And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?
At Simon's house in Bethany Mary in gratitude for forgiveness and her brother's raising poured very costly oil on Jesus, and some present were indignant within themselves calling it a waste that should have been sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor. Judas spoke the complaint in anger and stirred the disciples and others to murmur against her devotion and reproach Jesus for allowing it. His plea for the poor only appeared compassionate, for he was a thief who stole from the poor fund and wanted the money for himself out of a covetous, selfish love of money. The offering was not waste, for nothing people could give is too costly for Jesus, and honoring Him with the best does not require neglecting the poor. The broken box became a lasting influence inspiring loving service through the centuries, warning that selfishness and covetousness can disguise themselves as care for others until the soul is led captive.
Setting and Indignant Outcry
The outcry belongs to the feast at Simon's house in Bethany shortly before Passover, when Jesus' presence and the raising of Lazarus drew crowds and heightened public excitement about His mission. Many Jews gathered and watched Him amid that growing attention, and some watched Him with unfriendly eyes.
It was Mary who poured precious anointing oil on His head and bathed His feet with her tears. Though she had been regarded as a great sinner and had been controlled by demons, Christ lifted her from despair, and through His grace she overcame and became His close learner and servant. She had bought the ointment to anoint His body after death, but hearing He would be raised to kingly authority she believed He would no longer be rejected and wanted to honor Him first. Her act was moved by love and gratitude.
She anointed Him from love and gratitude because He had forgiven her many sins and had raised her brother from the dead. She felt nothing was too dear to give Him, with the more precious ointment better expressing her gratitude.
Some present reacted with indignation within themselves at that costly anointing, regarding the ointment as wasted and asking why this waste was made. Some of those present called the costly spikenard wasteful and objected that its value could have gone into the poor fund. Judas regarded it as unnecessary waste, saying it could have been sold for three hundred pence and the money given to the poor.
Judas spoke in anger against the offering poured on Jesus. His complaint stirred the others to murmur and to reproach Jesus for allowing the act. His insinuation led the disciples and others to distrust Mary's devotion. This was his first outward murmur and open opposition to Christ after long hidden disagreement.
Covetous Heart Behind Complaint
The cry of waste was compassion only in appearance, for Judas wanted the price for himself. He was a thief who habitually took for himself what had been entrusted to him for the poor, and had the ointment been sold the poor would not have benefited. His plea for the poor fund was therefore not care for the poor but a cover for greed, used to disguise his covetousness.
His indignation grew from a carnal, close, covetous and selfish heart ruled by love of money and avarice. He cherished covetousness, valued his Master only highly enough to betray Him for silver, and promoted saving as evidence of godliness. Inattentive to the comfort and wants of Jesus, he resented both the woman's gift and Christ's defense of her, and so turned the Gospel's call to mercy into an excuse for covetousness. By that false concern for the poor he stirred the others, leading them from misunderstanding of Mary's loving gratitude into distrust of her devotion and turning them against her act.
His covetous spirit had perverted his nobler nature and made him a fit agent for Satan to use in betraying Christ. Mary's generosity was a cutting rebuke to that disposition and prepared the way for Satan to find ready reception in his heart. When Jesus implied a rebuke of that covetousness Judas was annoyed, yielded to the tempter, and gave Satan easy access to his mind, with wounded pride and desire for revenge breaking down restraint until greed held him in control. Out of that yielding he decided to sell his Master to the murderous priests and rulers. Yet he had no thought Jesus would permit Himself to be taken, thinking the priests would be cheated of their bribe while he secured the money to use for some purpose of his own and Jesus would gain a new opportunity to display divine power in delivering Himself from His enemies.
Costly Love Vindicated Forever
What was denounced as waste was no waste at all, for even the most valuable treasures human beings could produce would not be too great a gift for Jesus. Those who have received His pardoning love do not pause to calculate the cost of what they give Him, regretting only that the offering was not richer and more valuable. The complaint measured the alabaster box of precious ointment by its sale price and treated its pouring out upon Christ as loss, but love does not weigh in that way.
Honoring Christ by giving the best of one's substance holds first place, while appealing to the needs of the poor against such giving misreads duty. Rightly serving His cause does not require neglecting the poor, for faithful stewards can care for both.
The act of love that onlookers called waste did not end at Simon's feast, for the memory of the broken alabaster box became a lasting influence. That memory has inspired many people to loving service and has prompted countless loving deeds through the centuries.
The outcry also stands as warning that selfishness can disguise itself as concern for others, as when covetousness pleaded that the ointment should have been sold for the poor. Covetous followers of Christ who value Him so lightly may abandon good principles for earthly gain, even to betray Him for silver. The first outward murmur and open opposition after long hidden disagreement exposed a long-indulged greed, and the reproof given turned wounded pride and desire for revenge into gall until greed held the man in control. So it is with everyone who keeps tampering with sin, that elements of depravity not resisted and overcome respond to Satan's temptation and the soul is led captive at his will.
