Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of
Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very
expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. And
when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For
this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” But Jesus,
aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a
beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not
always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare
me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the
whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” Then one of
the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said,
“What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty
pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. (Matthew 26:6–16 ESV).
Meanwhile, a woman
named Mary takes a jar of perfume valued at 300 pieces of silver (or a year’s
salary), cracks it open, pours it over Jesus’ head and feet, and rubs it into
his skin with her hair (cf. John 12:3). It’s not only lavish but socially
awkward and humiliating. Horrified, Judas speaks up for the disciples. He calls
Mary’s display wasteful and argues the perfume should have been sold and spent
on the poor (cf. John 12:4-5; Matthew 26:8-9). But Jesus quiets Judas and tells
the disciples Mary is doing the right thing. He says: “You will always have the
poor among you, but you will not always have me” (v. 11).
Jesus isn’t dismissing
care for the poor with this statement, he’s highlighting the value of what he
has come to do. Like the religious elite have said, the only way to save God’s
people is if he is killed. Mary understands that Jesus must die, so she embalms
him in advance. To her, it’s no “waste” to offer her most precious possession
if it prepares Jesus for the burial that will save God’s people (Matthew
26:12). But Judas realizes Jesus is no longer useful to him. So, he sneaks away
and tells the religious elite he will betray Jesus for a tenth of what Mary
poured out (vv. 14-15).
Strangely, everyone in
this story is preparing for Jesus to die. The religious elite offer a bribe to
more easily capture Jesus. Judas betrays Jesus for another month’s expenses.
And Mary prepares him to be laid in a tomb. Even more strangely, everybody believes
Jesus must die in order to save them. Judas thought Jesus’ death would save his
financial status. The religious elite thought Jesus’ death would prevent Rome
from breathing more heavily down their necks. But Holy Wednesday is good news
because Jesus announces that his death will save God’s people not from Rome or
poverty, but from death itself (cf. John 11:51-52).
