Jesus' act of kindness inspires gratitude

JESUS WAS COMPLEMENTARY
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Matthew 26:10 10Aware of this, Jesus said to them,
"Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a
beautiful thing to me.
Something Done For Jesus BY SPURGEON
“She has workeda goodwork upon Me.”
Matthew 26:10
STUDY carefully the story of the enthusiastic Christian woman who poured
the alabasterbox of very precious ointment upon the head of our ever-blessed
Lord and Savior. Honored as that action is by the universal Church of God, it
did not escape criticismamong the religious people of her own day. The
disciples censuredher but Christ defended her–and in the course of His
vindication of her He said, “Why trouble you the women? For she has worked
a goodwork upon Me.” There is no reasonfor troubling gracious men and
women–andspeciallyno cause forso doing when their work is goodand is
done for their Lord. Yet are there plenty of critics around us this day and we
could spare a few of them from our own immediate neighborhood. They are
only able to worry us so far as we think of them and therefore we will let the
wasps alone and feed upon the honey which flows from the lips of our Lord
Jesus.
Observe that this womanhad workeda goodwork–goodin intent and goodin
itself. Her Lord saidso and His verdict ends all debate. Observe especially
that her good work was a good work upon the Lord Jesus. It was of no
immediate benefit to anybody else nor was it meant to be. “This ointment
might have been sold for much and given to the poor.” So Judas and the other
disciples said. The 500 pence which it would have produced might have been

spent on bread and so have fed many poor people. But she expended it on
Jesus and meant that it should all be used in His honor and that only.
Pooror not poor, she thought only of Him. The ointment might have been
used for certainpurposes at festivals, or otherwise, and so have been more or
less beneficialto a number of persons–buton this occasionthe benefit was to
the Lord alone–andshe meant it to be so. On this accountthe practical
philanthropist calledit, “waste.”Is anything wastedwhich is all for Jesus? It
might rather seemas if all would be wastedwhich was not given to Him!
This box of precious ointment was all for Him. Other persons in the room
might smell the sweetperfume but that was not what the grateful woman
aimed at–she intended all the sweetnessforJesus–itwas a goodwork worked
upon Him. The woman’s thought was that she would honor the Lord. Her
only intention was to show her reverence for Him–and provided He should be
pleasedwith her deed, she would be perfectly content–thoughno one else
might be gratified. Her first and last thoughts were for the Lord Jesus
Himself.
We know from another Evangelistthat she broke the alabasterbox. Was
there need for that? Not in order that the ointment might be poured forth. She
might, we should suppose, have opened the box in a less hasty manner. But the
manner of a gift has frequently as much in it as the matter of a gift. She broke
the box to display her eagerness andto show that the choicestthing she had
was not goodenough for Jesus. She banished every notion of economywhen
she thought of her Lord. If she had possessed10,000 times as much, she would
have given it all to Him and have poured it out without a thought!
She did not count her offering a lavish expenditure–she would have made it
lavish if it had been in her power. She would have no saving of pots and
calculating of pennyworths when He was in the case–there shouldbe no trace
of stinginess in her homage to her Lord. It was, therefore, as necessarythat
she should break the box as that she should pour out the ointment, for she
wanted to show that she loved her Savior immeasurably–and she wished to
express to Him, as best she could–her intense venerationof Him and her
ardent affectionfor Him. Had some of us been there, we might have calledit
eccentricity, or fanaticism, or precipitancy, or waste. Butshe did not care
what onlookers might have to say–heronly considerationwas whatJesus
might think. To please Him was the height and range of her ambition. Happy
woman, to have reachedthis gracious absorption!
The goodwork which she performed was, far beyond her own thought, a most
appropriate one. Love is ever wise. Jesus wasa King. He had ridden through

the streets ofJerusalemin triumph. The multitude had strewn branches in
His path. They had saluted Him with hosannas. Theyhad done much by way
of coronation, but they had not anointed Him. Why this omission? She will
anoint Him if no one else will. Her hands shall bring out the perfumed nerd
and pour the precious ointment upon the King of Israel!He was a Priest, too,
and especiallya pardoning Priestto her. She recognizedHis sacred
priesthood–but the oil that fell on Aaron’s head had never, literally, fallen
upon the head of Jesus and therefore she must anoint Him plenteously till the
oil not only ran to the skirts of His garment, but filled all the house where they
were sitting.
As King and as Priestshe will take care that He is not without a costly
anointing. Moreover, it was customary to anoint pilgrims for their
refreshment at the end of a long journey when they came into the house. The
host on this occasionhad neglectedthis actof courtesy. It was mostsuitable,
then, that when this great Lord of Pilgrims, whose path had been wearyand
woeful and had, at length, nearly ended His years of travel in this thorny
wilderness–itwas, I say, most suitable that He should receive refreshment
from the woman’s hospitable hand. Weary and worn was He and she would
gladly anoint Him with the oil of gladness. Thoughothers had rejectedHim,
she anointed His head and acknowledgedthe way-wornTraveleras the
noblest Guestearth ever entertained!
In all this her gooddeed was fit and seasonable. Do you disagree?Our Lord
said–andhere I am free from all charge of following my own fancy, and am
sure to be correct–thatthere was anothermeaning more remarkable by far.
Whether this woman, with some prophetic spirit resting upon her, saw further
into our Lord’s words than His disciples did, we do not know–but Jesus
declaredthat she did it for His burial–as it were, embalming Him a little
before the time for His closely-approaching sojournin the tomb. There was a
greatappropriateness, then, in the act!And we think more appropriateness
than she, herself, knew of at the time she did it! But it is ever so with loving
hearts–reasondoes notguide them–by a kind of holy instinct they hit upon the
right thing.
Where reasonlaboriouslyfinds out wisdom, love discovers it at once. There
are instincts of pure hearts that are more to be trusted than the conclusions of
argumentative minds. The safestlogic is often that of the heart when at once it
devises liberal things for Jesus. Mind you never set that logic aside. Here love
devised the very deed that was required–the fittest actionthat could have been
imagined under the sad circumstances so nearat hand. To come back to the
point, however, which the womanwas aiming at, she did all this, appropriate

or not, to Jesus. It was a goodwork–butthe point of it was that it was a good
work workedon Him.
On this occasionI wish to speak ofgoodworks workedon Jesus and therefore
I shall not be speaking to you all. Many of you are incapable of working a
goodwork for Christ for you are not savedyet. How can an evil tree bring
forth goodfruit? How canthose who do not believe in Jesus do anything for
Him? It is not yet time for you to do anything for Him. Your first business is
that He should do everything for you. You must go to Him as guilty sinners
and find mercy in Him. I speak atthis time only to those who have trusted in
the Lord Jesus and so have been setapart by Him and sanctifiedforever by
His one Sacrifice.
These, owing as they do, so much to their Lord, are those to whom I would
speak now, and say, Render unto Him goodworks that shall terminate in Him
and shall be made to express your love to Him. Goodworks workedupon
Jesus or solelyin reference to Him are to be our subject. Very briefly we shall
notice the feelings prompting this kind of service. Secondly, we shall mention
modes of such service. Thirdly, we shall give counselor careful notes to be
observedin such service. And then we shall conclude with a word by way of
defense of service of this sort.
1. And first, THERE ARE FEELINGS WHICH PROMPT TRUE
BELIEVERS TO DO WORKS AS UNTO CHRIST. To bring forth
these peculiar services, certainfeelings move within the Believer’s
bosom. The first and the most powerful, probably, is gratitude. “We
love Him because He first loved us.” He lived for us. He died for us. He
rose for us. He pleads for us. We owe all to Him.
The natural impulse of the renewedheart is to say, “What can I do for Him? I
love His people, but I love Him best. I love His ministers, but He is beyond
them all. I love His cause onthe earth, but I love Him better. While I owe
much to His Church and to His ministers, I owe mostto Him. I want to tell
Him how I love Him. I want to show Him, by some direct act done for Him,
that my heart adores Him for all that He has done for me.”
BelovedBrothers and Sisters, have you ever felt that way? I have often felt,
even towards a kind earthly friend, that while I have been thankful for his gift
and for his help rendered, I have longed, also, to do something for the person
helping me. When I have not known the person who helped me in my good
work, I have wanted to know him–not from curiosity, but that I might say
how grateful I felt to the giver of such kindness. How often I have had my
hand graspedby loving persons who have said, “I wantedto tell you that you

led me to the Savior!” They wanted to say it to me and often have they written
to me and cheeredmy heart because they felt a personalgratitude which
needed a personalexpression.
A poor woman once forcedme with tears to receive a small sum of money for
myself. I declined it till I saw that it would hurt her feelings, for she had
evidently longed for this opportunity for expressing her thankfulness for the
sermons she had read. If we feelthus towards an earthly friend, how much
more shall we feelit towards Him who has savedus by His blood! Do you not
want to behold Him, that you may tell Him how you love Him? Do you not feel
prompted to devise some new method by which your love canmanifest itself
before the Beloved’s eyes, not in word only, but in deed and in truth?
Another feeling that will prompt us to the same course is that of deep
veneration. One has admired the personalCharacterof Jesus with a sacred
admiration, thinking of Him as the Son of Man in perfection and then as God
over all, blessedforever. We have first fallen at His feetin humble worship
and then, when we have risen, we have said to our altogether-lovelyLord,
“Oh, that I could serve such a One as You are! Show me what You would
have me do. Only do me the honor to allot me a service which I may render
unto You, for he is more than a king who is honored to be the lowestmenial in
Your court. He who reigns over nations is not so happy as the man who is
subject to Your rule. It is a delight to pay You homage.” It is our Heaven to
think that we may be permitted to serve such a Christ and to work a good
work upon Him.
Then, oftentimes, the feeling of sympathy will come in and blend itself with
veneration. Such sympathy is by no means to be condemned, but to be
commended. I mean by sympathy, this–have you not felt, when you have
heard of our Redeemer’s sufferings and death, that He deserveda great
reward for them? Have you not wished that you could put a crown upon His
head for having so disinterestedlylaid down His life for His enemies? We have
sometimes sung in this house with all our hearts those words–
“Let Him be crownedwith majesty
Who bowed His head to death;
And be His honor sounded high
By all things that have breath.”
We have said in our hearts, “How can we fitly honor this paragonof
perfection, this mirror of unbounded love? Such a One as He is, having
suffered so deeply, ought to be rewarded plenteously with the honor of all who
can appreciate a great and noble deed.”

