Matthew chapter 26, our focus will be verses 6 to 13, the anointing at Bethany. But I did want to read verses 1 to 16. So beginning in Matthew chapter 26 at verse 1. Now it came to pass when Jesus had finished all these sayings that he said to his disciples, you know that after two days is the Passover and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.
Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill him. But they said, not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people. And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table. But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, Why this waste?
For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor. But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always.
For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her. Then one of the 12, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priest and said, what are you willing to give me if I deliver him to you? And they counted out to him 30 pieces of silver.
So from that time, he sought opportunity to betray him. Amen. Well, let us pray. Father, thank you for the written word of the living and true God.
Thank you for this passion narrative and what it tells us concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. And certainly it answers questions concerning how he would save his people from their sins and what he meant in chapter 20, 28, when he says, the Son of Man gave his life to ransom many. God, we thank you for this great act, this great act of redemption brought out by the Lord Jesus Christ for us men and for our salvation. We pray now that your Spirit would guide and direct us.
We pray that your Spirit would draw from us further devotion and worship and love and adoration to our Lord Jesus Christ. May we see and may we admire this woman and may we indeed engage in likewise. And again, forgive us now for our sin and we pray through Christ the Lord. Amen.
Introduction
Well, as I said in prayer, this Matthew chapters 26 to 28 is the passion narrative, and it's the description of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. And as we embark on that, we're not going to go through the whole thing, but I thought over the next several Lord's Supper services, we would take our sermon material from this section of Matthew's gospel. But as we look at this particular passage, it is intriguing because we have conspiracy in verses 3 and 4. There's a conspiracy on the part of the religious leaders to destroy Jesus.
And then you have betrayal by Judas Iscariot in verses 14 to 16. So sandwiched between this conspiracy and betrayal, you have an act of devotion. And when we look at the parallel passages, there's a parallel in John's Gospel in John 12, 1-8, and there's a parallel in Mark 14 at verses 3-9. John tells us when this occurred, and Matthew doesn't give us any indication concerning the timing, which suggests that Matthew's sort of insertion of this narrative here is more thematic and theological in nature.
Some have suggested that it sort of sets the stage or sets the tone for how we approach the passion narrative. Devotion, worship, adoration, appreciation for our Lord for what He has done for us in terms of salvation. So I want to look at the devotion of this particular woman under three considerations. First, the anointing at Bethany in verses 6 and 7.
Secondly, the complaint of the disciples in verses 8 and 9. And then finally, the response of our Lord Jesus Christ in verses 10 to 13. It's a very instructive passage on the way that we should appreciate and go toward our Savior, but it's also instructive with reference to discipleship. We can have some issues, and we can have some challenges, and I think it's represented here by these disciples and their response to this woman.
The Anointing at Bethany
But in the first place, we ought to appreciate the setting. As I said, the parallel passages in Mark 14, we'll refer to that a little bit. There's a couple of details in there that are not given to us here in Matthew, and then John 12, one to eight. Now, what differences exist, especially in John, can be harmonized.
We're not going to spend a lot of time on that. There's another instance of a similar type of an anointing in Luke chapter 7. That woman, which was a sinner, comes and anoints the Savior. But those are different accounts.
That happened in Galilee. This takes place in Bethany. Bethany is just outside of Jerusalem on the east side. And in terms of the chronology, up to this point, we've been on the Tuesday of the Passion Week.
Not a lot happens on Wednesday, but then on Thursday, all sorts of things happen. But as I said, this particular instance took place the previous Saturday, and that's what John indicates for us. So again, that Matthew puts it here. He wants us to spend some time reflecting on the glory of the Savior and on the devotion requisite to what the Savior's undergoing in terms of His cross work.
Now, the reference to Simon the leper here in verse 6, he had been healed. If he had not been healed, then they would not have been allowed to be near him. And the leper doesn't sort of tar and feather him for life, but it distinguishes him because Simon was a very popular and a very common name. So they're in the house of Simon the leper.
Now, in terms of the setting, we ought to appreciate the woman, her identity. She is Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. We see that again in John's gospel in John chapter 12. They lived in Bethany.
