Heading towards the Cross
Introduction.
After revealing that Jesus’ Enemies were serious about murdering Him, Matthew goes on to reveal His love and relationship with his close Disciples and friends. There is the Anointing at Bethany. Then afterwards we will see at His Betrayal at the hands of Judas. Also there is the Last Supper or meal with his disciples.
Mat 26:6 Now when Jesus was come to Bethany and was at the house of Simon the Leper,
Mat 26:7 a woman came to Him with a jar of very costly, sweet-scented ointment, which she poured over His head as He reclined at table.
Mat 26:8 "Why such waste?" indignantly exclaimed the disciples;
Mat 26:9 "for this might have been sold for a considerable sum, and the money given to the poor."
Mat 26:10 But Jesus heard it, and said to them, "Why are you vexing her? For she has done a most gracious act towards me.
Mat 26:11 The poor you always have with you, but me you have not always.
Mat 26:12 In pouring this ointment over me, her object was to prepare me for burial.
Mat 26:13 In solemn truth I tell you that wherever in the whole world this Good News shall be proclaimed, this deed of hers shall be spoken of in memory of her."
Introduction
All four of the Gospels have an anointing story and many believe they are all the same occasion. But Luke’s story comes earlier in His Ministry and is performed by a sinful woman;there are just too many differences to regard this story as referring to the same event as the one the others describe.
The Other three accounts all seem to refer to the same anointing, the one carried out by Mary of Bethany in the Period short before Jesus was arrested. Matthew’s is the shortest of the three accounts and very similar to that of Mark’s. Leon.Morris. p646
Mat 26:6 Now when Jesus was come to Bethany and was at the house of Simon the Leper,
Notes
Now when Jesus was come to Bethany
This was the Town of Mary and Martha and their brother Lazarus who had been raised from the dead. Jn.11. It was close to Jerusalem over the summit of the Mount of Olives.
Jesus was at the house of Simon the Leper,
Evidently a man who had been healed of his leprosy by Jesus who gave the feast in honour of Jesus. All sorts of fantastic theories have arisen about it. Some even identify this Simon with the one in Luk_7:36., but Simon was a very common name and the details are very different. Some hold that it was Martha’s house because she served (Joh_12:2) and that Simon was either the father or husband of Martha, but Martha loved to serve and that proves nothing. Some identify Mary of Bethany with the sinful woman in Luke 7. RWP
Mat 26:7 a woman came to Him with a jar of very costly, sweet-scented ointment, which she poured over His head as He reclined at table.
Notes
a woman came to Him with a jar of very costly, sweet-scented ointment,
Matthew does not mention her name but John tells us it was Mary of Bethany. Jn 12:3
She had an Alabaster jar of very costly ointment which she poured over His head as He reclined at table.
This was a real mark of devotion. This was not just some common oil but a very costly ungent. Jesus was no ordinary guest that day. For Jesus this very costly anointing oil was just right. John calls it pistic nard.It is not known exactly what that was. L.M. 647
What do you offer to Jesus? The leftovers, the rejects, the hand me downs, Or the Very best Offering you can bring. The Value of the Receiver is shown in the value of the offering.
Mat 26:8 "Why such waste?" indignantly exclaimed the disciples;
Notes
The disciples seemed to have completely missed the point. Jesus had told them that He was about to die that very morning. [Mat 26:1 When Jesus had ended all these discourses, He said to His disciples, Mat 26:2 "You know that in two days' time the Passover comes. And the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified." ]
"Why such waste?" indignantly exclaimed the disciples;
Maybe the thief was there; the man who had his hand in the communal bag;i.e. Judas. He was manipulating to get more dosh into the bag. It was good for business???? It is a bit like the workers these days who have their hands in the Boss’s till helping themselves to the takings. Their end will be the same as his unless the repent and reimburse the boss.
Mat 26:9 "for this might have been sold for a considerable sum, and the money given to the poor."
Notes
this might have been sold for a considerable sum
The disciples were mainly poor fishermen or from humble backgrounds. Living as disciples of Jesus they were with a walking pilgrim teacher and everything was on simplest of terms. They were completely unaccustomed to the extravagant outlay for this anointing nard.
How pious was their take on the oil. Oh we will give the money to the poor.
Mat 26:10 But Jesus heard it, and said to them, "Why are you vexing her? For she has done a most gracious act towards me.WNT
Mat 26:10 Since Jesus knew what was going on, he said to them, "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing for me. G.W.
Notes
Why trouble ye the woman? (ti kopous parechete tēi gunaiki̇) A phrase not common in Greek writers, though two examples occur in the papyri for giving trouble. Kopos is from 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 easy to raise small objections to what we do not like and do not understand.
A good work upon me (ergon kalon eis eme). A beautiful deed upon Jesus himself
Mat 26:11 The poor you always have with you, but me you have not always.
Notes
Jesus is not making any excuses here. in 25:31 - 46 he spoke of helping the needy.
Jesus must have prior place above every other need.
Mat 26:12 In pouring this ointment over me, her object was to prepare me for burial.
Notes
In pouring this ointment over me,
To prepare me for burial (pros to entaphiasai me). Mary alone had understood what Jesus had repeatedly said about his approaching death. The disciples were so wrapped up in their own notions of a political kingdom that they failed utterly to sympathize with Jesus as he faced the cross. But Mary with the woman’s fine intuitions did begin to understand and this was her way of expressing her high emotions and loyalty. The word here is the same used in Joh_19:40 about what Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus did for the body of Jesus before burial with the addition of pros to showing the purpose of Mary (the infinitive of purpose). Mary was vindicated by Jesus and her noble deed has become a “memorial of her” (eis mnēmosumon autēs) as well as of Jesus.
Did Mary have a real premonition of what was about to take place.
Mat 26:13 In solemn truth I tell you that wherever in the whole world this Good News shall be proclaimed, this deed of hers shall be spoken of in memory of her."
Notes
In solemn truth I tell you that wherever in the whole world this Good News shall be proclaimed,
Jesus knew the Good news, the GOSPEL, would be p r o c l a i m e d across the whole World. THE GOOD NEWS STILL NEEDS PROCLAIMERS.
Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached - Another remarkable proof of the prescience of Christ. Such a matter as this, humanly speaking, depended on mere fortuitous circumstances, yet so has God disposed matters, that the thing has continued, hitherto, as firm and regular as the ordinances of heaven.
For a memorial of her - As embalming preserves the body from corruption, and she has done this good work to embalm and preserve this body, so will I order every thing concerning this transaction to be carefully recorded, to preserve her memory to the latest ages. The actions which the world blames, through the spirit of envy, covetousness, or malice, God takes delight to distinguish and record.
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