For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.
At Simon's house in Bethany in the closing days of Christ's ministry, Mary's pouring of very precious spikenard upon Him was protested as waste that should have been sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor, a complaint first voiced by Judas and shared by the disciples through his insinuation. Her gift was bought at great personal sacrifice as grateful love for her brother's restoration to life, for forgiveness of many sins, for lifting her from despair and ruin, and for full faith in Him as Saviour. It was no waste, for sold for bread it would have fed only a few destitute persons for a short time, while poured out it was a faint representation of Christ's boundless love which He valued above its monetary worth. Jesus defended the penitent woman's deed as good, explaining that it prepared His body for burial while the poor would remain and He would not, and He bound that sacrifice of love with His own and immortalized it to be told wherever the gospel is preached. The appeal for the poor was a hollow pretense to disguise greed, for Judas cared nothing for the poor but controlled the money and stole from it and wanted the proceeds for himself. Christ's commendation wounded his pride and gave Satan access until greed gained control and he decided to sell his Master to the priests for money, while Mary represents the church in teaching that the special work of supporting the gospel ministry and preaching to every creature is not to be restricted under the plea of giving to the poor.
Setting and Protest
The protest belongs to the feast at Simon's house in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper in the closing days of Christ's ministry. It took place six days before the Passover, when Jesus on His way to Jerusalem stayed at the home of Lazarus to rest over the Sabbath. That stay caused great enthusiasm, and many flocked to Bethany, some out of sympathy with Jesus and others from curiosity to see Lazarus who had been raised from the dead. Lazarus told nothing of scenes after death because the dead know nothing, but he had been raised to bear with assurance and power the testimony that Jesus is the Son of God.
The verse records the protest that Mary's very precious ointment, a box of spikenard poured upon Christ's head as He sat at meat and upon His feet, was waste. The complaint counted the act unnecessary and treated the gift as thrown away. It claimed the ointment might have been sold for much, for three hundred pence, and the money given to the poor.
The complaint was first voiced by Judas the traitor, who used apparent concern for the poor to disguise his greed. Through his insinuation the disciples joined the indignation, distrusted Mary's loving act of devotion, and called it wasteful extravagance. Their words showed narrowness and that they begrudged Christ the gift.
Love Honored by Christ
Mary bought the costly ointment at great personal sacrifice in order to honor Jesus, believing He would soon be elevated to kingly authority and rejoicing that He would no longer be rejected or in danger. Her gift was judged as extravagance, but it was an act of love wrongly condemned as waste.
Her act was an expression of grateful love and devotion growing out of what Christ had done for her. She was grateful for her brother's restoration to life and held full faith in Christ as Saviour. She was grateful for the forgiveness of her many sins and for His raising of her brother. Through His grace she had been lifted out of despair and ruin, had overcome the demons that had controlled her, and had become His close follower and servant.
The gift was no waste, for sold for bread and clothing it would have fed only a small number of destitute persons for a short time with no certainty that they would have been really or lastingly benefited. Selling it would have cost Mary her one opportunity to give it to Jesus as an act of love and ministry. Poured out in gratitude it was a faint representation of Christ's boundless love and an outward testimony of her love for Him and appreciation of the world's Redeemer. Christ valued that love above the ointment's monetary worth, approving what was freely given in response to His own work for the poor and His comfort to the oppressed.
Jesus heard the remark and took into consideration the motive prompting the deed of the penitent woman. He defended the act as good and gave unqualified approval to her good work. He explained that it prepared His body for burial, while the poor would remain with them and He would not. He bound that sacrifice of love with His own sacrifice, the greatest the world has ever seen, and immortalized it to be told wherever the gospel is preached.
Her loving act became a lasting example that inspired many others to serve. Its remembered story prompted countless gifts to the Saviour's cause over the centuries. She will be able to see and rejoice in the lasting good her gift brought when its results are revealed in the day of God.
Covetousness Exposed and Applied
The plea to sell the ointment and give the money to the poor was not sincere mercy but a hollow pretense to disguise greed. Judas cared nothing for the welfare of the poor, for he controlled the disciples' money and stole from it, including money intended for their relief. He wanted the proceeds for himself, and had the ointment been sold the poor would not have benefited. His apparent concern led the disciples by insinuation to distrust Mary's loving act of devotion. Mary's gift itself expressed gratitude to Jesus for forgiving her many sins and for raising her brother, and it stood as a rebuke to that greed.