That feeling of sympathy has been intensified when we have seenthat, instead
of honor, our Lord Jesus Christ receives coldnessfrom the sons of men. No,
worse than that, He is persecutedby their blasphemy and hounded by their
hatred! Have you not felt, when you have heard His holy name blasphemed, as
if you would blot that blasphemy out with your blood if you could? When you
have seenHis sacredDaydishonored and the truths of the Gospeldenied, has
not your soulburned within you? Have you not said, “What shall I do for this
despisedSavior–maltreatedby those whom He has blessed–andcrucified
afreshand put to an open shame, even by these who profess to be His
disciples–malignedby those who callthemselves His ministers? O Master,
might I but do something to wipe out these blots–to remove these slurs upon
Your sacredname?”
That feeling of sympathy with Jesus, working with veneration and backed
with gratitude will lead us to attempt brave deeds of love for Him–for Him
personally, I mean. In the midst of all this, as a centralflame burning like the
sun in the centerof the lesserlights, our affectionfor Jesus will make us long
to serve Him. We love our dear ones upon earth, but we love Jesus better than
all of them put together. We love our Brethren for Jesus'sake,but He is the
chief among 10,000andthe altogetherlovely. We could not live without Him!
To enjoy His company is bliss to us–forHim to hide His face from us is our
midnight of sorrow. In comparisonwith that, all other sorrows are but the
shades of grief, but His departure would be the substance ofdistress.
And, Master, whenwe have lookedatYou and seenthe nail prints and beheld
the scaron Your side. When we have beheld You standing before Your
Father’s Throne still pleading for us and revealing Your undying affection
towards us, Your chosen–inYour intercessionforus–we have said, “We must
serve Him. We must find out some way by which we may give Him more
honor.” Oh, that I had a crown to castat His feet!Oh, that I could make new
songs to be sung before Him! Oh, that I could write fresh music for angelic
harps! Oh, for the powerto live, to die, to labor, to suffer as unto Him and
unto Him alone!
You know better than I can tell you, many of you, what these aspirations are.
I am merely traversing a road with which you are continually familiar. Let us
keepcompany in thought and may I beg that, on some sunny day, when my
Lord gives me specialwork to do for Him, you will be at my side with your
gifts and efforts of love for His dear name!
II. I shall pass on, in the next place, to notice THE MODES IN WHICH THIS
SUGGESTEDSERVICE OF GOOD WORKS DONE UNTO HIM MAY
SHOW ITSELF. Holy Spirit, help me! We will begin, as it were, at the base of

the pyramid and go upward. And we may commence by saying that the entire
life of the Christian ought to be, in many respects, a goodwork done unto
Christ. Albeit that there must be in our life an eye to the goodof our fellow
men, yet may we do it all unto the Lord.
The same Law which says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your
heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength,” adds, “and your
neighbor as yourself,” which proves that it does not necessarilytake awayany
part of our love from God when we act in love to our fellow men. The duties of
life, though they are to be done with a view to our neighbor as God’s will
requires, still ought, in the highest sense, to be performed mainly with an eye
to the glory of Christ and out of love to Him. The servant is bid to work, “as
unto the Lord and not unto men.” The master, also, ought to discharge his
duties knowing that he has a Masterin Heaven–and the thought of that
Masterabove should guide him in all he does.
O Christian Brothers and Sisters, whateveryour calling, discharge the duties
of it with a view to glorifying Him whose name, as Christians, you bear! So let
it be in every relation of life. Should not the child seek to honor Christ by
being like the holy Child Jesus? Shouldnot the parent devote his child to
Christ, earnestlypraying that he may grow up in the fear of the Lord and
may serve the Lord? Every lawful relationship can be consecrated!In every
condition of life we canglorify Jesus!In all the moral obligations of life, Jesus
should be before us. We should be honest not only for our reputation’s sake–
for that would be an unworthy motive–but for Christ’s sake!
Would we have Christ’s disciples called “thieves”? We shouldbe sternly
upright, never by any means under suspicionof untruth or double-dealing–
because we serve the Lord Christ who is faithful and true. Of us more is
expectedthan of others since we serve a better Masterthan all others. God
has done more for us! We have a clearerinterestin the precious blood of
Jesus and therefore the common virtues of life ought to be exhibited in us to
their fullest extent by the help of the Holy Spirit–so shall we do everything as
unto the Lord Jesus.
The Christian must look to certain matters ordinarily overlookedin common
life, for Christ’s sake. Forinstance, that of forgiveness ofinjuries. Some will
not forgive at all–this is fatal to all hope of salvation. Others will forgive but
not till after some considerable time of wrath–gooddelayedis evil indulged.
But you, Christian, you are to do a goodwork upon Christ by forgiving for
His sake. He has forgiven you and therefore you will forgive others freely and
continually. Your revenge is the noble vengeance ofheaping coals of the fire of
kindness upon your enemy’s head! You might have struck him, but for

Christ’s sake you bless him! No words of wrath shall defile your lips for love
commands silencewithinthose gates of coral. You see Christ, as it were,
covering your foe with His own merit, and you say, “ForHis sake Iforgive
you.” May your whole life, then, ordinarily be lived as unto Jesus and may
specialgems of forgiveness glistenin it!
Now go a step higher. That which is purely Christian work ought to be done
also upon Him and for Him. I mean by Christian work, evangelicalservice
which grows out of the plan of salvation. I refer to those things peculiar to
Christians–suchas spreading the Gospel, teaching, instructing, consoling,
almsgiving and the like. All this should be done for Jesus more really than it
often is. And that other part of Christian service, namely, endurance–the
bearing of shame for Christ’s sake, the patient suffering of the will of God in
Providence–allthis should be done for Christ most distinctly.
I know there will be a secondmotive here, as in the former, and properly so.
When I preach, I have an earnestdesire to do goodto my hearers–Ioughtto
have such a desire. But yet, I desire to be moved by a higher motive than love
to your souls. I desire that, by the stirring up of your minds, Christ may get
glory–that you may be led to do something for Him which will bring Him
honor and please Him. May you as saints be prosperedthat the Lord of saints
may be honored! I look through you to Jesus.
We ought to go to our Sunday schoolclass with the view of doing goodto the
children. Yet, above that object must rise the higher object, namely, the
honoring of Christ through those children. We seek the goodof the children
for Christ’s sake.Visit the sick, orpreach in the street, or distribute your
tracts–dearBrothers and Sisters, in doing these things you do well–but do not
forgetto perform these acts as unto the Lord or else you will miss the flower
and crownof your service. I am sure it will be sweeterto do your work and
easierto do it and at the same time it will be better for your own souls and you
may more surely expect the Divine blessing if you do all for Jesus'sake.
And the same with the other branch of Christian service, namely, endurance–
let us take up our cross becauseit is His Cross and we bear it after Him. Oh,
to lie still and suffer without a murmur! Oh, to be silent under the shears
because our ownblessedLord was like a sheepbefore her shearers and
opened not His mouth! Oh, to be able to bear sarcasm, ridicule,
misrepresentationand even actualloss of this world’s goods forthe sake of
Jesus–andto bear them meekly and even joyfully–because it comes for His
sake!

To bear suffering for Jesus would be a novelty to some Christians, but to the
true Believerit is an exquisite delicacy. To suffer distinctly for Jesus is to
work a work on His most blessedSelf. I place this on a higher range than the
last setof duties which I mentioned, but still, we have not yet come to the
purest form of goodworks workedupon the Personof our Lord Jesus. We
will go a step higher.
There are works of the consecrationof our substance. In these all Christians
ought to abound. It is ours to give often, give largely, give even till we feel the
pinch of giving! But we must take care that we truly give as to the Lord. When
you give your money to the Church of God to maintain the preaching of the
Gospel, or to assistmissionaryenterprise, or whatever else the Church has in
hand, you are doing a good work to others. You are helping on the Gospel
which has been a blessing to you and will be a blessing to them. But, over and
above that, your desire should be to do it as unto the Lord. In giving what we
can of our substance it is sweetto lay it at His feet–notregarding it so much as
going into the treasury of the Church–as going into the hands of the crucified
Savior.
We give for His sake who gave Himself for us. We long that His kingdom may
come and that He may see of the travail of His soul. The same should be true
of what is bestowedupon the poor. When you noiselesslyand quietly give to
the poor, who need your help, you are doing it for Christ–if such, indeed, is
your motive–and it ought always to be so. We are getting still nearer to the
point when we give to the Lord’s poor because the poor saints are in living
union with Jesus–theyare a part of Christ’s body–and in giving to them we
are giving to Christ Jesus Himself. When we feed and clothe and cherish poor
agedBelievers because theybelong to Christ, we are getting very near to that
state of mind in which this goodwoman was when she workedthe goodwork
upon Christ.
I suppose the day will come in this age of novel reforms when we must not
dare to help the poor and needy. We can hardly do so now without coming
under the censure of the schoolofhard economists. I see notices in the
windows requesting us by no means to give alms. I should like to put at the
bottom of such placards the text of Scripture which commands us to give to
him that asks ofus! Law or no law, I trust when a Christian sees a case of
necessity, he will not be held back by any motives of political economy, or any
of the hard and fastteachings of the socialscientists. In your almsgivings see
to it that while you do good unto all men, you do it speciallyunto the
household of faith.

