PrevMatthew 26:6Next

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 26:6 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 26:6 refers to an event where Jesus is in Bethany, a village on the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem, and he is at the house of Simon the leper.

This verse sets the scene for one of the significant events in the Gospels, where a woman anoints Jesus with precious ointment. Literally, the verse tells us that Jesus was a guest in someone's home, specifically at the house of an individual known as Simon the leper.

The deeper meaning of this visit reflects themes of inclusion and the breaking of social barriers, as lepers were generally outcasts in Jewish society due to their unclean status.

Additionally, Jesus being in the home of a leper suggests that Simon may have been one of the many leapers Jesus healed, as it would be unlikely for a Jewish teacher to enter the home of someone who was currently afflicted with leprosy due to purity laws.

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

During the time of Jesus, leprosy was a term for several skin diseases, and those affected were marginalized and considered ceremonially unclean.

According to Levitical law, they were excluded from normal social and religious life.

Bethany, where this event took place, was about two miles east of Jerusalem and is also known as the place where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.

It is noteworthy that Jesus often challenged social norms and religious customs by associating with individuals considered unclean or sinful. By eating and interacting with such individuals, Jesus demonstrated His message of grace and mercy.

Theological Insights

Different theological streams draw varied insights from this verse.

Traditional Christian theology often sees Jesus’ presence at Simon's house as further evidence of His mission to bring salvation to the marginalized.

Liberation theology might emphasize the radical inclusivity of Jesus' actions, while feminist theology could focus on the character of the woman who anoints Jesus, which happens in the verses immediately following Matthew 26:6.

Moreover, the fact that Jesus is present in Simon the leper's house prefigures the Christian doctrine of Jesus' sacrificial death, where he takes upon himself the ‘uncleanliness’ of humanity, symbolized here by leprosy, to redeem them.

Practical Applications

This verse encourages believers to practice inclusivity, mirroring Jesus’ acceptance of those marginalized by society.

It challenges individuals to examine their own prejudices and to act with compassion and mercy towards those who are ostracized, demonstrating God's love through their actions.

It fosters the idea of community and hospitality, inviting followers of Jesus to open their homes and lives to those in need of acceptance and healing.

Cross-References

Mark 14:3 - “And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.”
Luke 7:37-38 - “And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.”
John 11:1-2 - “Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)”

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the phrase "Simon the leper" is σίμωνος τοῦ λεπροῦ (Simōnos tou leprou).

The term "leprou" is derived from "lepra," referring to the skin disease leprosy, but in many cases, it could be used to refer to a variety of skin ailments.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In comparison to other ancient myths and religious interpretations, the inclusion of Jesus in the house of a leper represents a stark contrast.

Many ancient religions practiced strict purity codes, shunning those who did not meet the standard.

The Jewish customs of the time were also focused on cleanliness and would have ordinarily excluded a leper.

The act of Jesus being hosted by someone who was formerly a leper is a metaphor for renewal and acceptance, opposing the notion of permanent uncleanliness and social outcast prevalent in many other contemporary cultures and belief systems.

Scientific Perspectives

From a modern scientific standpoint, what was called "leprosy" in the Bible most likely encompassed a range of skin diseases, not limited to what is known today as Hansen's disease (leprosy).

The transformative impact of Jesus visiting and dining with someone labeled as a leper can be likened today to the barriers being broken down when those in society overcome stigmas associated with diseases or medical conditions.

Commentaries

Various biblical scholars and commentators have provided insights into Matthew 26:6.

Some suggest that Simon the leper must have been healed by Jesus prior to this event, as lepers were not permitted to live within the community.

Others focus on the significance of Jesus' willingness to be in the presence of a former social outcast.

Still, commentators might emphasize the foreshadowing of Jesus’ own sacrifice and his role as a healer not just of physical ailments but also of societal breaches.

The act of the woman following in the subsequent verses also garners attention, as it is seen as an anointing for Jesus' impending death and a significant act of devotion and worship.

Matthew 26

Matthew 26

What does Matthew 26:6 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 26:6 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?