The objection showed narrowness and a begrudging spirit toward Christ, counting and calculating the sale value as money it might bring. It was the voice of a naturally questioning, criticizing and condemning spirit that finds fault with how others spend means, as when asking why a silk dress is worn or why money is spent for one thing instead of another worthy object. It misrepresented loving devotion as wasteful extravagance and unnecessary waste. Those who have received saving love do not make the offering a matter of price, but regret only that it was not more precious. Christ heard the remark and spoke in approval of what was condemned, taking into consideration the motive prompting the deed of the penitent woman and giving unqualified approval to her good work, valuing that love above monetary worth.
The complaint was Judas's first open murmur after long hidden disaffection in which until the feast in Simon's house he made no open opposition and seemed not to question the lessons. It manifested the covetous, selfish, avaricious and parsimonious spirit he had long indulged, regarding a generous gift to Jesus as wasteful while presenting saving as the great evidence of godliness in a man who was not teachable. That indulged greed crowded out the truth in his heart, perverted his nobler nature, took control and overpowered every other characteristic of his nature. It led him to appropriate to himself the treasure entrusted to him to defray the expenses of the church, and made him a fit agent for Satan to use. He valued Jesus so little that he would sell Him for a few pieces of silver.
Christ's answer in commendation of Mary was an implied rebuke of that covetousness, and the reproof wounded Judas's pride and annoyed him. At the reproof his spirit turned to gall, he was vexed still more, and a desire for revenge was stirred. In that annoyance he yielded to the tempter and gave Satan easy access to his mind, so that greed gained control of him. He then decided to sell his Master to the murderous priests and rulers for money, with no thought that Jesus would permit Himself to be taken. He thought the priests would be cheated of their bribe while he would secure the money for his own purpose, and that Jesus would gain a new opportunity to display divine power in delivering Himself from His enemies.
Mary represents the church, so the verse teaches the church in all ages that the special work for this time is not to be restricted under the plea of giving to the poor. All labor and all gifts are not to be bestowed upon the poor when resources are needed to support the gospel ministry and to preach the gospel to every creature in new fields and to support those carrying out Christ's commission. Honoring Christ by consecrating the best of means has priority, and love for Christ should be shown in acts of devotion, including honoring those who represent Him, freely given in response to His own work for the poor and His comfort to the oppressed. Faithful stewardship can also meet the poor's needs without neglecting them, with the cause of Christ coming first.
At Simon's house in Bethany in the closing days of Christ's ministry, Mary's pouring of very precious spikenard upon Him was protested as waste that should have been sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor, a complaint first voiced by Judas and shared by the disciples through his insinuation. Her gift was bought at great personal sacrifice as grateful love for her brother's restoration to life, for forgiveness of many sins, for lifting her from despair and ruin, and for full faith in Him as Saviour. It was no waste, for sold for bread it would have fed only a few destitute persons for a short time, while poured out it was a faint representation of Christ's boundless love which He valued above its monetary worth. Jesus defended the penitent woman's deed as good, explaining that it prepared His body for burial while the poor would remain and He would not, and He bound that sacrifice of love with His own and immortalized it to be told wherever the gospel is preached. The appeal for the poor was a hollow pretense to disguise greed, for Judas cared nothing for the poor but controlled the money and stole from it and wanted the proceeds for himself. Christ's commendation wounded his pride and gave Satan access until greed gained control and he decided to sell his Master to the priests for money, while Mary represents the church in teaching that the special work of supporting the gospel ministry and preaching to every creature is not to be restricted under the plea of giving to the poor.
Setting and Protest
The protest belongs to the feast at Simon's house in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper in the closing days of Christ's ministry. It took place six days before the Passover, when Jesus on His way to Jerusalem stayed at the home of Lazarus to rest over the Sabbath. That stay caused great enthusiasm, and many flocked to Bethany, some out of sympathy with Jesus and others from curiosity to see Lazarus who had been raised from the dead. Lazarus told nothing of scenes after death because the dead know nothing, but he had been raised to bear with assurance and power the testimony that Jesus is the Son of God.
The verse records the protest that Mary's very precious ointment, a box of spikenard poured upon Christ's head as He sat at meat and upon His feet, was waste. The complaint counted the act unnecessary and treated the gift as thrown away. It claimed the ointment might have been sold for much, for three hundred pence, and the money given to the poor.
The complaint was first voiced by Judas the traitor, who used apparent concern for the poor to disguise his greed. Through his insinuation the disciples joined the indignation, distrusted Mary's loving act of devotion, and called it wasteful extravagance. Their words showed narrowness and that they begrudged Christ the gift.