“Oh,” cries one, “you may very soonbe found helping a personthat does not
deserve it.” No doubt about it! But you have a greatdeal better to do than
neglectthose who should have your aid. If we give as unto the Lord because
He bids us do it, and for His sake, ifany put our charity to an evil use the sin
will lie with them, and not with us. If in any cases applicants have deceivedus,
yet our act of charity is acceptable to God. Never give for the sake ofbeing
thought generous–thatspoils it all–that is not giving, but buying a certain
amount of respectat so much a pound. Nevercontribute to Church work, nor
to the help of the poor merely to gratify the instinct within you which finds it
hard to say, “No”–butdo it because,if Christ askedyou, you would give Him
anything and you feelthat when His poor have need you are bound to help
them for His sake.
We will go a step higher, dear Brethren. There are two greatduties which the
Lord has appointed for His people, only–and these we should observe because
they are appointed by Him. I refer to the two commands regarding Baptism
and the Supper of the Lord. In keeping these commandments there is a great
reward to our own souls but we ought to come as Believers to be baptized out
of love to Jesus. We ought not to ask, “Whatis the goodof this?” We may not
say, “Shall I getanything by it?” But we are to simply say this, “He bade me
and I will do it for the love I bear His name.” I feelshockedwhenI hear
people say, “But it is not essentialto salvation.”
You mean and beggarlyspirit! Will you do nothing but what is essentialto
your own salvation? A Pharisee ora harlot might talk so!Is this your love to
Christ–that you will not obey Him unless He shall pay you for it? Unless He
shall make your soul’s salvationdepend upon it? Oh, if you love the Master,
the leastof His commandments will seemvery precious in your sight and you
will feelthat because you love Him you obey Him! If obedience to an
ordinance should bring you no goodwhatever–ifJesus bade you, it is enough
for you–whateverit may be. Indeed, it is all the sweeterto do the Lord’s
bidding when no trace of personalgain can be found mingling with the
motive.
So, too, when we approachthe table of communion we shall geta blessing
there if we come aright–but I think we too often fail to remember that we
should sit at the holy table with the sole view of honoring the Lord who in that
festival is remembered. He says that we are to show His death until He comes.
It is to Him that the feastis dedicated. To keepup the memory of His death
and to testify the fact to others we eatof the bread and drink of the cup. We
celebrate the sacredsupper for our Lord’s sake–notbecauseofChurch rules,
nor because it is the custom of the brotherhood so to do–noreven because it is

a hallowedrefreshment to our own hearts. We commune at the sacredfeast
out of love to the Well-Beloved.
But I will come to the point by saying, dear Brothers and Sisters, seek to do
something for Jesus which shall even be above all this a secretsacrificeof
pure love to Jesus. Do specialand private work towards your Lord. Between
you and your Lord let there be secretlove tokens. You will say to me, “What
shall I do?” I decline to answer. I am not to be a judge for you–especiallyas to
a private deed of love. The goodwoman in our text did not say to Peter,
“What shall I give?” nor to John, “Whatshall I do?” Her heart was inventive.
I will only saythat we might offer more private prayer for the Lord Jesus.
“Prayeralso shall be made for Him continually.” Intercede for your
neighbors. Pray for yourselves. But could you not set apart a little time each
day in which prayer should be all for Jesus?
Could you not at such seasonscrywith secretpleadings, “Hallowedbe Your
name! Your kingdom come!Your will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven”?
Would it not be a sweetthing to feel at such a time–“I shall now go up to my
chamber and give my Lord a few minutes of my heart’s warmestprayer that
He may see of the travail of His soul”? That is one thing which all saints can
attend to. Another holy offering is adoration–the adoring of Jesus. Do we not
too often forgetthis adorationin our assemblies, orthrust it into a corner?
The best part of all our public engagements is the worship–the direct worship.
And in this the first place should be given to the worship of the Lord Jesus.
We sing at times to edify one another with Psalms and hymns, but we should
also sing simply and only to glorify Jesus. We are to do this in company, but
should we not do it alone, also? Ought we not all, if we can, to find a seasonin
which we shall spend the time–not in seeking the goodof our fellow men, not
in seeking our own good–butin adoring Jesus, blessing Him, magnifying Him,
praising Him, pouring forth our heart’s love towards Him and presenting our
soul’s reverence and penitence?
I suggestthis to you–I cannot teachyou how to do it. God’s Holy Spirit must
show your hearts the way. But let me entreat you to believe that it will be no
wastedthing if on Him the goodwork of prayer and adorationshall begin and
end on Him. It will be a right thing and well done of you if the Lord Jesus has
for Himself the choicestofyour thoughts, emotions, words and deeds. Oh, that
all that we have could be laid at His feet! It would be no waste, but the proper
use of all our goodthings.
III. But time fails me and therefore I must, thirdly, and with extreme brevity,
OFFER YOU A WORD OR TWO OF ADVICE ABOUT DOING GOOD

WORKS FOR JESUS. Take care that selfnever creeps in. It is to be all for
Jesus–letnot the foul fingers of self-seekingstainyour work. Neverdo
anything for Jesus out of love for popularity. Be always glad if your right
hand does not know what your left hand does. Hide your works as much as
possible from the praise of the most judicious friend.
At the same time let me also add, never have any fear of censure from those
who know not your love to Jesus. This goodwoman did her work publicly
because it was the best way to honor her Lord. And if you canhonor Him by
doing a goodwork in the marketplace before all men, do not be afraid. To
some the temptation may be to court the public eye–to others the temptation
may be to dread it. Serve your Lord as if no eyes beheld you–and do not blush
though all the eyes in the universe should gaze upon you. Let not self, in either
case, come in to defile the service.
Nevercongratulate yourself after you have workeda work for Jesus. If you
say unto yourself, “Well done!” you have sacrificedunto yourself. Always feel
that if you had done all as it should be done it would still be but your
reasonable service.Rememberthat deeds of self-sacrifice are mostacceptable
to Jesus. He loves His people’s gifts when they give and feel that they have
given. Oftentimes we are to measure what we do for Him not by what we have
given, but by what we have left after giving–and if we have much left we have
not given as much as that widow who gave two mites–no, for certain we have
not–for she gave “all her living.”
Let us, above all, keepout of our heart the thought which is so common in this
generallife–that nothing is worth doing unless something practicalcomes out
of it–meaning by “practical” some manifestresult upon the morals or
temporals of others. It is almost universal to ask the question, Cui bono?–
“What is the goodof it? What goodwill it do to me? What goodwill it do to
my neighbor? To what purpose is this waste?”No, but if it will glorify Christ,
do it! And acceptthat motive as the highest and most conclusive of reasons. If
a deed done for Christ should bring you into disesteemand threaten to
deprive you of usefulness, do it none the less!I count my own character,
popularity and usefulness to be as the small dust of the balance compared
with fidelity to the Lord Jesus.
It is the devil’s logic which says, “You see I cannot come out and avow the
Truth of God because Ihave a sphere of usefulness which I hold by
temporizing with what I fear may be false.” O Sirs, what have we to do with
consequences?Let the heavens fall but let the goodman be obedient to his
Masterand loyal to His Truth. O man of God, be just and fear not! The
consequencesare with God– not with you! If you have done a goodwork unto

Christ, though it should seemto your poor bleared eyes as if greatevil has
come of it, yet you have done it, Christ has acceptedit and He will note it
down and in your conscienceHe will smile you His approval.
IV. I will not detain you longer, but just close by saying that THERE IS A
GOOD DEFENSE FOR ANY KIND OF WORK WHICH YOU MAY DO
UNTO JESUS AND UNTO JESUS ONLY. Howeverlarge the cost, nothing is
wastedwhich is expended upon the Lord, for Jesus deservesit. What if it did
no service to any other–did it please Him? He has a right to it! Is nothing to be
done for the Masterof the feast? Are we to be so looking after the sheep as
never to do honor to the Shepherd? Are the servants to be caredfor and may
we do nothing for the Well-BelovedLord Himself?
I have sometimes felt in my soul the wish that I had none to serve but my
Lord. When I have tried to do my best to serve God and a cool-bloodedcritic
has pulled my work to pieces, I have thought, “I did not do it for you! I would
not have done it for you! I did it for my Lord! Your judgment is a small
matter. You condemn my zeal for the Truth of God. You condemn what He
commends.” Thus may you go about your service, my Brothers and Sisters,
and feel, “I do it for Christ, and I believe that Christ accepts my service and I
am wellcontent.” Jesus deserves thatthere should be much done altogether
for Him. Do you doubt it?
There is brought into the house, on his birthday, a presentfor Father. That
present is of no use to Mother, or to the children. It cannotbe eaten. It cannot
be worn, but Fatherwould not give it away to anybody–it is of no value to
anybody but himself. Does anybody say, “Whata pity it was to selectsuch a
gift, even though Father is pleased”? No, everybodysays, “Thatis just the
thing we like to give to Father, since he must keepit for himself. We meant it
to be for him! We had no thought of anything else–andwe are gladthat he
must use our gift for his own pleasure.”
So with regard to Jesus. Find out what will please Him and do it for Him!
Think of no one else in the matter. He deserves allyou can do and infinitely
more. Besides, youmay depend upon it that any actionwhich appears to you
useless, ifyou do it prompted by love, it has a place in Christ’s plan and will
be turned to high account. This anointing of our Lord’s head was saidto be
useless. “No,”saidJesus, “itfalls in just in its proper place–she has done it for
My burial.”
There have been men who have done an heroic deed for Christ and at the time
they did it they might have asked, “How will this serve my Lord’s purpose?”
But somehow it was the very thing that was needed. When Whitefield and

Wesleyturned out into the fields to preach, it was thought to be a fanatical
innovation and perhaps they, themselves, would not have ventured upon it if
there had not been an absolute necessity. But by what seemedto that age a
daring deed they setthe example to all England and open-air preaching has
become an acceptedagencyoflarge value! If you, for Christ’s sake, become
Quixotic, never mind–your folly may be the wisdom of ages to come!
Once again, the woman’s loving act was not wastedfor it has helped us all
down to this very moment. There it has stoodin the Bible–and all who have
read it and are right in heart–have been fired by it to sacredconsecrationout
of love to Jesus. Thatwoman has been a preacherto 19 centuries–the
influence of that alabasterbox is not exhausted today and never will be!
Whenever you meet a friend in Europe, Asia, Africa, or America who has
done anything unto our Lord Jesus, you still smell the perfume of the sacred
spikenard! Her consecratedactis doing all of us goodat this hour–it is filling
this house with fragrance!
If you are serving Christ in your own secretwayin which you do not so much
seek to benefit others as to honor Him, it may be you will be an instructive
example to saints in ages to come. Oh, that I could stir some hearts here to a
personalconsecrationto Jesus, my Lord! Young men, we need missionaries to
go abroad–are none of you ready to go? Young women, we need those who
will look after the sick in the lowesthaunts of London–will none of you
consecrate yourselves to Jesus, the Savior?
I shook hands, after the sermon this morning, with a goodmissionary of
Christ from WesternAfrica. He had been there 16 years. I believe that they
reckonfour years to be the average ofa missionary’s life in that malaria
region. He had buried 12 of his companions in the time. For12 years he has
scarcelyseenthe face of a white man. He was going to Africa to live a little
while longer, perhaps, but he expectedto die soon. And then he added, (I
thought sweetly), as I shook his hand, “Well, many of us may die–perhaps
hundreds of us will do so–but Christ will win at the last! Africa will know and
will fear our Lord Jesus!And what does it matter what becomes ofus–our
name, our reputation, our health, our life–if Jesus wins at the last?”
What heroic words!What a missionary spirit! Live in that spirit, dear
Brothers and Sisters, and in that spirit come now to the communion table!
Amen. PORTION OF SCRIPTUREREAD BEFORESERMON–Matthew
26:1-16.HYMNS FROM “OUR OWN HYMN BOOK”–803, 660, 663.

