Matthew 26:6-13
While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.
When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”
Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
In his commentary on Matthew (“Matthew: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament), David Turner draws a line. Jesus (the Protagonist) on one side and the religious leaders (the Antagonist) on the other. Judas finds his place next to the religious leaders for reasons we will discuss soon. In the middle stand the disciples, still trying to make sense of what is happening, and as this passage shows, not having much success. In between Jesus and the disciples, we find this unnamed woman who has chosen rightly what side of the line to be on.
I find the comparison of the woman’s actions and the disciple’s reaction rather amazing. To be honest, though, I cringe to imagine what my reaction would be (and how it probably would not change the story) if I were in the seat of one of the disciples. Jesus has just clearly laid out where he is headed (Jerusalem) and why (to die). They are only a few miles away from the city as they sit in this home of Simon the Leper. “The Leper” is most likely a holdover title from before Simon was healed by Jesus. Sitting in this man’s home so close to Passover leads us to safe waters that Simon has been healed and no one is unclean by being in the home of “the Leper”. With confidence, this unnamed woman walks in and anoints the head of Jesus. Chrysostom believes that the healing of Simon and Jesus’ visit with him gave her all the confidence she needed: “Yet she saw that Jesus had both healed the man and had gone into his house. She grew confident that he could also easily wipe away the uncleanness from her soul.”((Chrysostom, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, 2002. 240.)) She got it! She knows what side to be on. The disciples are still figuring it out.
Their fake indignation proves it. “Think of all the pour people we could have served had we sold that bottle!” Growing up in our home it was “Think of the kids in starving countries that plate of food could help!” I loved my home growing up and had very generous parents but feeding the “starving kids in poor countries” was not something we did very often. All that to say, the disciples were claiming a priority they did not have. They certainly missed the point of what this woman was doing.
Jesus knew though. Whether this woman was fully aware of it or not, she was helping to prepare his body for death. She was lavishing her love and commitment to the Savior of the world. Jesus alludes to Deuteronomy 15 in his response to the disciples. Giving to the poor is important and something we ought to do. This act, however, has a deeper significance. The time is now to cross the line to Jesus’ side as he prepares for the cross.
Suggested Reading/Engagement this week
A. Read this passage a few times (Matthew 26:6-13)
1. What do you want to say to me, God, through this passage?
2. How can I praise God from what I read in this passage?
3. From this passage, how can I lavish love on Jesus this week?
B. Fast and pray (as led by the Lord), asking the Lord to draw you closer to Himself as you lavish love on Him.