Matthew 26:7-12
‘A woman came…having a…box of very precious perfume, and poured it on His head…. His disciples…were indignant, saying…: “This perfume might have been sold for much; and that, given to the poor!” Jesus…said to them: “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work to Me!… You always have the poor with you; but you don’t always have Me!… She has poured this perfume on My body…, for My burial!” Matthew 26:7-12.
Calvin comments: “John says that His feet were anointed, while the other two Evangelists say she anointed His head. This involves no contradiction…. It was then poured, in greater abundance than usual. John, by way of amplification, informs us that Christ’s very feet were moistened with the oil. Mark too relates that she broke the alabaster box, and poured the whole of the ointment on His head…. It agrees very well with this, to say that it flowed down to His feet….
“‘When the disciples saw it, (they were indignant)!’… John says…the murmur proceeded from Judas, who betrayed Christ…. The others would never have dared to murmur, if the wicked slander of Judas had not served for a torch…. We act improperly when we form our opinion without paying regard to the Word of God.. For, as Paul informs us, ‘None of us lives or dies for himself; but all
must stand before the judgment seat of Christ!’…(Romans 14:7,10 and Second Corinthians 5:10)….
“‘Why do you trouble the woman?!’ It is wonderful that Christ, Whose whole life was a rule and pattern of temperance and frugality, now approves of immoderate expense!…. He does not maintain that the woman did right, in such manner as if He wished that the same thing should be done every day — but maintains that what she had done in a single instance was agreeable to God
because it must have been done for a good reason…. Christ had no desire for the use…; yet this anointing pleased Him on account of the circumstances in which it happened….
“(Martha’s sister) Mary was led by a secret movement of the Spirit to anoint Christ…. ‘For she has performed a good action towards Me!’… Christ here settles the distinction between what is good and evil, by His Own solitary decision…. By affirming that what the woman had done was a good action, when that action had already been condemned by the disciples — He repressed by this Word the rashness of men who freely allow themselves to pronounce judgment….
“‘For you always have the poor with you!’ Christ does not simply defend the anointing…, but assures us that it pleased God…. By saying that the poor will always be in the world, He distinguishes between the ordinary service which ought to be maintained among believers, and that extraordinary service which ceased after His ascension to Heaven….
“‘She has done it, to bury Me!’… Christ confirms…that the precious ointment was…valued by Him…solely in reference to His burial…. He wished to testify by this symbol that His grave would yield a sweet odour, as it breathed life and salvation through the whole world!”
Thus, Jesus was perfumed with a view to His burial – to sanctify all believers when they die!