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The Gospels Compared
Chapter Specific
Adam Clarke Commentary
Why trouble ye the woman? - Or, Why do ye put the woman to pain? See this
sense ofκοπους παρεχειν, establishedby Kypke in loco. A generous mind is
ever pained when it is denied the opportunity of doing good, or when its
proffered kindness is refused.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Bibliography
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on Matthew 26:10". "The Adam Clarke
Commentary". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/matthew-
26.html. 1832.
return to 'Jump List'
Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible
But Jesus perceiving it said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she
hath wrought a goodwork upon me.
Christ's words indicate that Mary herself had been reproachedby Judas and
the others regarding the "waste"!They would have restrained her if they
could have done so, recovereda part of the ointment, and placed the price of it
in the bag. Jesus intervened in Mary's behalf and uttered a strong approval of
this "goodwork" upon his person. Of specialnote is the definition of a "good
work." Some apparently believe that "goodwork" in the church is a matter of
leading public prayers or passing the collectionplate; but the fact that
sacrificialgiving is also a goodwork should not be overlooked. Those who
truly want to perform a "goodwork" for Christ will not find the application
hard to make.
Copyright Statement
James Burton Coffman Commentaries reproduced by permission of Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. All other rights reserved.
Bibliography

Coffman, James Burton. "Commentary on Matthew 26:10". "Coffman
Commentaries on the Old and New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bcc/matthew-26.html. Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
When Jesus understood it,.... The indignation of his disciples at this actionof
the woman's;which he might know, as man, partly by their looks, andpartly
by their words; though without these, as God, he knew the secretindignation,
and private resentment of their minds:
he said unto them, why trouble ye the woman? by blaming her, and censuring
the actionshe had done; as it must, no doubt, greatly trouble her to meet with
such treatment from the disciples of Christ: had any of the Pharisees blamed
her conduct, it would have given her no pain or uneasiness;but that Christ's
own disciples should show indignation at an action done by her from a sincere
love to Christ, and to do honour to him, must cut her to the heart: and so it is
when either ministers of the Gospel, orprivate believers, are blamed for their
honest zealin the cause of Christ, by any that profess to love him; this grieves
them more than all the enemies of religion say or do unto them:
for she hath wrought a goodwork upon me; upon his body, by pouring the
ointment on it: the Persic versionreads it, "according to my mind": it was
done, in the faith of him, as the Messiah;it sprung from real and sincere love
to him, and was designedfor his honour and glory; and so had the essentials
of a goodwork in it. This is the first part of our Lord's defence of the woman:
he goes on in the next verse.
Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernisedand adapted
for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved,
Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.
A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard
Bearer, 1 Iron Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855
Bibliography
Gill, John. "Commentary on Matthew 26:10". "The New JohnGill Exposition
of the Entire Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/matthew-26.html. 1999.

Geneva Study Bible
4 When Jesus understood [it], he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman?
for she hath wrought a goodwork upon me.
(4) We ought not to rashly condemn that which is not orderly done.
Copyright Statement
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography
Beza, Theodore. "Commentaryon Matthew 26:10". "The 1599 Geneva Study
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/gsb/matthew-26.html.
1599-1645.
People's New Testament
Why trouble ye the woman? By your murmurs, as if she had done a sinful
thing.
She hath wrought a goodwork. What is done for Christ from love of Christ is
always a goodwork.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.
Original work done by Ernie Stefanik. First published online in 1996 atThe
RestorationMovementPages.
Bibliography
Johnson, BartonW. "Commentary on Matthew 26:10". "People's New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pnt/matthew-
26.html. 1891.

Robertson's WordPictures in the New Testament
Why trouble ye the woman? (τι κοπους παρεχετε τηι γυναικι — ti kopous
parechete tēi gunaiki̇) A phrase not common in Greek writers, though two
examples occur in the papyri for giving trouble. Κοπος — Kopos is from
κοπτω — koptō to beat, smite, cut. It is a beating, trouble, and often work,
toil. Jesus champions Mary‘s act with this striking phrase. It is so hard for
some people to allow others liberty for their own personalities to express
themselves. It is easyto raise small objections to what we do not like and do
not understand.
A goodwork upon me (εργον καλον εις εμε — ergonkaloneis eme). A
beautiful deed upon Jesus himself.
Copyright Statement
The Robertson's WordPictures of the New Testament. Copyright �
Broadman Press 1932,33,Renewal1960. All rights reserved. Used by
permission of Broadman Press (Southern BaptistSunday SchoolBoard)
Bibliography
Robertson, A.T. "Commentary on Matthew 26:10". "Robertson's Word
Pictures of the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rwp/matthew-26.html.
Broadman Press 1932,33.Renewal1960.
Vincent's Word Studies
When Jesus understood it ( γνοὺς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς )
The A. V. implies that some time elapsedbefore Jesus was aware ofthe
disciples'complaint. But the statementis that Jesus perceivedit at once. Rev.,
rightly, Jesus perceiving it.
Goodwork ( καλὸν )
Lit., beautiful, but in a moral sense:an excellent, morally beautiful deed.
Copyright Statement
The text of this work is public domain.
Bibliography

Vincent, Marvin R. DD. "Commentaryon Matthew 26:10". "Vincent's Word
Studies in the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/vnt/matthew-26.html. Charles
Schribner's Sons. New York, USA. 1887.
The Fourfold Gospel
But Jesus perceiving it said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman1? for she
hath wrought a goodwork upon me.
Matthew 26:10-12
Why trouble ye the woman? See Matthew 26:10-12.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website. These files
were made available by Mr. Ernie Stefanik. First published online in 1996 at
The RestorationMovementPages.
Bibliography
J. W. McGarveyand Philip Y. Pendleton. "Commentaryon Matthew 26:10".
"The Fourfold Gospel".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tfg/matthew-26.html.
Standard Publishing Company, Cincinnati, Ohio. 1914.
Calvin's Commentary on the Bible
10.Whydo you trouble the woman? It is wonderful that Christ, whose whole
life was a rule and pattern of temperance and frugality, now approves of
immoderate expense, which appears to have been closelyallied to luxury and
superfluous indulgence. But we must observe the kind of defense which he
employs; for he does not maintain that the woman did right, in such a manner
as if he wishedthat the same thing should be done every day, but maintains
that what she had done in a single instance was agreeable to God, because it

must have been done for a goodreason. ThoughChrist had no desire for the
use of the ointment, yet this anointing pleasedhim on accountof the
circumstances in which it happened. Hence we infer that certain
extraordinary ways of acting are sometimes approved by God, and yet that it
would be improper to make them an example. Nor have we any reasonto
doubt that Mary was led by a secretmovement of the Spirit to anoint Christ;
as it is certain that, wheneverthe saints were calledto any extraordinary
performance, they were led by an unusual movement, so as not to attempt any
thing without the guidance and authority of God. There was no precept in
existence enjoining on Mary this anointing, nor was it necessarythat a law
should be laid down for every single action; but as the heavenly calling is the
only origin and principle of proper conduct, and as God rejects every thing
which men undertake at their own suggestion, Marywas directedby the
inspiration of the Spirit, so that this duty, which she performed to Christ, was
founded on assuredconfidence.
For she hath performed a goodaction towards me. By this reply, Christ not
merely defended the cause of one woman, but likewise maintained the holy
boasting of all who restsatisfiedwith having themselves and their works
approved by God. It will often happen that not only censure, but open
condemnation, is pronounced on godly men, who are convinced in their own
consciencesthat what they do is agreeable to the command of God; and it is
ascribedto pride, if they set at naught the false judgments of the world, and
rest satisfiedwith being approved by God alone. Since this is a hard
temptation, and since it is scarcelypossible not to be shakenby the agreement
of many people againstus, even when they are in the wrong, we ought to hold
this doctrine, that none will ever be courageous andsteady in acting properly,
unless they depend solelyon the will of God. And therefore Christ settles here
the distinction betweenwhat is goodand evil by his own solitary decision:for
by affirming that what the woman has done is a goodaction, when that action
had been already condemned by the disciples, he repressesby this word the
rashness ofmen, who freely allow themselves to pronounce judgment.
Relying on this testimony, let us learn to set little value on any reports
concerning us that are spreadabroad in the world, provided we know that
what men condemn God approves. In this manner Isaiah, when oppressedby
wickedcalumnies, makes reference to God as his voucher, (Isaiah 50:7,) and
Paul likewise appeals to the day of the Lord, (1 Corinthians 4:3.) Let us
therefore learn to pay no deference to the opinions of men farther than that
they may be edified by our example in obedience to God, and when the world

rises againstus with a loud noise, let us satisfy ourselves with this consolation,
that what is reckonedbad on earth is pronounced to be goodin heaven.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Calvin, John. "Commentary on Matthew 26:10". "Calvin's Commentary on
the Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cal/matthew-
26.html. 1840-57.
John Trapp Complete Commentary
10 When Jesus understoodit, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman?
for she hath wrought a goodwork upon me.
Ver. 10. Why trouble ye the woman?]Christ will patronize his welldoers, and
stick to them, though all forsake them, 2 Timothy 4:16-17. He many times
pleads for them in the consciencesoftheir greatestenemies, who spend more
thoughts about such than the world is aware of:and are "afraid of the name
of God, whereby they are called," Deuteronomy28:9-10.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Trapp, John. "Commentary on Matthew 26:10". John Trapp Complete
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/matthew-
26.html. 1865-1868.
Expository Notes with PracticalObservations onthe New Testament

