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6 And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. 8 But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.” 10 But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. 11 For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. 12 For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. 13 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

 

Matthew turns to the anointing of Jesus with perfume (26:6-13).

26:6

And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper,

Shortly before Christ was crucified, He spent evenings in the town of Bethany east of Jerusalem. Simon the leper may have been healed by Jesus. Unhealed lepers were not allowed to live in the general population.

26:7

a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table.

Mary came to pour perfume oil on Jesus (Jn 12:3). She was sister to Martha and Lazarus (Lu 10:38-42; Jn 11:28-32; 12:1f). An alabaster flask was made of very expensive, fine marble.

26:8

But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste?

The perfume was worth about a year’s wage, so the disciples were incensed about this waste of money.

26:9

For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.”

Judas was the spokesman for the disciples (Jn 12:4-6).

26:10

But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me.

Jesus made it very clear that this act was proper.

26:11

For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always.

Jesus recognized the reality of ongoing poverty. This act for this time was a higher priority than meeting the needs of the poor.

26:12

For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial.

Mary’s action prepared Jesus’ body for burial as an act of devotion. Many people did not understand her. Her sister Martha could not understand her devotion when she sat at the feet of Jesus. Her neighbors misunderstood her leaving early to meet Jesus after He raised Lazarus from the dead (Jn 11:28-31).

26:13

Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

This act of devotion by Mary, as Jesus said, would be proclaimed throughout the world because it would be written down in Scripture. The entire world would know about this act of sacrifice. This was a woman who gave her best to the Lord.

PRINCIPLE:

We see extent of worship in degree of sacrifice.

APPLICATION:

Worship is of high priority to God. The death of Christ for our sins is at the heart of worship. We miss many opportunities to worship, as did the disciples in this passage. People will pick holes in our sacrificial giving as an act of worship. Utilitarian types will never understand the importance of sacrificial worship. Why spend all this money on missions?

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