Love Honored by Christ
Mary bought the costly ointment at great personal sacrifice in order to honor Jesus, believing He would soon be elevated to kingly authority and rejoicing that He would no longer be rejected or in danger. Her gift was judged as extravagance, but it was an act of love wrongly condemned as waste.
Her act was an expression of grateful love and devotion growing out of what Christ had done for her. She was grateful for her brother's restoration to life and held full faith in Christ as Saviour. She was grateful for the forgiveness of her many sins and for His raising of her brother. Through His grace she had been lifted out of despair and ruin, had overcome the demons that had controlled her, and had become His close follower and servant.
The gift was no waste, for sold for bread and clothing it would have fed only a small number of destitute persons for a short time with no certainty that they would have been really or lastingly benefited. Selling it would have cost Mary her one opportunity to give it to Jesus as an act of love and ministry. Poured out in gratitude it was a faint representation of Christ's boundless love and an outward testimony of her love for Him and appreciation of the world's Redeemer. Christ valued that love above the ointment's monetary worth, approving what was freely given in response to His own work for the poor and His comfort to the oppressed.
Jesus heard the remark and took into consideration the motive prompting the deed of the penitent woman. He defended the act as good and gave unqualified approval to her good work. He explained that it prepared His body for burial, while the poor would remain with them and He would not. He bound that sacrifice of love with His own sacrifice, the greatest the world has ever seen, and immortalized it to be told wherever the gospel is preached.
Her loving act became a lasting example that inspired many others to serve. Its remembered story prompted countless gifts to the Saviour's cause over the centuries. She will be able to see and rejoice in the lasting good her gift brought when its results are revealed in the day of God.
Covetousness Exposed and Applied
The plea to sell the ointment and give the money to the poor was not sincere mercy but a hollow pretense to disguise greed. Judas cared nothing for the welfare of the poor, for he controlled the disciples' money and stole from it, including money intended for their relief. He wanted the proceeds for himself, and had the ointment been sold the poor would not have benefited. His apparent concern led the disciples by insinuation to distrust Mary's loving act of devotion. Mary's gift itself expressed gratitude to Jesus for forgiving her many sins and for raising her brother, and it stood as a rebuke to that greed.
The objection showed narrowness and a begrudging spirit toward Christ, counting and calculating the sale value as money it might bring. It was the voice of a naturally questioning, criticizing and condemning spirit that finds fault with how others spend means, as when asking why a silk dress is worn or why money is spent for one thing instead of another worthy object. It misrepresented loving devotion as wasteful extravagance and unnecessary waste. Those who have received saving love do not make the offering a matter of price, but regret only that it was not more precious. Christ heard the remark and spoke in approval of what was condemned, taking into consideration the motive prompting the deed of the penitent woman and giving unqualified approval to her good work, valuing that love above monetary worth.
The complaint was Judas's first open murmur after long hidden disaffection in which until the feast in Simon's house he made no open opposition and seemed not to question the lessons. It manifested the covetous, selfish, avaricious and parsimonious spirit he had long indulged, regarding a generous gift to Jesus as wasteful while presenting saving as the great evidence of godliness in a man who was not teachable. That indulged greed crowded out the truth in his heart, perverted his nobler nature, took control and overpowered every other characteristic of his nature. It led him to appropriate to himself the treasure entrusted to him to defray the expenses of the church, and made him a fit agent for Satan to use. He valued Jesus so little that he would sell Him for a few pieces of silver.
Christ's answer in commendation of Mary was an implied rebuke of that covetousness, and the reproof wounded Judas's pride and annoyed him. At the reproof his spirit turned to gall, he was vexed still more, and a desire for revenge was stirred. In that annoyance he yielded to the tempter and gave Satan easy access to his mind, so that greed gained control of him. He then decided to sell his Master to the murderous priests and rulers for money, with no thought that Jesus would permit Himself to be taken. He thought the priests would be cheated of their bribe while he would secure the money for his own purpose, and that Jesus would gain a new opportunity to display divine power in delivering Himself from His enemies.
Mary represents the church, so the verse teaches the church in all ages that the special work for this time is not to be restricted under the plea of giving to the poor. All labor and all gifts are not to be bestowed upon the poor when resources are needed to support the gospel ministry and to preach the gospel to every creature in new fields and to support those carrying out Christ's commission. Honoring Christ by consecrating the best of means has priority, and love for Christ should be shown in acts of devotion, including honoring those who represent Him, freely given in response to His own work for the poor and His comfort to the oppressed. Faithful stewardship can also meet the poor's needs without neglecting them, with the cause of Christ coming first.