Observe here, How readily our Lord vindicates this good woman: she says
nothing for herself, nor need she having such an advocate.
1. Christ rebukes Judas, Why trouble ye the woman? plainly intimating, that
it is so small trouble to a gracious spirit, to find their goodworks
misinterpreted and misrepresented.
Next, He defends the action, calling it a goodwork; because done out of a
principle of love to Christ: she hath wrought a goodwork upon me
And lastly, He gives the reasonof her action; she did it for my burial. As kings
and greatpersons were wont, in those easterncountries, at their funerals to be
embalmed with odours and sweetperfumes; so says our Saviour, this woman,
to declare her faith in me as her King and Lord, doth with this box of
ointment, as it were before-hand, embalm my body for its burial. True faith
puts honour upon a crucified, as well as a glorified, Saviour. This holy woman
accounts Christ worthy of all honour in his death, believing it would be a
sweetsmelling sacrifice unto God, and the savour of life unto his people.
Observe farther, From these words, But me ye have not always, the doctrine
of transubstantiation is overthrown: for if Christ be, as to soul, body, and
divinity, perpetually presentin the host amongstthose of the church of Rome,
then have they Christ always with them: contrary to what our Saviour here
declares;though his poor members would be always presentwith them, yet he
himself should not be so; The poor ye have always, but me ye have not always.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Burkitt, William. "Commentary on Matthew 26:10". ExpositoryNotes with
PracticalObservations onthe New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wbc/matthew-26.html. 1700-
1703.
Greek TestamentCriticalExegeticalCommentary
10. ἔργ. γὰρ καλ. εἰργ.] Stier remarks that this is a strongerexpressionthan
ἔργ. ἀγαθὸνἐποίησεν would have been. See ch. Matthew 5:16. It was not only
‘a goodwork,’but a noble act of love, which should be spokenof in all the

churches to the end of time. On Matthew 26:11, see notes on Mark, where it is
more fully expressed.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Alford, Henry. "Commentary on Matthew 26:10". Greek TestamentCritical
ExegeticalCommentary.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hac/matthew-26.html. 1863-
1878.
Heinrich Meyer's Critical and ExegeticalCommentaryon the New Testament
Matthew 26:10. γνούς] Comp. Matthew 16:8. We may imagine what precedes
to have been spokenamong the disciples in a low murmuring tone.
κόπους παρέχειν, to give trouble, to cause annoyance. See Kypke, Obss. I. p.
130. Comp. πόνον παρέχειν (Herod, i. 177), and such like.
ἔργον γάρ, κ. τ. λ.] Justificationof the disapproval implied in the foregoing
question. καλόν, when used with ἔργον, is, according to ordinary usage, to be
takenin an ethicalsense;thus (comp. Matthew 5:16): an excellentdeed, one
that is morally beautiful, and not a piece of waste, as ye are niggardly enough
to suppose. The disciples had allowedtheir estimate of the action to be
determined by the principle of mere utility, and not by that of moral
propriety, especiallyof love to Christ.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Meyer, Heinrich. "Commentary on Matthew 26:10". Heinrich Meyer's
Critical and ExegeticalCommentary on the New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hmc/matthew-26.html. 1832.
Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament

Matthew 26:10. τί κόπους παρέχετε τῇ γυναικί, Why trouble ye the woman?)
For it is a trouble to be doubtful in one’s conscience, notonly concerning a
thing to be done hereafter(see Romans 14:15), but also concerning a thing
already done.— τῇ γυναικὶ, the woman) The disciples actedwith incivility
towards the Lord Himself; but this He finds less fault with than the annoyance
given to the woman.— καλὸν, good)Although she was not herselfaware that
she had done so well. The simplicity of an action does not detract from its
goodness.(1115)It was not waste with regard to the poor (Matthew 26:11) nor
the disciples (Mark 14:7. middle of the verse), nor the woman(Matthew
26:13), nor the Lord Himself (Matthew 26:12).
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Bengel, JohannAlbrecht. "Commentary on Matthew 26:10". Johann
Albrecht Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jab/matthew-26.html. 1897.
Matthew Poole's EnglishAnnotations on the Holy Bible
See Poole on"Matthew 26:13".
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Poole, Matthew, "Commentaryon Matthew 26:10". Matthew Poole's English
Annotations on the Holy Bible.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mpc/matthew-26.html. 1685.
Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament
She hath wrought a goodwork;she had expressedher sincere and ardent love
to her Saviour.

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Edwards, Justin. "Commentary on Matthew 26:10". "FamilyBible New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/fam/matthew-
26.html. American TractSociety. 1851.
Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools andColleges
10. γνοὺς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς. The murmurings had been whisperedat first. St Mark
says, ‘had indignation within themselves, and said, &c.’
ἔργον καλόν. A noble and beautiful work, denoting a delicate and refined
sense ofthe fitness of things, which was lacking to the blunter perception of
the rest.
The Lord passes a higher commendation on this than on any other act
recordedin the N.T.;it implied a faith that enabled Mary to see, as no one else
then did, the truth of the Kingdom. She saw that Jesus was still a King,
though destined to die. The same thought—the certainty of the death of
Jesus—thatestrangedJudas made her devotion more intense.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
"Commentary on Matthew 26:10". "Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools
and Colleges".https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cgt/matthew-
26.html. 1896.
PeterPett's Commentary on the Bible
‘But Jesus perceiving it said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? for
she has wrought a goodwork on me.” ’
When Jesus saw their attitude He instantly intervened. He knew the true love
in her heart and it was an encouragementto Him at this hour of tension, at a
time when He was aware ofso many who hated Him. She had done Him much

good. And it was a reminder also to Him that His Father was watching over
Him. Thus He wanted them to know that it had accomplishedin Him
something far greaterthan its monetary value at a unique moment in history.
Literally ‘workeda goodwork’. The idea probably connects with Matthew
5:16. ‘That they may see your goodworks and glorify your Father Who is in
Heaven.’ What this woman had done was work a goodwork to the glory of
God. Note the play on words found also in the Greek.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Pett, Peter. "Commentary on Matthew 26:10". "PeterPett's Commentaryon
the Bible ". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pet/matthew-
26.html. 2013.
Whedon's Commentary on the Bible
10. Why trouble ye the woman? — Mary was doubtless startledby this
murmur among the Lord’s own disciples. She stands in silence, attempting no
defence. But the voice of the Saviour rebukes the rebukers, and not only
defends but utters a eulogyupon the deed.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Whedon, Daniel. "Commentary on Matthew 26:10". "Whedon's Commentary
on the Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/whe/matthew-
26.html. 1874-1909.
Schaff's Popular Commentary on the New Testament

Matthew 26:10. But Jesus knowing it, i.e., the whole case, as is evident. Said
unto them. He answers, not Judas, but the others. Yet this was a rebuke to
Judas, and helped to ripen his treacherous design.
Why trouble ye the woman?—The chiefconcernis for the affectionate Mary.
Her noble act of love had been misjudged, and remarks made which would
disquiet or confuse her conscience.(See Mark 14:2.)She is defended and
encouragedfirst of all. The impulses of genuine love to Christ, or His people,
are often thus checked, evenby realChristians, who for the time being speak
the coldand selfish language ofthe world.
A goodwork. Christ measuredthe moral quality of the act by the motive, the
disciples by its seeming utility. This utilitarian age presents many temptations
to follow the lead of Judas.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Schaff, Philip. "Commentary on Matthew 26:10". "Schaff's Popular
Commentary on the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/scn/matthew-26.html. 1879-
90.
The Expositor's Greek Testament
Matthew 26:10. γνοὺς, perceiving though not hearing. We have many mean
thoughts we would be ashamed to speak plainly out.— τί κόπους παρέχετε,
etc., why trouble ye the woman? a phrase not frequent in classic authors,
though similar ones occur, and even this occasionally(vide Kypke); found not
only here but in Luke 11:7; Luke 18:5, Galatians 6:17, the last place worthy to
be associatedwith this; St. Paul and the heroine of Bethany kindred spirits,
liable to “troubles” from the same sort of people and for similar reasons.—
καλὸν, noble, heroic: a deed done under inspiration of uncalculating love.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Nicol, W. Robertson, M.A., L.L.D. "Commentary on Matthew 26:10". The
Expositor's Greek Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/egt/matthew-26.html. 1897-
1910.
George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary
Why do you trouble this woman? By this, our Saviour teaches us, that we are
not to expectthe more perfect acts of virtue from persons still novices, or
young in the service of God. He takes the part of the woman, and speaks in
her behalf; that the tender bud of her faith might not be blasted, but that her
virtues might be wateredwith tenderness, and thus assistedto produce
greaterfruit for the future. When, therefore, we behold any goodactiondone,
though some imperfection may creepin with it, still ought we to behold it with
kindness, and assistit to bring forth more perfectacts for the time to come.
(St. John Chrysostom, hom. lxxxi.)
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Haydock, George Leo. "Commentaryon Matthew 26:10". "George
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hcc/matthew-26.html. 1859.
E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes
understood = got to know. Greek. ginosko. App-132. Notthe same word as in
verses:Matthew 26:2, Matthew 26:70, Matthew 26:72, Matthew 26:74.
good= excellent.
upon = toward. Greek. eis. App-104.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Bullinger, Ethelbert William. "Commentary on Matthew 26:10". "E.W.
Bullinger's Companion bible Notes".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bul/matthew-26.html. 1909-
1922.
The Bible Study New Testament
Why are you bothering this woman? They were actually scolding this woman
for what she had done! She had honored Jesus by her act of love. Their
priorities were mixed, and they had not "thought through" what they were
saying.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Ice, Rhoderick D. "Commentary on Matthew 26:10". "The Bible Study New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ice/matthew-
26.html. College Press, Joplin, MO. 1974.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(10) Why trouble ye the woman?—The Greek is more emphatic, “Why are ye
giving trouble?” St. Mark uses a word to describe their conductwhich
explains the verse. “Theymurmured againsther,” or better, They were
bitterly reproaching her. One after another of the murmurers uttered his
bitter remonstrances.
She hath wrought a goodwork upon me.—The Greek adjective implies
something more than “good”—anoble, an honourable work. The Lord Jesus,
in His sympathy with all human affections, recognisesthe love that is lavish in
its personaldevotion as noble and excellentin itself. After His departure, as
the teaching of Matthew 25:40 reminds us, the poor are His chosen
representatives, andour offerings to Him are best made through them. How
far the words sanction, as they are often urged as sanctioning, a lavish
expenditure on the æsthetic element of worship, church architecture,

