ is no waste. Christ's rebuke wounded Judas' pride and let greed control him, so that he who valued money above his Lord soon sold Him for thirty pieces of silver, warning against hiding selfishness under concern for the poor.
Setting and Wording
The question was asked by Judas, rebuking Mary for her costly gift by asking why the ointment had not been sold for three hundred pence and the money given to the poor. His stated concern for the poor was the form his rebuke took.
It was spoken at a supper in honor of Jesus at Bethany six days before the Passover, when Jesus had stopped for rest and refreshment on His way from Jericho to attend the feast at Jerusalem, just before His betrayal and death. The supper was made by Simon of Bethany, whom Jesus had healed of leprosy, in order to show Jesus special honor. Jesus sat at the table with Simon on one side and Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead, on the other, while Martha served at the table and Mary listened earnestly to every word from His lips. It was a feast for Jesus during His final visit there, with many Jews present and some watching Him with hostility, an occasion on which critics would have censured Him for allowing His friends to honor Him.
Mary had bought an alabaster box of precious ointment at great personal sacrifice to anoint the body of Jesus at His death. Hearing many say Jesus would be elevated to kingly authority when He went to Jerusalem, she readily believed it and rejoiced that her Saviour would no longer be despised and rejected and obliged to flee for His life. In love and gratitude she wished to be the first to honor Him, and seeking to avoid observation she anointed His head and His feet with the precious ointment and then wiped His feet with her long, flowing hair. She did this as one whom Christ had lifted from despair and who had learned from Him and served Him.
His question deceived his fellow disciples and influenced Simon the host, spreading distrust of Mary's devotion and turning the table to whispered charges of waste. His complaint reproached Christ for allowing her offering and stirred others to disaffection. The objection to the costly ointment being used for Him was fault-finding with Jesus' presence at a social gathering, not a sound reason to condemn generous conduct.
False Plea Exposed
Judas's talk of charity for the poor was false, a pretense and excuse that concealed covetousness, selfishness, hypocrisy, ambition and dishonesty. He cared nothing for the poor and did not intend to help them, and his claim that the ointment should have been sold for them arose not from pity but from greed. Mary's grateful, unselfish devotion shamed and rebuked that selfishness, exposing the contrast between her love and his calculation.
He was treasurer of the disciples' united funds and kept the money bag, dishonestly taking money meant for God's service and for the poor. Entrusted with gifts for Christ's work and to relieve necessity, he diverted small sums for himself and sometimes kept for himself what had been given for them. He longed to get the value of the ointment into his own hands for selfish use, and objected when money was spent on what he considered unnecessary. Had it been sold the proceeds would have gone into his hands, and the poor would have received no benefit.
He put a price on all his actions, calculating the value of the alabaster box and the money that might come into his control, and judging that the treasury had suffered a loss. As a speculator wanting financial gain he grudged Mary's generous gift and paid himself according to his own selfish estimate. He justified taking by reasoning that his labor was not sufficiently appreciated and that he could pay himself as he saw fit, a principle that corrupted his conscience, and he treated saving money as evidence of godliness. Those who have received pardoning love do not stop so to calculate the value of an offering made to Christ, but regret only that it is not richer and more valuable.
Though he had been with Christ during His ministry, his covetousness was not cured but was held fast as a precious treasure and became more and more confirmed, while Christ's lessons on unselfishness were unheeded. His love of money led him to idolize the little treasure entrusted to his care to be used for the benefit of the church and to relieve the necessities of the poor. Association with Christ had not made him one with Christ and had not cultivated within his heart a sincere sympathy for those for whom Christ gave His life. The disciples did not know at that time that he was a thief, but they knew it afterward.
Devotion Honored
Mary's generous gift was gratitude to her Savior who had forgiven her many sins and raised her beloved brother from the dead, and its great value made her devotion all the more evident. She showed how highly she prized Jesus by counting the most precious gift none too costly for Him, while Judas valued money above Him. Her unselfish devotion shamed and rebuked his selfishness and covetousness.
Jesus approved, justified and accepted Mary's deed rather than reproving or condemning her. People may criticize and condemn a good act without considering the motive behind it, but her act illustrates that such criticism is to be discerned rightly. The objection to her anointing was not to be accepted, for honoring Christ with the best of one's substance is a good work.
She had acted with prophetic anticipation of His burial. The poor were always present, but Jesus would not remain with them. By His own words that act joins her to Him and to the gospel throughout all time as true religion that knows God and Jesus Christ whom He sent. The broken alabaster box has by its memory inspired many to loving service, and that influence continues. Every impulse of the Holy Spirit leading to goodness is noted in the books of heaven, and in the day of God she, having given herself as an instrument for the Spirit's working, will be permitted to behold all the outworking of her deed and will rejoice in it.