This is that Mary that we've seen, or that you see in Luke, that is Bethany. busy worshiping the Savior, while her sister Martha is busy serving the Savior, and Martha sort of complains about that. So what we find here is characteristic of this woman. She is devoted to the Savior, and she will spare no expense in demonstrating that devotion. And then note the particular activity, what she does.
Verse 7 tells us, a woman came to him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table. Now this was a practice that was done in certain contexts. As I've already said, Luke 7, that woman which was a sinner does a similar thing. As well, the act is consistent with the anointing of kings. 1 Samuel chapter 16, Samuel anoints David as king.
Also, the act is interpreted by Christ as a preparation for his burial. And thus it confirms what he's already announced in verse two. Look at it 26 too. He says, you know that after two days is the Passover and the son of man will be delivered up to be crucified.
He interprets this act on her part as preparation for his burial. So he's affirming the reality of his own death. And this woman seems to understand that as well. And therefore she pours out this very costly and fragrant oil.
But in the final analysis, what this was, was a spontaneous act of extravagance directed to the Lord of glory. It was a spontaneous act of extravagance in terms of cost, in terms of value, in terms of price, such that it causes these disciples to recoil with horror and even severely or sharply criticize her. But it's an expression of her worship, it's an expression of her devotion, it's an expression to her evaluation of the Lord Jesus Christ. The oil, according to John 12, 3, was worth 300 denarii.
That is a year's salary for a working man. Davies and Allison make this observation. The high price contrasts sharply with the low price Judas settles upon to betray Jesus. In the following narrative, he bargains for 30 pieces of silver.
Well, she takes this 300 denarii worth of costly and fragrant oil, and she pours it on his head. Now, that then dripped down onto his body, which ultimately reached his feet. Because in John 12, it tells us that she put the oil on his feet. Some say, well, here it's head, and there it's feet.
That's a contradiction. No, typically oil is subject to the laws of gravity, just like every other created material, such that if you put it on somebody's head, it does naturally, and with that appropriate tendency, go down the body and ultimately end up on the feet. So there is no contradiction, there is utter consistency between the narratives, but oftentimes what the authors are doing are highlighting theological and thematic concerns.
The Disciples' Complaint
Now let's look secondly at the complaint of the disciples. Notice what we have in verses 8 and 9. But when his disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, Why this waste? for this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor. Their attitude, the extravagance of the woman's act was met with a horrified response by these pragmatic disciples.
Think about it for just a moment. You're Jesus and you're sitting there and this woman pours this costly oil upon your head. It drips down to your body and ends up on your feet. And the people that are closest to you say, why this waste?
What do you mean, why this waste? That is an indirect criticism of the Lord Jesus Christ and a direct criticism of this particular woman. Any devotion that we express to the Savior is never a waste. Any extravagance that we spend relative to the Savior is never a waste.
Now, we need to be wise, we need to be prudent, we need to be planners, we need to be all of that, but this woman displays to us as well the reality that we need to be abandoned with reference to the worship of our Christ, that nothing is too good for Him, that nothing is too glorious for Him, that He far surpasses any creaturely thing that we can ever do in terms of our appreciation toward Him. One wonders what these disciples would have thought in 1 Kings 6-8. 1 Kings 6-7 is the building of Solomon's temple. As we went through that particular narrative in our Wednesday night Bible study, we saw that the very hinges of the door were made out of solid gold. Would the disciples say, why this waste?
Of course they wouldn't, because they know Yahweh of Israel is worthy of such extravagance. They, unlike this woman, had not yet appreciated that with reference to Christ. They certainly loved him, they were certainly followers of him, but in terms of giving up this sort of a monetary gift to him, they weren't at that particular place yet. So they, in
Judas and the Disciples' Response
their pragmatism, they ask, why this waste? Now the parallel in John 12, 4 and 5 indicates that that came from Judas Iscariot. But from Mark and from Matthew, we see that Judas' poison seeped into the veins of these other men, and they are hypercritical of this particular woman. Now note their complaint.
The question why this waste, as mentioned, is an indirect criticism of Jesus himself and a direct criticism of the woman. Imagine if you're, you know, somewhere, you go to somebody's house and you're sitting at their table and, you know, the Persons of the house offer you a piece of pie, and some of the family come later. Why did you waste the pie on him? That would be a bit of a dig, wouldn't you?