ornamentation, and the like, is a question to which it may be wellto find an
answer. And the leading lines of thought are, (1) that if the motive be love, and
not ostentation, He will recognise it, even if it is misdirected; (2) that so far as
ostentation, or the wish to gratify our own taste and sense ofbeauty, enters
into it, it is vitiated from the beginning; (3) that the wants of the poor have a
prior claim before that gratification. On the other hand, we must remember
(1) that the poor have spiritual wants as wellas physical; (2) that all well-
directed church-building and decorationminister to those wants, and, even in
its accessoriesofform and colour, give to the poor a joy which is in itself an
element of culture, and may minister to their religious life by making worship
a delight. It is a work of charity thus to lighten up lives that are otherwise dull
and dreary, and the true law to guide our consciencein such matters is to
place our noblest churches in the districts where the people are the poorest.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
BRIAN BILL
Matthew 26:1-13: “Jesus Forewarns OfHis Crucifixion / Pharisees PlotTo
Kill Jesus / A Woman Anoints Jesus’Head”
by
Jim Bomkamp
Back Bible Studies Home Page
1. INTRO:
1.1. In our previous study of the gospelof Matthew, we finished up
chapter 25, which really was the end of the apocalyptic discourses ofJesus,
and it was also the end of His teachings in general
1.1.1. We studied lastthen the Sheepand Goats Judgment which will occurat
the end of the 7 yr. Tribulation of the Book ofRevelation

1.1.1.1.Wediscussedwhy we believe that this will occur at the end of the 7 yr.
Tribulation Period
1.1.1.1.1.Wesaw thatthis judgment could not be the Great White Throne
Judgment of Non-believers which is found in Revelationchapter20, which is
shown to occurat the end of the Millennial Reignof Christ, for at that
judgment there will be none of God’s sheep, for everyone will be thrown into
the Lake of Fire for the GreatWhite Throne Judgment is a judgment of
condemnation
1.1.1.1.2.Wesaw also thatthis judgment could not be the ‘Bema Seat’
Judgment which is described in 2 Cor. 5 and 1 Cor. 3, for that judgment is a
judgment of rewards and is just for believers, and there is not a goatin the
bunch
1.1.1.1.3.Wesaw thatit must be the case then that this judgment will occurat
the end of the 7 year Tribulation, and that it will be a separation of those who
have come to Christ during the Tribulation Period and who thus are God’s
sheepand those who have resistedChrist during that time and thus are goats
1.1.1.2.Wesaw thatfrom Daniel 12:11-13 that there was a timetable for the
end of all things and that from the time of the ‘Abomination of Desolation’
until the end there were two sets of days given by Daniel, 1,290 and1,335, and
that Danielsaid that the one who attained to the 1,335 days would be blessed.
This then is goodevidence that the descripancyof the 45 days is the time that
it will take for this Sheepand Goats Judgment to occur, and that those who
made it to the 1,335 days were the sheep to whom God would let into His
Millennial Kingdom
1.2. In this next sectionof the gospelof Matthew, we now will begin to
study the events that occurredjust leading up to Christ being crucified upon
the cross ofCalvary
2. VS 26:1-2 - “26:1 And it came about that when Jesus had finished
all these words, He said to His disciples, 2 “You know that after two days the
Passoveris coming, and the Son of Man is to be delivered up for crucifixion.””
- We see here that Jesus has ended His Olivett Discourse andthat He tells His
disciples that He will be crucified in two days
2.1. There has been much debate throughout the centuries about the
exacttimeline of events that occurredduring this last week ofChrist’s life,

and the only event whose timeline everyone has agreedupon is that Christ was
raisedup from the dead on Sunday.
2.1.1. A point to keepin mind when determining these time lines for the
events that occurred during this last week ofJesus life that for us in America
a new day begins at 12 midnight, however in Jesus a new day began at
sundown. I believe that much of the confusion about the timetable of events
during this last week ofJesus’life has occurredbecause ofthis difference of
when day’s begin and end.
2.1.2. It appears most likely that Christ’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
occurredon Sunday.
2.1.3. His driving the money changers out of the temple occurredon Monday.
2.1.4. His teaching in the temple leading up to His leaving the temple and
going to the Mount of Olives for the Olivett Discourse mostlikely occurredon
Tuesday.
2.1.5. His Olivett Discoursethen most likely occurred on Tuesday, and then
here in our study where we pick up today, He is finishing up His Olivett
Discourse by saying that in two days He would be crucified. This would then
mean that, contrary to Tradition which taught that Jesus was crucified on
GoodFriday, Jesus was mostlikely crucified on Thursday.
2.1.5.1.InMatt. 12:40, we saw that Jesus told His disciples very clearlythat He
would spend three days and three nights in the heart of the earth after His
crucifixion, “40 for just as Jonahwas three days and three nights in the belly
of the sea monster, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in
the heart of the earth.”
2.1.5.2.Those who have held to Jesus having been crucified on Friday have a
real problem with this verse because if Jesus was crucifiedon Friday then He
would have only spent parts of two days in the earth after being crucified.
Those who hold to this position do an interesting ‘soft shoe’to dance around
this verse, howeverit seems very unlikely that He was crucified on Friday.
2.1.5.3.This wouldalso mean that it was during the day on Wednesday, the
day before the PassoverFeast, that Jesus wouldhave sent out His disciples to
buy a lamb for them to eattogetherfor this PassoverFeast.
2.1.5.4.The LastSupper would have occurredthen before midnight on
Thursday.
2.1.5.5.Atthe end of the Feastof Unleavened Breadthere was a Sabbath, and
this would have been on Friday. So, there were back to back Sabbaths, and in
fact this Sabbath that occurred on Friday is referred to as a ‘high Sabbath’ in

the gospels. Therefore, it appears that the Jews wantedto get Jesus offof the
cross before the Sabbath at the end of the Feastwhichbegan on Friday, and
that therefore He was placedin the grave on Thursday just before sundown
when Friday would have begun.
2.2. Notice here that Jesus tells His disciples that He is going to be
crucified on the Passover. It was very important that Christ be crucified on
the Passoveras the lambs were being slain all across Israelforthe Passover
meal.
2.2.1. The Passoverwas instituted to remember that point in time when the
angelof death passedoverthe houses of the Israelites when they were in
Egypt if they had the blood wiped on their doorposts, but every Egyptian
family lost their firstborn child at that time. The blood on the doorposts
symbolized and painted a picture of the blood of ‘the Lamb of God slain from
the foundation of the world’ whose blood would make atonement for the sins
of mankind and thus cause them to be savedfrom death to spend eternity with
God in heaven. We read about the institution of the celebrationof the
Passoverin Exodus 12:11-14, “11 ‘Now you shall eatit in this manner: with
your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and
you shall eatit in haste—itis the Lord’s Passover. 12 ‘ForI will go through
the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the first-born in the
land of Egypt, both man and beast;and againstall the gods of Egypt I will
execute judgments—I am the Lord. 13 ‘And the blood shall be a sign for you
on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass overyou,
and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
‘Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feastto
the Lord; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent
ordinance.”
2.2.2. In 1 Cor. 5:7, Paul wrote about Christ being our Passover, “7 Cleanout
the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened.
For Christ our Passoveralso has been sacrificed.”
2.2.3. In Heb. 9:22, the scripture teaches that‘…without shedding of blood
there is no forgiveness’ofsins.
2.2.4. In 1 Peter1:18-21, we read about how that Jesus was that Lamb
without spot or blemish pictured in all of those blood sacrifices to coversins,
and it was the incredible price of His precious blood which was required to be
sacrificedin order for everyone’s sins to be coveredand forgiven, “18
knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold
from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with

precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 20
For He was foreknownbefore the foundation of the world, but has appeared
in these last times for the sake ofyou 21 who through Him are believers in
God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith
and hope are in God.”
2.2.5. In and of ourselves, andby our ownworks of righteousness, there is
absolutely no way that any of us could ever be acceptedby God since He is
totally holy and righteous, therefore it is only through the blood of the perfect
spotless Lamb of Godcovering our sins that we can be brought into fellowship
with God. Paulwrote about this in Rom. 3:20, “20 because by the works of
the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the
knowledge ofsin.”
2.3. The ‘Last Supper’ which Jesus had with His disciples was a
celebrationof the PassoverFeast, whichwas on that evening transformed by
Jesus into that which was known as the celebrationof The Lord’s Supper.
Thus, we see in the New Testamentthat when the church gottogetherto
remember the Lord through the Lord’s Supper, they had a meal together, and
this time was also calledthe ‘Breaking of Bread’, which brings out the idea of
it being a feast.
3. VS 26:3-5 - “3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people
were gatheredtogetherin the court of the high priest, named Caiaphas;4 and
they plotted togetherto seize Jesus by stealth, and kill Him. 5 But they were
saying, “Notduring the festival, lesta riot occuramong the people.”” - The
chief priests and elders were gatheredtogetherat this time trying to find a
convenient to quietly have Jesus put to death without causing a big
disturbance
3.1. Jesus was held in greatadmiration by the common people, therefore
it would have been a very bad situation for the chief priests and elders to
crucify Jesus where the masses ofpeople were togethersince a riot could
ensue.
3.2. We see here that the man who was consideredthe high priest was
‘Caiaphas’, howeverat this point of time Rome appointed the high priests that
it saw fit to guide the Israelites, and so every few years they would appoint a
different high priest.