At Simon's house in Bethany Mary in gratitude for forgiveness and her brother's raising poured very costly oil on Jesus, and some present were indignant within themselves calling it a waste that should have been sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor. Judas spoke the complaint in anger and stirred the disciples and others to murmur against her devotion and reproach Jesus for allowing it. His plea for the poor only appeared compassionate, for he was a thief who stole from the poor fund and wanted the money for himself out of a covetous, selfish love of money. The offering was not waste, for nothing people could give is too costly for Jesus, and honoring Him with the best does not require neglecting the poor. The broken box became a lasting influence inspiring loving service through the centuries, warning that selfishness and covetousness can disguise themselves as care for others until the soul is led captive.
Setting and Indignant Outcry
The outcry belongs to the feast at Simon's house in Bethany shortly before Passover, when Jesus' presence and the raising of Lazarus drew crowds and heightened public excitement about His mission. Many Jews gathered and watched Him amid that growing attention, and some watched Him with unfriendly eyes.
It was Mary who poured precious anointing oil on His head and bathed His feet with her tears. Though she had been regarded as a great sinner and had been controlled by demons, Christ lifted her from despair, and through His grace she overcame and became His close learner and servant. She had bought the ointment to anoint His body after death, but hearing He would be raised to kingly authority she believed He would no longer be rejected and wanted to honor Him first. Her act was moved by love and gratitude.
She anointed Him from love and gratitude because He had forgiven her many sins and had raised her brother from the dead. She felt nothing was too dear to give Him, with the more precious ointment better expressing her gratitude.
Some present reacted with indignation within themselves at that costly anointing, regarding the ointment as wasted and asking why this waste was made. Some of those present called the costly spikenard wasteful and objected that its value could have gone into the poor fund. Judas regarded it as unnecessary waste, saying it could have been sold for three hundred pence and the money given to the poor.
Judas spoke in anger against the offering poured on Jesus. His complaint stirred the others to murmur and to reproach Jesus for allowing the act. His insinuation led the disciples and others to distrust Mary's devotion. This was his first outward murmur and open opposition to Christ after long hidden disagreement.
Covetous Heart Behind Complaint
The cry of waste was compassion only in appearance, for Judas wanted the price for himself. He was a thief who habitually took for himself what had been entrusted to him for the poor, and had the ointment been sold the poor would not have benefited. His plea for the poor fund was therefore not care for the poor but a cover for greed, used to disguise his covetousness.
His indignation grew from a carnal, close, covetous and selfish heart ruled by love of money and avarice. He cherished covetousness, valued his Master only highly enough to betray Him for silver, and promoted saving as evidence of godliness. Inattentive to the comfort and wants of Jesus, he resented both the woman's gift and Christ's defense of her, and so turned the Gospel's call to mercy into an excuse for covetousness. By that false concern for the poor he stirred the others, leading them from misunderstanding of Mary's loving gratitude into distrust of her devotion and turning them against her act.
His covetous spirit had perverted his nobler nature and made him a fit agent for Satan to use in betraying Christ. Mary's generosity was a cutting rebuke to that disposition and prepared the way for Satan to find ready reception in his heart. When Jesus implied a rebuke of that covetousness Judas was annoyed, yielded to the tempter, and gave Satan easy access to his mind, with wounded pride and desire for revenge breaking down restraint until greed held him in control. Out of that yielding he decided to sell his Master to the murderous priests and rulers. Yet he had no thought Jesus would permit Himself to be taken, thinking the priests would be cheated of their bribe while he secured the money to use for some purpose of his own and Jesus would gain a new opportunity to display divine power in delivering Himself from His enemies.
Costly Love Vindicated Forever
What was denounced as waste was no waste at all, for even the most valuable treasures human beings could produce would not be too great a gift for Jesus. Those who have received His pardoning love do not pause to calculate the cost of what they give Him, regretting only that the offering was not richer and more valuable. The complaint measured the alabaster box of precious ointment by its sale price and treated its pouring out upon Christ as loss, but love does not weigh in that way.
Honoring Christ by giving the best of one's substance holds first place, while appealing to the needs of the poor against such giving misreads duty. Rightly serving His cause does not require neglecting the poor, for faithful stewards can care for both.
The act of love that onlookers called waste did not end at Simon's feast, for the memory of the broken alabaster box became a lasting influence. That memory has inspired many people to loving service and has prompted countless loving deeds through the centuries.
The outcry also stands as warning that selfishness can disguise itself as concern for others, as when covetousness pleaded that the ointment should have been sold for the poor. Covetous followers of Christ who value Him so lightly may abandon good principles for earthly gain, even to betray Him for silver. The first outward murmur and open opposition after long hidden disagreement exposed a long-indulged greed, and the reproof given turned wounded pride and desire for revenge into gall until greed held the man in control. So it is with everyone who keeps tampering with sin, that elements of depravity not resisted and overcome respond to Satan's temptation and the soul is led captive at his will.