You probably wouldn't want to munch that pie if you thought you were the object of waste with reference to that pie. I mean, this is subtle, brethren, but it's very poignant. It's very pointed in terms of a dig, not only at the woman, but at the Savior as well. And then note the reason or rationale for their concern.
Verse 8 tells us, when his disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor. Again, this is not altogether out of line. In fact, Jesus teaches in the gospel records that we should remember the poor.
Jesus indicates that in Matthew chapter 19. Remember when he preaches the law to that rich young ruler, he says, go sell everything you have and give to the poor. Matthew 25, the Olivet Discourse, and the very end, there's the sheep and the goats. Well, what distinguishes the sheep and the goats in that particular situation?
Sovereign grace. Before you answer their works, remember sovereign grace. They were sheep and goats when they appear before God Almighty. They were already sheep and they were already goats.
The external manifestation of their choice having been chosen by God is good works done to the least of these my brethren. So Jesus commands care for the poor. Jesus commands that sort of kindness to try to ameliorate the downtrodden and the poor, so there is a surface-level reasonableness to their suggestion, but ultimately, they misunderstand the scenario.
Christ, Social Justice, and Both-And Christianity
And I think at this point, it's very helpful to remind ourselves that Christ is not anti-social justice. Now, those two words are very powerful and very often employed in modern society. Perhaps you've heard the words, social justice warrior. Well, if we ask the Bible, is God concerned about justice in society?
The answer is yes. But the modern social justice warrior, as they go about their good deeds, tend to have little concern for the death of babies at the hands of abortionists. They have little concern for the death of the elderly and the infirm at the hands of murderous doctors and legislators. Social justice today has more affinity, at least in some contexts, with Karl Marx than it does with Jesus Christ. but just accepting for a moment that Christ sanctions the practice of social justice, which he does.
He doesn't say, don't ever give to the poor. He says, go ahead and give to the poor. The thing that we as God's people need to keep in mind, that on the one hand, yes, we have that second great commandment. commanded to us that we love our neighbor as ourself. And an expression of that oftentimes is engaging in what we'll call social justice, trying to protect those who are defenseless, trying to help those who are vulnerable, but not redistributing wealth and trying to sort of form a utopian society.
That's an odd, strange variant of social justice-ism. But the point is, if we are engaged in those sorts of doings, and we're not Forbidden from doing that, we mustn't neglect devotion to Christ. You see this happen with churches. Churches need to be relevant.
Churches need to speak to society. Churches need to go out and do wonderful things. That's all good and well, as long as the churches don't abandon the place of worship. They don't abandon the place of the sacraments.
They don't abandon the place of the preaching of the word. That's our chief calling. The other expressions of our love to fellow men are embedded in us as well, but we ought never to do the one at the sacrifice or expense of the other. And I think the tendency is extant among Christians to be an either or.
Either I'm gonna be the social justice contender, or I'm gonna be engaged in acts of piety. Well, the Bible enforces upon us, not an either or, but a both and. We're supposed to worship. We're supposed to express extravagant displays of love and affection for our Jesus.
We're also supposed to try and help people along the way. So they criticized this particular woman. In fact, according to the parallel in Mark 14, 5, they criticized her sharply. They were not pleased whatsoever that she took this costly oil, worth 300 denarii, and broke it over the head of the Savior.
That upset them, that provoked them, that evoked from them this complaint. Now, the criticism of others concerning our use of time, money, or energy in the service of the Savior ought not to deter us. Notice that this woman doesn't say, okay, I'll never do that again. No, Mary is a devotee to the Lord Christ, notwithstanding the severe criticisms of her fellows.
She continues, and the Lord Jesus Christ ultimately shows his approbation for her. The approbation of the Savior is ultimately the one thing needful, not what do everybody else think of this particular thing. Spurgeon said it this way. She did well to take counsel with her own loving heart, and then to pour the precious nard upon that deer head, which was so soon to be crowned with thorns.
She thus showed that there was at least one heart in the world that thought nothing was too good for her Lord, and the best of the best ought to be given to him. May she have many imitators in every age until Jesus comes again. So the disciples didn't quite see it the way that C.H. Spurgeon saw it.