3.2.1. The Romans did this in spite of the factthat the Law of Moses
instituted that the high priest was to be in office for the duration of his life.
3.2.2. Annas, the father in law of Caiphas, had been the previous high priest
and he was the high priest recognizedby the people. So, effectivelyin Israel
there were two high priests recognizedby the people. We read about Annas
and Caiphas in John 18:13, “13 and led Him to Annas first; for he was father-
in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.”
3.3. We begin to see here immediately from this story that there was
nothing legalthat was happening here concerning how the chief priests and
elders planned to deal with Jesus. Theywere not at all concernedwith
handling the matter with Jesus according to the Law of Moses whichrequired
proper charges filed, a public trial in which arguments could be made on both
sides, etc. This was nothing other than a plot to perform a cold blooded
murder. It was conceivedby those who were the highestreligious leaders of
the land howeverthey were men who did not fearGod in the leastnor were
concernedabout carrying out their charges in a manner that would show
their submission to God and bring honor and glory to God.
4. VS 26:6-13 - “6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of
Simon the leper, 7 a woman came to Him with an alabastervial of very costly
perfume, and she poured it upon His head as He reclined at the table. 8 But
the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said, “Why this waste? 9
“Forthis perfume might have been sold for a high price and the money given
to the poor.” 10 But Jesus, aware ofthis, said to them,“Why do you bother the
woman? For she has done a gooddeed to Me. 11 “Forthe poor you have with
you always;but you do not always have Me. 12 “Forwhen she poured this
perfume upon My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. 13 “Truly I say to
you, wherever this gospelis preachedin the whole world, what this woman
has done shall also be spokenof in memory of her.”” - Matthew records an
event that occurredmost likely on Tuesdayevening at the home of Simon the
leper, a woman poured an alabastervial of very costlyperfume upon His head
4.1. In Mark’s accountof this story, Mark 14:3-5, we learn that this
perfume was worth over 300 denari, which in that day was the equivalent to a
year’s wages, “3 And while He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper,
and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabastervial of very
costlyperfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured it overHis
head. 4 But some were indignantly remarking to one another, “Why has this

perfume been wasted? 5 “Forthis perfume might have been sold for over
three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they were
scolding her.”
4.2. In John’s accountof this story, John 12:1-3, we learn that Mary,
Martha, and Lazarus were also present and that it was Mary who used to sit
at Jesus’feetwho anointed His head with this perfume, “12:1 Jesus, therefore,
six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom
Jesus had raisedfrom the dead. 2 So they made Him a supper there, and
Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with
Him. 3 Mary therefore took a pound of very costlyperfume of pure nard, and
anointed the feetof Jesus, andwiped His feet with her hair; and the house was
filled with the fragrance ofthe perfume.”
4.2.1. As Mary had been so attentive to Jesus’teaching, it appears that she
may have been the only person at that particular time who truly understood
Jesus’words when He spoke ofHis impending death and resurrection, and
thus in the greatestofdevotion and worship she went to huge expense to
anoint Jesus body ‘for burial.
4.2.2. Thosewho sit at Jesus’feetas Mary was in the habit, will learn the
greatestnuggets oftruth about Him and His ways.
4.3. The disciples understood so little if anything of what true worship of
Jesus was aboutthat they were indignant that this woman had wastedsucha
greatamount of money upon Jesus whenthey could have spent it upon the
poor. This story of Mary and of her pouring out an alabastervial of perfume
upon Jesus portrays an incredible picture for us of what true worship of God
is to consistof:
4.3.1. Whenwe engage in ‘true worship’ of the Lord, we are to give of
ourselves to Jesus, andthere is an intimacy that we are to have with Him
during that time.
4.3.2. True worshipmust be costly.
4.3.2.1.Marygave very costlyperfume to anoint Jesus in an attitude of
worship, and worship that does not costus something is worship that is not
going to be from the heart and thus not worth much.
4.3.2.1.1.Ibelieve that this is a major reasonthat all of the offerings were
commanded to be made in the Old and New Testamentas a part of worship.
4.3.2.1.2.Onebrother once said this which I have found to be true, “If our
worship of the Lord does not pass through our pocketbookthen it is not going
to also pass through our heart”.

4.3.3. True worshipmust involve humilty before God.
4.3.3.1.Johnrecords, as we saw above in John 12:3, that Mary actually
humbled herself and ministered in such an intimate way to Jesus that she even
wiped the Master’s feetwith her very hair.
4.3.4. True worshipmust be a paying of ‘homage’to God.
4.3.4.1.The Greek word, ‘proskuneuo’, that is used 60 times in the New
Testamentand in eachplace in the KJV translated‘worship’ is a word that
was used for paying homage to a ruler, and thus it literally means, ‘to kiss the
hand of’’, and when a personpaid homage to a ruler in Jesus day he would
bow down before him and kiss his hand or ring.
4.3.4.1.1.This wordthen paints a picture of what true worship is to consistof.
True worship of God brings a personin humility to bow down in his heart
before the Lord, and acknowledgeHis greatnessand supremacy over all, and
in doing so to give to the Lord the greatestof honor and respect.
4.3.5. True worshipis to be ‘for the Lord’, or ‘God-centered’.
4.3.5.1.Worshipis not to be a time taken up with the singing of songs, but it is
to be a time of giving of ourselves to the Lord and of expressing our love to
Him, a time of singing of songs to Jesus, not about Him or His works even. It
is certainly not to be a time where we are singing songs that are to rally us all
together, rather it is to be a time that is centeredaround Jesus, andfor Him
alone.
4.4. Mary anointed Jesus with the fragrant perfume, and in Exodus
30:22-29 we read that a fragrant perfume was to be rubbed upon all of the
furniture in the tabernacle as part of it’s consecration, “22 Moreover, the
Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 23 “Takealso foryourself the finest of spices:of
flowing myrrh five hundred shekels, andof fragrant cinnamon half as much,
two hundred and fifty, and of fragrant cane two hundred and fifty, 24 and of
cassia five hundred, according to the shekelof the sanctuary, and of olive oil a
hin. 25 “And you shall make of these a holy anointing oil, a perfume mixture,
the work of a perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil. 26 “And with it you
shall anoint the tent of meeting and the ark of the testimony, 27 and the table
and all its utensils, and the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense,
28 and the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the laver and its
stand. 29 “You shall also consecratethem, that they may be most holy;
whatevertouches them shall be holy.”
4.4.1. The scriptures teachin 2 Cor. 2:14-15 that as we walk in fellowship
with Jesus that we bring the ‘fragrance of Christ’ whereverwe go, “14 But

thanks be to God, who always leads us in His triumph in Christ, and manifests
through us the sweetaroma of the knowledge ofHim in every place. 15 For we
are a fragrance ofChrist to God among those who are being saved and among
those who are perishing.”
4.4.1.1.Inan attitude of the deepestof worship Mary poured a fragrant aroma
over the head of our Lord and wiped His feet with her hair, howeverin doing
so she was made to be a fragrant aroma of Christ herself, for this always
happens to those who come and give themselves in worship before the Lord.
4.5. It has been suggestedthat this event was probably the laststraw that
pushed Judas over the edge, afterwhich he determined to betray the Lord.
Judas had already become extremely disillusioned with Jesus whenafter
making His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalemand cleansing the temple, He
had not begun rallying the people togetherto go and take up arms and
overthrow Rome. Jesus seemedto Judas now to be nothing more than a
dreamer, a man who talkedof a greatkingdom to be built for God but whose
dreams were only pipe-dreams for which he was not really committed. Since
Judas had for a very long time been pilfering money out of the disciples’
treasury, since he had control of it, he had just lost300 hundred denari which
Jesus had alloweda woman to use to buy some perfume to anoint His head.
This was too much for Judas, he felt he must make his exit now. He must try
to get some money for his efforts, after all he had been following after Jesus
for overthree years now and living mostly hand to mouth. He would go to the
chief priests and elders when they next met and he would see what money
could be made by agreeing to betray Jesus into their hands.
4.6. Jesus told His disciples prophetically that because ofthe great
devotion of this woman in going to this expense and humility to anoint His
head with this perfume that whereverthe gospelwouldgo her story would be
recounted.
4.6.1. This prophesy of Jesus has been fulfilled for this story was recountedby
the gospelwriters, and here we are today retelling it ourselves.
BARCLAY
Matthew 26:1-13: “Jesus Forewarns OfHis Crucifixion / Pharisees PlotTo
Kill Jesus / A Woman Anoints Jesus’Head”
by

Jim Bomkamp
Back Bible Studies Home Page
1. INTRO:
1.1. In our previous study of the gospelof Matthew, we finished up
chapter 25, which really was the end of the apocalyptic discourses ofJesus,
and it was also the end of His teachings in general
1.1.1. We studied lastthen the Sheepand Goats Judgment which will occurat
the end of the 7 yr. Tribulation of the Book ofRevelation
1.1.1.1.Wediscussedwhy we believe that this will occur at the end of the 7 yr.
Tribulation Period
1.1.1.1.1.Wesaw thatthis judgment could not be the Great White Throne
Judgment of Non-believers which is found in Revelationchapter20, which is
shown to occurat the end of the Millennial Reignof Christ, for at that
judgment there will be none of God’s sheep, for everyone will be thrown into
the Lake of Fire for the GreatWhite Throne Judgment is a judgment of
condemnation
1.1.1.1.2.Wesaw also thatthis judgment could not be the ‘Bema Seat’
Judgment which is described in 2 Cor. 5 and 1 Cor. 3, for that judgment is a
judgment of rewards and is just for believers, and there is not a goatin the
bunch
1.1.1.1.3.Wesaw thatit must be the case then that this judgment will occurat
the end of the 7 year Tribulation, and that it will be a separationof those who
have come to Christ during the Tribulation Period and who thus are God’s
sheepand those who have resistedChrist during that time and thus are goats
1.1.1.2.Wesaw thatfrom Daniel 12:11-13 that there was a timetable for the
end of all things and that from the time of the ‘Abomination of Desolation’
until the end there were two sets of days given by Daniel, 1,290 and1,335, and
that Danielsaid that the one who attained to the 1,335 days would be blessed.
This then is goodevidence that the descripancyof the 45 days is the time that
it will take for this Sheepand Goats Judgment to occur, and that those who
made it to the 1,335 days were the sheep to whom God would let into His
Millennial Kingdom

