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Matthew 26

And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples,

Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.

Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,

And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.

But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.

Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,

There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.

But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?

For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.

When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.

For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.

For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.

Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,

And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?

And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.

And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.

Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.

And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?

And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.

The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.

Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.

And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.

And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.

Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.

And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.

And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear.

Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.

But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.

But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.

Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;

But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,

And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?

But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.

Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.

What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.

Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,

Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?

Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.

But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.

And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.

And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.

And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.

Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.

And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

What does Matthew 26:11 mean?

Explanation

The verse Matthew 26:11, "For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always," is spoken by Jesus in the context of a woman anointing him with expensive ointment.

Some of the disciples, particularly Judas Iscariot, express indignation at what they perceive to be a waste of resources that could have been sold and given to the poor.

Jesus responds by pointing out that His time on earth is limited and that the woman's actions serve as preparation for His approaching death and burial.

The statement underscores the importance of recognizing sacred moments and the priorities of God's kingdom.

It implies that while caring for the poor is crucial and an ongoing responsibility, it should not overshadow the recognition of unique moments of divine significance, such as the presence of Jesus among them.

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Historical Context

Matthew 26:11 is part of the narrative describing the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus.

This event takes place at Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper.

It occurs during the week preceding the Passover and Jesus' eventual crucifixion.

The historical context is set within a Jewish society under Roman occupation, with religious leaders who were expecting a Messiah to deliver them from political oppression, not realizing that Jesus' mission was spiritual redemption.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse is rich with meaning.

Some emphasize the messianic significance of the anointing, drawing parallels to the anointing of kings in the Old Testament, which signaled Jesus as the true King.

Others point to the transient nature of Jesus' physical presence on earth and the need to seize opportunities for worship and devotion.

From a Christian standpoint, this verse highlights the concept of balanced compassion.

It suggests that acts of worship and the acknowledgment of Jesus' role are as significant as acts of charity. The theological insight here is that while social justice and helping the needy is a continuous command, it should not preclude acts that honor God's immediate purpose or presence.

Practical Applications

In practical terms, Matthew 26:11 encourages believers to discern the times and seasons of God’s activity in their lives.

It teaches the importance of prioritizing the eternal and spiritual over the temporal, encouraging believers to engage in acts of worship and service to God, even as they care for the physical needs of others.

It prompts a reflection on how one balances service to others and devotion to God.

Cross-References

Deuteronomy 15:11 - "For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land."
John 12:8 - "For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always."
Mark 14:7 - "For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always."

Language Study

In the original Greek text of Matthew 26:11, the key phrases are:

"ἀεὶ" (aei) meaning "always," indicating the continual presence of the poor.
"πτωχοὺς" (ptochous) meaning "poor," referring to those who are economically disadvantaged.
"με" (me) meaning "me," referring to Jesus Himself.
"οὐ πάντοτε" (ou pantote) meaning "not always," indicating the temporary nature of Jesus’ physical presence with them.

This highlights the juxtaposition between the perpetual state of poverty and the singular, impermanent opportunity to be in the physical presence of Jesus.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Similar motifs of the transient presence of the divine among humans can be found in various mythologies and religions.

For example, in Greek mythology, the gods would sometimes visit humans but only for a limited time.

In Hinduism, the concept of "Darshan" refers to beholding a deity or a holy person, emphasizing the importance of taking the opportunity to seek such a presence when it is available.

In Judaism, the idea of making the most of opportunities for doing good deeds is encapsulated in the maxim from Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers): "If not now, when?"

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, the verse touches upon the ever-present challenge of resource allocation and socioeconomic disparities.

Research in sociology and economics continually examines why poverty persists and how different societies manage resources, including charitable giving, to address poverty.

Jesus' statement can be considered in the context of an ongoing dialogue about the most effective ways to address systemic poverty alongside individual acts of worship or charity.

Commentaries

Various Bible scholars and theologians offer diverse interpretations of Matthew 26:11.

Some commentaries like the Matthew Henry's Commentary focus on the virtue of the woman's action and Jesus' defense of it, seeing her deed as a prophetic action that honored Jesus before his death.

The New International Commentary on the New Testament delves into the irony of Judas' concern for the poor given his later betrayal and theft.

Theological commentaries often focus on the holistic approach Jesus advocated, addressing both the spiritual and physical needs of the world.

Matthew 26

Matthew 26

What does Matthew 26:11 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Matthew 26:11 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?