And I think the way that C.H. Spurgeon saw it is the way we ought to see it. Christ is worthy. The bride says he is altogether lovely.
He is chief among 10,000. He is most high, most glorious, most wondrous. Certainly he is worthy of 300 denarii of this costly oil broken over his head and dripping down his body. And as we move on in the text, we see that Christ affirms this.
The Response of Christ
So we've seen the anointing at Bethany. Second, the complaint of the disciples. Let's look thirdly and finally at the response of the Lord Jesus Christ. Verses 10 to 13.
Christ was aware of it. And we might argue he was aware of it according to his divinity, because he knows the hearts of men. But he was aware of it according to his humanity, because he heard them complain. He heard them criticize her.
He heard their sort of offers of resistance in terms of this particular act on their part. So he is aware of it. And notice how he praises the woman. Verse 10, he says, why do you trouble the woman?
For she has done a good work for me. What did they say? Why this waste? Why did you give this last piece of pie to him?
Why did you break this costly oil on his head? Why this waste? Look at how Jesus frames it. Why do you trouble the woman?
For she has done a good work for me. What they interpret as a waste, Christ interprets as a good work. The act they call a waste is a good work, or in the ESV and NIV, it's a beautiful thing. And this was, in fact, a beautiful thing.
Consider the particular scene as well, in a sort of society where men were you know, a bit above the women. I'm not trying to be mean or vicious or anti-social justice. I'm just simply suggesting that for her to do what she did in this context was an expression of great faith in the Savior and an expression of great devotion to the Savior in that she does this notwithstanding the criticisms of these men. The act demonstrates that it is lawful to show devotion and worship to Christ in a very costly way.
Now, the text does not necessitate that. The text doesn't say, okay, in order to truly honor God on the Lord's Day, you should go buy the most expensive Italian suit that you can find in Vancouver, because after all, God is great and God is worthy of that. That's not what the text is expressing. But the text is expressing that when we do devote time, energy, money, resources, wealth, or whatever, in the cause of God Most High, as expressions of devotion to Jesus, that's not a waste.
See, the church is often criticized for doing things that builds up her ability to worship, to praise, and express devotion. Well, in a world filled with downtrodden and poor, you can hear sorts of the criticisms outside. Why would you spend new hymn books when you've got a whole raft of homeless people living just down the street? Why would you maintain a sanctuary that looks decent when you've got all these people in this community that could use some help?
Again, we're not denying the place of offering help and assistance, but we also ought not to shrink back from expressing love and affection and adoration and devotion to the Savior. And now please, hear what I'm saying. There's no monetary value, there's no sort of qualification. If you spend this much, then you're really worshipping Jesus.
The point of the passage is, is that Christ is altogether lovely, Christ is chief among 10,000, and that whatever service we spend on Him can never be a waste. but he calls it rather a good work. It's a beautiful thing, according to other translations. Now, he addresses their concern for the poor. Notice what he says.
For you have the poor with you always, but me you do not have always. So he says something contrary to commies and socialists. He says there will always be poor people on earth. Intriguingly, that communism and socialism actually creates more poor people.
As Churchill says, it's the equal distribution of misery. And this reality that the poor will always be on earth is something we need to take into consideration. That doesn't mean we step over them and we mock at them and we don't try to help and we don't try to ameliorate the downtrodden and the poor. But brethren, this will never be a utopia on earth.
There will always be sin, there will always be curse, there will always be the presence of the effects of sin in this present world. And so Jesus makes this statement, for you have the poor with you always, but me you do not have always. Now, the wording seems to be that of Deuteronomy 15, 11, which there calls for generosity to the poor. As Israel is prepared to go into the land of promise, as Israel is being prepared by Moses on the plains of Moab to enter into the promised land, we see, you shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and needy in your land.
So there was that mandate, Deuteronomy, that they were to tend to the poor. Jesus affirms that. Jesus is not either or-ing here. He's not saying, well, devotion to me is everything.
No, he is simply saying that you'll always have the poor. You can always give 300 denarii to them, but me, you will not always have. He's speaking about and he's confirming what he's already said in verse two, that he's going to die. Now, we have the promise of 2820 that He is with us even to the end of the age, but that is a spiritual presence of our Lord with His church.