1.2. In this next sectionof the gospelof Matthew, we now will begin to
study the events that occurredjust leading up to Christ being crucified upon
the cross ofCalvary
2. VS 26:1-2 - “26:1 And it came about that when Jesus had finished
all these words, He said to His disciples, 2 “You know that after two days the
Passoveris coming, and the Son of Man is to be delivered up for crucifixion.””
- We see here that Jesus has ended His Olivett Discourse andthat He tells His
disciples that He will be crucified in two days
2.1. There has been much debate throughout the centuries about the
exacttimeline of events that occurredduring this last week ofChrist’s life,
and the only event whose timeline everyone has agreedupon is that Christ was
raisedup from the dead on Sunday.
2.1.1. A point to keepin mind when determining these time lines for the
events that occurred during this last week ofJesus life that for us in America
a new day begins at 12 midnight, however in Jesus a new day began at
sundown. I believe that much of the confusion about the timetable of events
during this last week ofJesus’life has occurredbecause ofthis difference of
when day’s begin and end.
2.1.2. It appears most likely that Christ’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
occurredon Sunday.
2.1.3. His driving the money changers out of the temple occurredon Monday.
2.1.4. His teaching in the temple leading up to His leaving the temple and
going to the Mount of Olives for the Olivett Discourse mostlikely occurredon
Tuesday.
2.1.5. His Olivett Discoursethen most likely occurred on Tuesday, and then
here in our study where we pick up today, He is finishing up His Olivett
Discourse by saying that in two days He would be crucified. This would then
mean that, contrary to Tradition which taught that Jesus was crucified on
GoodFriday, Jesus was mostlikely crucified on Thursday.
2.1.5.1.InMatt. 12:40, we saw that Jesus told His disciples very clearlythat He
would spend three days and three nights in the heart of the earth after His
crucifixion, “40 for just as Jonahwas three days and three nights in the belly
of the sea monster, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in
the heart of the earth.”

2.1.5.2.Those who have held to Jesus having been crucified on Friday have a
real problem with this verse because if Jesus was crucifiedon Friday then He
would have only spent parts of two days in the earth after being crucified.
Those who hold to this position do an interesting ‘soft shoe’to dance around
this verse, howeverit seems very unlikely that He was crucified on Friday.
2.1.5.3.This wouldalso mean that it was during the day on Wednesday, the
day before the PassoverFeast, that Jesus wouldhave sent out His disciples to
buy a lamb for them to eattogetherfor this PassoverFeast.
2.1.5.4.The LastSupper would have occurredthen before midnight on
Thursday.
2.1.5.5.Atthe end of the Feastof Unleavened Breadthere was a Sabbath, and
this would have been on Friday. So, there were back to back Sabbaths, and in
fact this Sabbath that occurred on Friday is referred to as a ‘high Sabbath’ in
the gospels. Therefore, it appears that the Jews wantedto get Jesus offof the
cross before the Sabbath at the end of the Feastwhichbegan on Friday, and
that therefore He was placedin the grave on Thursday just before sundown
when Friday would have begun.
2.2. Notice here that Jesus tells His disciples that He is going to be
crucified on the Passover. It was very important that Christ be crucified on
the Passoveras the lambs were being slain all across Israelforthe Passover
meal.
2.2.1. The Passoverwas instituted to remember that point in time when the
angelof death passedoverthe houses of the Israelites when they were in
Egypt if they had the blood wiped on their doorposts, but every Egyptian
family lost their firstborn child at that time. The blood on the doorposts
symbolized and painted a picture of the blood of ‘the Lamb of God slain from
the foundation of the world’ whose blood would make atonement for the sins
of mankind and thus cause them to be savedfrom death to spend eternity with
God in heaven. We read about the institution of the celebrationof the
Passoverin Exodus 12:11-14, “11 ‘Now you shall eatit in this manner: with
your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and
you shall eatit in haste—itis the Lord’s Passover. 12 ‘ForI will go through
the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the first-born in the
land of Egypt, both man and beast;and againstall the gods of Egypt I will
execute judgments—I am the Lord. 13 ‘And the blood shall be a sign for you
on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass overyou,
and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
‘Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feastto

the Lord; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent
ordinance.”
2.2.2. In 1 Cor. 5:7, Paul wrote about Christ being our Passover, “7 Cleanout
the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened.
For Christ our Passoveralso has been sacrificed.”
2.2.3. In Heb. 9:22, the scripture teaches that‘…without shedding of blood
there is no forgiveness’ofsins.
2.2.4. In 1 Peter1:18-21, we read about how that Jesus was that Lamb
without spot or blemish pictured in all of those blood sacrifices to coversins,
and it was the incredible price of His precious blood which was required to be
sacrificedin order for everyone’s sins to be coveredand forgiven, “18
knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold
from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with
precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 20
For He was foreknownbefore the foundation of the world, but has appeared
in these last times for the sake ofyou 21 who through Him are believers in
God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith
and hope are in God.”
2.2.5. In and of ourselves, andby our ownworks of righteousness, there is
absolutely no way that any of us could ever be acceptedby God since He is
totally holy and righteous, therefore it is only through the blood of the perfect
spotless Lamb of Godcovering our sins that we can be brought into fellowship
with God. Paulwrote about this in Rom. 3:20, “20 because by the works of
the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the
knowledge ofsin.”
2.3. The ‘Last Supper’ which Jesus had with His disciples was a
celebrationof the PassoverFeast, whichwas on that evening transformed by
Jesus into that which was known as the celebrationof The Lord’s Supper.
Thus, we see in the New Testamentthat when the church gottogetherto
remember the Lord through the Lord’s Supper, they had a meal together, and
this time was also calledthe ‘Breaking of Bread’, which brings out the idea of
it being a feast.
3. VS 26:3-5 - “3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people
were gatheredtogetherin the court of the high priest, named Caiaphas;4 and
they plotted togetherto seize Jesus by stealth, and kill Him. 5 But they were
saying, “Notduring the festival, lesta riot occuramong the people.”” - The
chief priests and elders were gatheredtogetherat this time trying to find a

convenient to quietly have Jesus put to death without causing a big
disturbance
3.1. Jesus was held in greatadmiration by the common people, therefore
it would have been a very bad situation for the chief priests and elders to
crucify Jesus where the masses ofpeople were togethersince a riot could
ensue.
3.2. We see here that the man who was consideredthe high priest was
‘Caiaphas’, howeverat this point of time Rome appointed the high priests that
it saw fit to guide the Israelites, and so every few years they would appoint a
different high priest.
3.2.1. The Romans did this in spite of the factthat the Law of Moses
instituted that the high priest was to be in office for the duration of his life.
3.2.2. Annas, the father in law of Caiphas, had been the previous high priest
and he was the high priest recognizedby the people. So, effectivelyin Israel
there were two high priests recognizedby the people. We read about Annas
and Caiphas in John 18:13, “13 and led Him to Annas first; for he was father-
in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.”
3.3. We begin to see here immediately from this story that there was
nothing legalthat was happening here concerning how the chief priests and
elders planned to deal with Jesus. Theywere not at all concernedwith
handling the matter with Jesus according to the Law of Moses whichrequired
proper charges filed, a public trial in which arguments could be made on both
sides, etc. This was nothing other than a plot to perform a cold blooded
murder. It was conceivedby those who were the highestreligious leaders of
the land howeverthey were men who did not fearGod in the leastnor were
concernedabout carrying out their charges in a manner that would show
their submission to God and bring honor and glory to God.
4. VS 26:6-13 - “6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of
Simon the leper, 7 a woman came to Him with an alabastervial of very costly
perfume, and she poured it upon His head as He reclined at the table. 8 But
the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said, “Why this waste? 9
“Forthis perfume might have been sold for a high price and the money given
to the poor.” 10 But Jesus, aware ofthis, said to them,“Why do you bother the
woman? For she has done a good deed to Me. 11 “Forthe poor you have with
you always;but you do not always have Me. 12 “Forwhen she poured this

perfume upon My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. 13 “Truly I say to
you, wherever this gospelis preachedin the whole world, what this woman
has done shall also be spokenof in memory of her.”” - Matthew records an
event that occurredmost likely on Tuesdayevening at the home of Simon the
leper, a woman poured an alabastervial of very costlyperfume upon His head
4.1. In Mark’s accountof this story, Mark 14:3-5, we learn that this
perfume was worth over 300 denari, which in that day was the equivalent to a
year’s wages, “3 And while He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper,
and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabastervial of very
costlyperfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured it overHis
head. 4 But some were indignantly remarking to one another, “Why has this
perfume been wasted? 5 “Forthis perfume might have been sold for over
three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they were
scolding her.”
4.2. In John’s accountof this story, John 12:1-3, we learn that Mary,
Martha, and Lazarus were also present and that it was Mary who used to sit
at Jesus’feetwho anointed His head with this perfume, “12:1 Jesus, therefore,
six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom
Jesus had raisedfrom the dead. 2 So they made Him a supper there, and
Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with
Him. 3 Mary therefore took a pound of very costlyperfume of pure nard, and
anointed the feetof Jesus, andwiped His feet with her hair; and the house was
filled with the fragrance ofthe perfume.”
4.2.1. As Mary had been so attentive to Jesus’teaching, it appears that she
may have been the only person at that particular time who truly understood
Jesus’words when He spoke ofHis impending death and resurrection, and
thus in the greatestofdevotion and worship she went to huge expense to
anoint Jesus body ‘for burial.
4.2.2. Thosewho sit at Jesus’feetas Mary was in the habit, will learn the
greatestnuggets oftruth about Him and His ways.
4.3. The disciples understood so little if anything of what true worship of
Jesus was aboutthat they were indignant that this woman had wastedsucha
greatamount of money upon Jesus whenthey could have spent it upon the
poor. This story of Mary and of her pouring out an alabastervial of perfume
upon Jesus portrays an incredible picture for us of what true worship of God
is to consistof:

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