Her offering to Jesus was not waste, even though it was made from a very valuable treasure. Faithful stewards can serve both Christ's cause and the poor, while giving Christ's cause priority. Caring for the poor must not lead to neglect of God's cause. Those who have received pardoning love do not stop to calculate the value of an offering made to Christ, but regret only that it is not richer and more valuable.
Road to Betrayal
The rebuke Jesus spoke and implied over the ointment laid bare a covetousness and love of money that calculated what might have come into controlling hands if it had been sold and counted the treasury as having suffered loss. That exposure annoyed and irritated him, and though the reproof was not personal in form it wounded pride and wakened anger and desire for revenge until long-indulged greed took control and resentment deepened. Revenge thus combined with avarice, and the covetous spirit made him receptive to Satan and willing to sell his Master for silver.
Where Mary showed by her gift how highly she prized the Saviour, Judas valued money above Him and prized his Lord only enough to sell Him to wicked men for a few pieces of silver, for thirty pieces of silver. He coveted the costly ointment poured upon Jesus and complained because he wanted it in his own possession to apply to his own use and turn into money, rather than seeing it lavished upon the Saviour. He balanced the life of the Son of God against a paltry sum, and after being reproved before others his love of money made him willing to betray his Master.
Unchecked sin makes a person vulnerable to temptation and can lead the soul captive, for one neglect to manifest the spirit of Christ opens the way for another and still another until selfishness becomes a devouring passion which nothing but the power of Christ can subdue. His complaint expressed an accusing, self-justifying, unsanctified heart unwilling to humble itself, be converted and repent, stubbornly justifying its course and refusing to surrender sin even while conscience was awakened to lead to repentance. In this he became increasingly like Satan the great accuser, devoid of mercy and justice and love of God, acting as director and judge and lawyer rather than as a father, keeping some points of law while neglecting mercy and love. His example shows that a person must repent to be forgiven, and warns against professing devotion while misrepresenting others and using religious claims to justify a betraying course, against a superficial religion that does not give up the world for Christ, and against becoming set in objectionable traits until given over to a corrupt nature.
Generosity and Stewardship
Costly offerings freely given in worship are not waste, and everything need not be done in the cheapest manner. The murmur that devotion to Christ is waste is covetous, for honoring Him with the best of one's substance is a good work. Caring for the poor must not lead to neglect of God's cause, since faithful stewards can serve both while giving Christ's cause priority. The sanctuary was not designed to honor man but the God of Heaven, the rightful owner of the gold and silver, who gave specific directions how everything was to be done to teach that He is a being of greatness and majesty to be worshiped with reverence and awe. That same spirit that called Mary's devotion waste still objects to generous expense in building for God.
The verse warns against using concern for the poor as an excuse to withhold support from the cause of truth. Judas covered a covetous, selfish heart with pious, conscientious regard for the poor, coveting the costly ointment poured upon Jesus and complaining because he wanted it in his own possession instead of seeing it lavished upon the Saviour, to apply it to his own use and sell it for money. He begrudged the gift to Jesus, valuing money above Him and prizing his Lord only enough to sell Him to wicked men for a few pieces of silver, and his covetousness and anger led him to betray his Lord for money, balancing the life of the Son of God against a paltry sum while Mary's offering showed how highly she prized Jesus by counting the most precious gift none too costly for Him. The same covetous, cold, calculating spirit is manifested by many who profess Christ today, whose offerings to His cause are grudgingly bestowed or withheld altogether under plausible excuses and pretense of wide philanthropy that it is better to give to the poor. They hide selfishness under put-on conscientiousness, fear that systematic benevolence makes them like the nominal churches, plead secrecy in giving, and neglect the plain command to sell what they have and give alms.
Practical sympathy is a test of the purity and unselfishness of the heart. Satan ruins the soul by closing the heart to the needs of others and preventing the expression of love and sympathy, and Judas, planning constantly to benefit self while professing concern for the poor, proves that association with Christ had not made him one with Christ and had not cultivated within his heart a sincere sympathy for those for whom Christ gave His life. In this he represents a large class of professed Christians today who are as near to Christ as he was yet are in the same danger of being outside of Christ as the sport of temptation. His course warns to guard against the first deviation from righteousness, for one neglect to manifest the spirit of Christ opens the way for another and still another until selfishness becomes a devouring passion which nothing but the power of Christ can subdue. But the true Christian shows faith by investing in the cause of truth and is known by works, for faith without works is dead.