In terms of His physicality, He would ascend on high, He'd lead captivity captive, and He'd give gifts to men. He would go back to heaven. So He says, you're always going to have the poor, you're always going to have the ability to go out and to give them 300 denarii. You're always able to do that, but me, you don't always have.
In other words, seize on the opportunities that you have for devotion, for worship, and for these expressions of affection to your blessed Lord. So he's not denigrating kindness to the poor. In fact, in the parallel, in Mark 14, 7, and whenever you wish, you may do them good. In 25, 41, he said that he is honored when good is done, to the least of these my brethren.
So Christ isn't anti-poor, Christ isn't anti-Deuteronomy, Christ affirms those passages, but he's simply saying, leave the woman alone. And that's precisely what he says in the parallel in Mark. She's done or she did what she could. This is her expression of devotion.
This is her expression of faith. This is her expression of adoration to the Lord. This morning in our confession study, I referred to that instance in Samuel, when David in 2 Samuel 6 whirls about in front of the Ark of the Covenant. Now I made the connection that just because David does that, it doesn't legitimize or authorize or sanction dancing in the church.
My encouragement to all of you, as I encouraged them this morning, when you're King David of Israel, and you've secured military victories, and you're with the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, go ahead and whirl about it. Go ahead and dance until your socks fall off, because that's never going to happen. You cannot take that passage and argue, therefore, we ought to have dance in the public worship of God. At any rate, when David does that, what's the response of his wife?
She hated him in her heart. The only woman that I know of in the Bible where it says she loved someone and then hated that same someone. She despised it. She thought it was a compromise of his royal dignity.
She thought that it somehow jeopardized what everybody else might think of him. What's David's point? God Almighty is in the midst of us. God Almighty has vindicated us.
God Almighty is worthy of me whirling about that Ark of the Covenant. You see, brethren, these men make the same observation in this context, and Jesus tells them essentially, back it down.
Christ Highlights the Poor
So he praises the women, he highlights the presence of the poor, then notice
Prophetic Significance of the Anointing
he highlights the prophetic significance of the act. Verse 12, for in pouring this fragrant oil on my body, she did it for my burial. Again, this confirms verse 2. You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered to be crucified.
The statement points to the inevitability, not only of his death, but of his resurrection. It not only points to the reality that he's going to go in that grave, but the disciples would have remembered the several instances prior when he not only pointed out his death, but his inevitable resurrection. And this anointing is consistent with what's going to happen in terms of Jesus, the Messiah, doing what he does for the salvation of sinners. The statement interprets our actions according to the messianic overtones. specifically the fact that the Messiah had to die in order to save his people from their sins.
So Christ not only praises her, Christ not only recognizes the place of the poor, but he also highlights the prophetic significance of what this woman had done. Listen to R.T. France. He says, the woman's extravagant loyalty offsets the shameful horror of crucifixion.
Again, you're not supposed to just jump in and forget everything else around this in a few moments or in few verses down. Jesus is going to be betrayed by Judas, or this plan will be concocted. They've already conspired in the first section, and then there's this devotion, extravagant devotion by the part of this woman, and then there's this betrayal concocted by Judas with the religious leaders. Christ will then institute the supper, Christ will then go to Gethsemane, and Christ will then stand before the Jewish Sanhedrin.
So all of this stuff is confirmatory of what is going to transpire relative to his mission. He goes on, France does, that is why it must always be remembered, not simply as a model of uncalculating devotion, though it is certainly that, but as an affirmation of the value of his death from the point of view of faith. Us knowing Jesus the way we know Jesus, we now know and we are convinced there is nothing too good for him, right? 300 denarii is chump change. We should give every bit of denarii in light of what he's going to do on the cross, in light of the redemptive work that Christ undertakes on our behalf.
Is there anything that we could ever offer up To even begin to repay him? Absolutely, positively not. This is an attempt on the part of the woman to try and repay him. It's an attempt on the part of the woman to praise him, to adore him, to express that devotion to him.
Worship, brethren, is our response to what Christ has wrought on behalf of sinners. But then
A Perpetual Memorial
notice, He highlights a perpetual memorial to her. This is beautiful. Verse 13, assuredly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her. Proverbs 10.7 says, the memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot.
