In Memory of Her
What can this woman teach us about worship?
Worship reminds us of who God is to us (Matt. 26:7)
She poured it upon his head (κατεχεεν ἐπι της κεφαλης αὐτου [katecheen epi tēs kephalēs autou]).
Here only in the N. T. “An alabaster of nard (μυρου [murou]) was a present for a king” (Bruce)
26:7 a woman John’s parallel account identifies her as “Mary”—presumably the sister of Martha and Lazarus (
26:12 in order to prepare me for burial The woman likely intended to display her devotion, but Jesus reinterprets her act.
Mary’s beautiful act prepared His body for burial (
26:7 The costly fragrant oil (
The very expensive ointment is identified by Mark and John as ‘nard’, i.e. spikenard, an extremely expensive luxury imported from India, used especially for anointing the dead (NBD, p. 855). This last fact gives point to Jesus’ comment in v. 12, but there is no suggestion that the woman herself saw it in that light; it was not uncommon for guests at a banquet to be anointed, but the use of such an expensive oil was an act of extravagant devotion. It may well be that she did it to express her belief that Jesus was the Messiah.
As Jesus rested in this home, an unnamed woman came to him with a valuable gift of perfume. In an act of extravagant worship, she poured it on his head. This “anointing” was an appropriate way to honor the Messiah. It was often done for special guests or rabbinical figures. The anointing oil used on Jesus was very valuable, worth perhaps a year’s wages.
7. A woman. This was Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus (
26:7 The unnamed woman was Mary (
Worship requires everything we have (Matt. 26:9-10)
Matthew does not say what the ointment (μυρου [murou]) was, only saying that it was “exceeding precious” (βαρυτιμου [barutimou]), of weighty value, selling at a great price.
It is so hard for some people to allow others liberty for their own personalities to express themselves. It is easy to raise small objections to what we do not like and do not understand. A good work upon me (ἐργον καλον εἰς ἐμε [ergon kalon eis eme]). A beautiful deed upon Jesus himself.
26:9 large sum Mark’s parallel account says the oil was worth more than 300 denarii, roughly one year’s wages (
When the disciples saw the lavish outpouring of this ointment on the body (v. 12) of Jesus (both head, v. 7, and feet,
The perfume was very expensive (
13. Individual acts of charity to the poor are soon forgotten; not so this loving ‘extravagance’. This gospel is a remarkable phrase for Jesus to use in this context. The phrase has been used already in 24:14, again with reference to a ‘world-wide’ preaching (though here the word is kosmos, an even more all-inclusive idea than oikoumenē—see 24:14), but whereas there the ‘gospel of the kingdom’ might have been taken to be simply Jesus’ teaching, here it is clear that it includes also his life, and particularly the events of his passion.
26:8–9. Jesus had taught about caring for the poor (25:34–45). Thus, the disciples’ indignant reaction to this woman’s waste of resources that could have benefited the poor was understandable. But their error lay in their lack of appreciation for who was in their midst. Jesus was the Messiah-King, who alone deserved such extravagant worship.
An alabaster box. See on
This gospel. Jesus clearly anticipated the proclamation of His “gospel” (see on
26:8–11 According to