Judas objected to Mary's costly anointing of Jesus by asking why the ointment was not sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor, rebuking her generous gift as waste. His plea for the poor was false, a pretense concealing covetousness and dishonesty, for as keeper of the disciples' money bag he cared nothing for the poor but longed to control the proceeds for himself. Mary in love and gratitude gave her most precious treasure to honor her Saviour who had forgiven her and raised her brother, anointing Him for burial while He was still with them. Jesus approved and accepted her deed rather than condemning it, showing her unselfish devotion shamed Judas' selfish calculation and that honoring Christ is no waste. Christ's rebuke wounded Judas' pride and let greed control him, so that he who valued money above his Lord soon sold Him for thirty pieces of silver, warning against hiding selfishness under concern for the poor.
Setting and Wording
The question was asked by Judas, rebuking Mary for her costly gift by asking why the ointment had not been sold for three hundred pence and the money given to the poor. His stated concern for the poor was the form his rebuke took.
It was spoken at a supper in honor of Jesus at Bethany six days before the Passover, when Jesus had stopped for rest and refreshment on His way from Jericho to attend the feast at Jerusalem, just before His betrayal and death. The supper was made by Simon of Bethany, whom Jesus had healed of leprosy, in order to show Jesus special honor. Jesus sat at the table with Simon on one side and Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead, on the other, while Martha served at the table and Mary listened earnestly to every word from His lips. It was a feast for Jesus during His final visit there, with many Jews present and some watching Him with hostility, an occasion on which critics would have censured Him for allowing His friends to honor Him.
Mary had bought an alabaster box of precious ointment at great personal sacrifice to anoint the body of Jesus at His death. Hearing many say Jesus would be elevated to kingly authority when He went to Jerusalem, she readily believed it and rejoiced that her Saviour would no longer be despised and rejected and obliged to flee for His life. In love and gratitude she wished to be the first to honor Him, and seeking to avoid observation she anointed His head and His feet with the precious ointment and then wiped His feet with her long, flowing hair. She did this as one whom Christ had lifted from despair and who had learned from Him and served Him.
His question deceived his fellow disciples and influenced Simon the host, spreading distrust of Mary's devotion and turning the table to whispered charges of waste. His complaint reproached Christ for allowing her offering and stirred others to disaffection. The objection to the costly ointment being used for Him was fault-finding with Jesus' presence at a social gathering, not a sound reason to condemn generous conduct.
False Plea Exposed
Judas's talk of charity for the poor was false, a pretense and excuse that concealed covetousness, selfishness, hypocrisy, ambition and dishonesty. He cared nothing for the poor and did not intend to help them, and his claim that the ointment should have been sold for them arose not from pity but from greed. Mary's grateful, unselfish devotion shamed and rebuked that selfishness, exposing the contrast between her love and his calculation.
He was treasurer of the disciples' united funds and kept the money bag, dishonestly taking money meant for God's service and for the poor. Entrusted with gifts for Christ's work and to relieve necessity, he diverted small sums for himself and sometimes kept for himself what had been given for them. He longed to get the value of the ointment into his own hands for selfish use, and objected when money was spent on what he considered unnecessary. Had it been sold the proceeds would have gone into his hands, and the poor would have received no benefit.
He put a price on all his actions, calculating the value of the alabaster box and the money that might come into his control, and judging that the treasury had suffered a loss. As a speculator wanting financial gain he grudged Mary's generous gift and paid himself according to his own selfish estimate. He justified taking by reasoning that his labor was not sufficiently appreciated and that he could pay himself as he saw fit, a principle that corrupted his conscience, and he treated saving money as evidence of godliness. Those who have received pardoning love do not stop so to calculate the value of an offering made to Christ, but regret only that it is not richer and more valuable.
Though he had been with Christ during His ministry, his covetousness was not cured but was held fast as a precious treasure and became more and more confirmed, while Christ's lessons on unselfishness were unheeded. His love of money led him to idolize the little treasure entrusted to his care to be used for the benefit of the church and to relieve the necessities of the poor. Association with Christ had not made him one with Christ and had not cultivated within his heart a sincere sympathy for those for whom Christ gave His life. The disciples did not know at that time that he was a thief, but they knew it afterward.
Devotion Honored
Mary's generous gift was gratitude to her Savior who had forgiven her many sins and raised her beloved brother from the dead, and its great value made her devotion all the more evident. She showed how highly she prized Jesus by counting the most precious gift none too costly for Him, while Judas valued money above Him. Her unselfish devotion shamed and rebuked his selfishness and covetousness.
Jesus approved, justified and accepted Mary's deed rather than reproving or condemning her. People may criticize and condemn a good act without considering the motive behind it, but her act illustrates that such criticism is to be discerned rightly. The objection to her anointing was not to be accepted, for honoring Christ with the best of one's substance is a good work.
