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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 26:9 mean?

Explanation

The verse "For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor." (Matthew 26:9, KJV) arises from an incident where a woman, identified in John’s gospel as Mary of Bethany, anoints Jesus with an expensive perfume.

Some of the disciples, notably Judas Iscariot, according to John 12:4-5, are indignant at what they perceive as a wasteful act.

They argue that the ointment, which was very costly, could have been sold and the money given to the poor.

This statement reflects a tension between the act of devotion shown by the woman and a pragmatic wish to help the less fortunate.

While on the surface it seems to point to a concern for economic stewardship and social responsibility, the account reveals deeper layers of meaning within the narrative, suggesting contrasting attitudes towards Jesus and the significance of His impending death.

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Historical Context

The scene occurs during the week leading up to the Passover festival, a highly significant time for the Jewish people, commemorating their liberation from Egyptian slavery.

The location is Bethany, a village near Jerusalem, at the home of Simon the leper.

The anointing with costly perfume was a sign of great honor and devotion.

As the Gospels reveal, Jesus' followers did not always understand His mission or the symbolisms He employed; this is an instance where the immediate practical response to sell the ointment contrasts with the symbolic and prophetic significance Jesus attributes to the woman’s action.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, the woman's act is often interpreted as prefiguring Jesus' burial, and Jesus acknowledges this by stating that she has anointed His body for burial in the subsequent verses (Matthew 26:12).

The disciples' objections represent a misunderstanding of Jesus' mission and impending sacrifice.

Judas' complaint also foreshadows his betrayal of Jesus, and John explicitly connects the two events (John 12:6).

Orthodox theology emphasizes the worthiness of offering one's best to God, akin to Old Testament sacrifices.

Some commentators suggest that this act of devotion shows the woman's insight into the value of Christ's person and work.

From a Liberation theology point of view, the tension is seen between the spiritual act of devotion and the physical needs of the poor, asserting that following Jesus includes social justice responsibilities.

In Evangelical theology, the passage is cited as a reminder that Christ should take precedence over all things, including charitable deeds.

Practical Applications

In daily life, the verse encourages believers to prioritize their relationship with Christ and to discern when to offer acts of devotion that might not align with pragmatic or worldly values.

It also serves as a reminder for followers to be aware of false piety, like that displayed by Judas, and instead practice genuine faithfulness and generosity.

Cross-References

John 12:3-8: Offers a parallel account and identifies the woman as Mary, who anoints Jesus' feet.
Mark 14:4-5: Mark’s account of the same incident, echoing the sentiment of the economic value of the perfume.
Matthew 26:12: Jesus explains the significance of the anointing as preparation for his burial.
John 13:29: Some at the Last Supper thought Jesus was telling Judas to give something to the poor, illustrating the ongoing theme of providing for the poor in Jesus' teachings.
1 Timothy 6:17-19: Encourages wealthy followers to be generous and willing to share.

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the phrase “might have been sold” is from the verb πραθῆναι (prathēnai), a form of πιπράσκω (piprasko), which means to sell. This verb is in the aorist infinitive passive, indicating an action that could have been completed.

“For much” translates to πολλοῦ (pollou), an adverb meaning "for a great price" or "at a high value".

The word “poor” is πτωχοὺς (ptōchous), describing individuals who are economically destitute.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In the context of other ancient traditions, offerings of great value were common as acts of devotion to deities or revered figures.

The story echoes themes found in various cultures where the excessive display of wealth or resources could prompt discussions about appropriate use, especially in the context of need within the society.

Scientific Perspectives

While this verse does not directly engage with scientific perspectives, the economic considerations of resource allocation, what might today be studied in the disciplines of economics or sociology, are relevant.

Modern science might pose questions about the best utilitarian use of resources for maximum societal benefit.

However, the act of anointing in the biblical context is symbolic rather than utilitarian.

Commentaries

Various biblical scholars provide a range of interpretations.

For instance, some focus on the literal misunderstanding of Jesus' mission by the disciples and specifically Judas' forthcoming betrayal.

Others deeper analyze the symbolic act of anointing and its significance in the light of Old Testament practices.

Yet, some concentrate on the social message, discussing the balance between showing devotion to God and caring for the poor, emphasizing that they are not mutually exclusive, and proper discernment is necessary to harmonize these aspects of faith.

Matthew 26

Matthew 26

What does Matthew 26:9 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 26:9 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?