Ecclesiastes 7.1, a good name is better than precious ointment. You see, Christ is saying that wherever this gospel is preached, what this woman has done needs to be told also. So they severely criticize her, Christ praises her. They severely chide her, Christ wants to memorialize her.
You see, Christ approves of this kind of worship. Christ approves of the type of worship that isn't restrained by the thoughts of others. What will somebody think if they hear me sing just a little bit louder? Remember when one of our sons, it was Josh, he was a little guy.
Boy, he would sing loud. I mean, just loud. He was like... Just a little kid sitting back there and just belted out.
And I remember his sisters would kind of, kind of, I'm not picking on his sisters here, but you know, this kind of, kind of, kind of a little bit, a little bit too much. It's not too much. Christ is altogether lovely and chief among 10,000. Christ is worthy.
That's the point of the passage. John Gill says, this woman got a good name and obtained a good report by her precious ointment. And if this woman's action was to be told for a memorial of her, much more what Christ has done and suffered should be told as a memorial of him. We see this already fulfilled in the early church.
John writes later than Matthew. John 11 too says that this Mary is the one who took this costly oil and poured it on the head of Christ, even prior to John 12, where the actual record is given. So in the early church, it was already known. Throughout the preaching of the gospel, the ages of the church, it's known.
What Mary does here was perpetual, it was memorialized. The truth of this statement throughout the ages. Listen to Ryle. Ryle says the deeds and titles of many a king and emperor and general are as completely forgotten as if written in the sand.
That's not even like us, right? Once we go, it's as if our names were written in the sand. I think our wives and our husbands will remember, well, not think, they will, right? And our kids will remember us fondly, I hope.
The grandkids will remember us fondly. But generals, world leaders, emperors, czars, presidents, prime ministers, those names were, as it were, written in the sand. He says, but the grateful act of one humble Christian woman is recorded in 150 different languages and is known all over the globe. The praise of man is but for a few days.
The praise of Christ endureth forever. The pathway to lasting honor is to honor Christ. That's the emphasis of the passage. Devotion, sandwiched in between conspiracy and betrayal.
We, the people of God, ought to appreciate what this woman does for the Savior as He's about to embark on the redemptive task of saving us from our sins.
Application
Now, in terms of the practical lessons afforded by the passage, I want to bring out a few. In the first place, with reference to disciples, with reference to you and I, there is a tendency to judge and criticize the actions of others. Now, if you're going, what? Really?
You haven't reflected accurately upon an open Bible in your own heart. The tendency is there to judge others. In this context, they have the gall to say, why this waste? It's a terribly belittling thing, both indirectly to the Savior, the recipient of the thing, but as well to the woman, the doer of the thing.
We need to guard our hearts. If someone isn't transgressing God's law, shut your mouth. If somebody isn't lacking conformity unto God's law, then be quiet. If somebody goes about it in a manner that's just a little bit different than you, then keep your mouth closed.
As well, there is a tendency to insult the Savior by this act. Now, I don't think these men were malicious. I don't think these men were evil. I don't think these men were pernicious, but they weren't thinking.
When they say, why this waste? Again, if I was Jesus, I'd probably be thinking, what am I, chopped liver? I mean, come on. He's the second person of the triune God, come down for us men and for our salvation, took on our humanity, submitted himself to the law, always did what was pleasing to the Father, is about to embark on crucifixion for the sins of his people.
He is going to suffer in a way that you and I never will have to because of what he's done. And they say, why this waste? And then the tendency, as I've already said, to practice an either-or Christianity rather than a both-and. Brethren, we have two great commandments.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. That's our worship. That's our devotion. That's our expression of faith and praise and adoration to the true and living God. but we're also governed by the second, which is like unto it, love your neighbor as yourself.
Those are our acts of kindness, our acts of benevolence, our acts of goodness. See, there are two that regulate the conduct of God's people. When we do an either-or, we're not being responsible. We need to be about both and, the worship of God and a reasonable attempt to help those around us who are in need.
The Woman: Doing What She Could
Secondly, in terms of a practical lesson, the woman. The woman spared no expense in her devotion to the Lord. The question has been asked, and I don't think it's wrong, where'd she get this oil? I mean, 300 denarii, an entire salary for a working man?