She had acted with prophetic anticipation of His burial. The poor were always present, but Jesus would not remain with them. By His own words that act joins her to Him and to the gospel throughout all time as true religion that knows God and Jesus Christ whom He sent. The broken alabaster box has by its memory inspired many to loving service, and that influence continues. Every impulse of the Holy Spirit leading to goodness is noted in the books of heaven, and in the day of God she, having given herself as an instrument for the Spirit's working, will be permitted to behold all the outworking of her deed and will rejoice in it.
Her offering to Jesus was not waste, even though it was made from a very valuable treasure. Faithful stewards can serve both Christ's cause and the poor, while giving Christ's cause priority. Caring for the poor must not lead to neglect of God's cause. Those who have received pardoning love do not stop to calculate the value of an offering made to Christ, but regret only that it is not richer and more valuable.
Road to Betrayal
The rebuke Jesus spoke and implied over the ointment laid bare a covetousness and love of money that calculated what might have come into controlling hands if it had been sold and counted the treasury as having suffered loss. That exposure annoyed and irritated him, and though the reproof was not personal in form it wounded pride and wakened anger and desire for revenge until long-indulged greed took control and resentment deepened. Revenge thus combined with avarice, and the covetous spirit made him receptive to Satan and willing to sell his Master for silver.
Where Mary showed by her gift how highly she prized the Saviour, Judas valued money above Him and prized his Lord only enough to sell Him to wicked men for a few pieces of silver, for thirty pieces of silver. He coveted the costly ointment poured upon Jesus and complained because he wanted it in his own possession to apply to his own use and turn into money, rather than seeing it lavished upon the Saviour. He balanced the life of the Son of God against a paltry sum, and after being reproved before others his love of money made him willing to betray his Master.
Unchecked sin makes a person vulnerable to temptation and can lead the soul captive, for one neglect to manifest the spirit of Christ opens the way for another and still another until selfishness becomes a devouring passion which nothing but the power of Christ can subdue. His complaint expressed an accusing, self-justifying, unsanctified heart unwilling to humble itself, be converted and repent, stubbornly justifying its course and refusing to surrender sin even while conscience was awakened to lead to repentance. In this he became increasingly like Satan the great accuser, devoid of mercy and justice and love of God, acting as director and judge and lawyer rather than as a father, keeping some points of law while neglecting mercy and love. His example shows that a person must repent to be forgiven, and warns against professing devotion while misrepresenting others and using religious claims to justify a betraying course, against a superficial religion that does not give up the world for Christ, and against becoming set in objectionable traits until given over to a corrupt nature.
Generosity and Stewardship
Costly offerings freely given in worship are not waste, and everything need not be done in the cheapest manner. The murmur that devotion to Christ is waste is covetous, for honoring Him with the best of one's substance is a good work. Caring for the poor must not lead to neglect of God's cause, since faithful stewards can serve both while giving Christ's cause priority. The sanctuary was not designed to honor man but the God of Heaven, the rightful owner of the gold and silver, who gave specific directions how everything was to be done to teach that He is a being of greatness and majesty to be worshiped with reverence and awe. That same spirit that called Mary's devotion waste still objects to generous expense in building for God.
The verse warns against using concern for the poor as an excuse to withhold support from the cause of truth. Judas covered a covetous, selfish heart with pious, conscientious regard for the poor, coveting the costly ointment poured upon Jesus and complaining because he wanted it in his own possession instead of seeing it lavished upon the Saviour, to apply it to his own use and sell it for money. He begrudged the gift to Jesus, valuing money above Him and prizing his Lord only enough to sell Him to wicked men for a few pieces of silver, and his covetousness and anger led him to betray his Lord for money, balancing the life of the Son of God against a paltry sum while Mary's offering showed how highly she prized Jesus by counting the most precious gift none too costly for Him. The same covetous, cold, calculating spirit is manifested by many who profess Christ today, whose offerings to His cause are grudgingly bestowed or withheld altogether under plausible excuses and pretense of wide philanthropy that it is better to give to the poor. They hide selfishness under put-on conscientiousness, fear that systematic benevolence makes them like the nominal churches, plead secrecy in giving, and neglect the plain command to sell what they have and give alms.
Practical sympathy is a test of the purity and unselfishness of the heart. Satan ruins the soul by closing the heart to the needs of others and preventing the expression of love and sympathy, and Judas, planning constantly to benefit self while professing concern for the poor, proves that association with Christ had not made him one with Christ and had not cultivated within his heart a sincere sympathy for those for whom Christ gave His life. In this he represents a large class of professed Christians today who are as near to Christ as he was yet are in the same danger of being outside of Christ as the sport of temptation. His course warns to guard against the first deviation from righteousness, for one neglect to manifest the spirit of Christ opens the way for another and still another until selfishness becomes a devouring passion which nothing but the power of Christ can subdue. But the true Christian shows faith by investing in the cause of truth and is known by works, for faith without works is dead.