Where did she get it? you know, ideas or options or possibilities. It could have been a family sort of a thing, could have been an heirloom that you pass down from generation to generation. Whatever the situation is, she takes this very costly oil and pours it on the head of the Savior. According to Mark's gospel, secondly, she did what she could.
Don't you love that? We're not going to be judged on what we couldn't do. We will be judged on what we could do. Some of us can't afford to build a temple.
That's just not gonna happen. But most of us can afford to show up. We do what we can, and that's what's underscored. In fact, look at the parallel for a moment, just so you can see it.
Mark 14. Mark 14, there's a couple of dynamics that come out that are absent in Matthew. Mark 14.3, and being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on his head.
But there were some who were indignant among themselves and said, why was this fragrant oil wasted? For it might have been sold for more than 300 denarii and given to the poor. And they criticized her sharply. But Jesus said, let her alone.
That was my previous application. Leave him alone. Unless somebody's breaking God's law, leave them alone. Don't mess with them.
Don't... you know, intrude upon. Don't be the worship police. Don't be the devotion police. Don't be the Pharisees that regulate the conduct of your fellows based on your personal preferences or whims.
He says, leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for me. For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish, you may do them good.
But me you do not have always. She has done what She could she has come beforehand to anoint my body for burial Assuredly I say to you wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world What this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her turn to 1st Corinthians chapter 15 1 Corinthians chapter 15, where you see a general principle set forth by the apostle in terms of our service unto the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15.58, therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. Notice, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Christ doesn't say, what, 300 denarii?
You couldn't have bought that? You couldn't have done better? She did what she could. She didn't have any more wealth.
She didn't have any more resources. The very best that she has, she pours it out on his head. And then as well, she did not seek man's approval, but rather Christ's approval, and she received it. He commends her.
He memorializes her. It's in the gospel. We're talking about her right now. She was memorialized in Scripture for her actions.
And I want to underscore this by saying, it's not necessarily great accomplishments. but rather great devotion to Jesus. You know, some people are useful in the kingdom in ways that others aren't, but the ways that others aren't are still ways. You do what you can. You seek to honor the Lord, consistent with what you have and what you are under God.
This woman sets forth that glorious example.
Lessons from the Savior
And then finally, relative to the Savior. lessons with reference to the Savior. In the first place, he receives her devotion and worship. We're in Acts 14. At Lystra, the folk are going to try to worship Paul and Barnabas.
They're going to think that the gods have come down. You've got Paul as Hermes because he's the speaker, and you've got Barnabas who's Zeus, and as a result, these pagans want to bow and want to worship in their presence. What do they do? They say, don't do that.
Remember when Simon Peter shows up at Cornelius's house. Cornelius wants to worship Simon Peter. Peter says, no, I'm a man just like you are. When you get to the book of Revelation, John wants to bow down to an angel and the angel says, don't do that.
What does Jesus do? Does he say, don't do that? I'm not a glorious being. I'm not altogether lovely.
No, he receives this act of worship and devotion, underscoring. his dignity as the God-man. Secondly, he defends her from the criticism of the disciples. Isn't that beautiful? Don't let anybody ever tell you, oh, Christianity is a bunch of chauvinistic pigs.
Christ is a defender of this woman. Christ says to them, leave her alone. She did what she could. He gave voice to her actions and he calls off the dogs and tells them to quit barking up her tree.
And then thirdly, he acknowledges her contribution based on her ability. That's good news. You know, people say, well, I don't have that. Well, what you do have, you should be willing to part with for the cause of God and truth.
Remember that widow's mites. She gave from everything she had. Certainly there's others giving more money, but she felt that pinch when she gave it. I think I've said before that sacrifice really is sacrifice.
If sacrifice doesn't cost you anything, it's not a sacrifice. You see sacrifice costing Jesus everything, and yet when it comes to believers giving, we oftentimes try to cheap out. We try to be misers. We try to say, well, that woman only gave two mites.
Yeah, because that's all she had. When you only have two mites and you give them, praise God, from whom all blessings flow. But if we're sitting on a pile of mites, hiding behind her two mites, then we've misinterpreted the thrust of the passage. Sacrifice should pinch.
Sacrifice should hurt. Fourthly, he confirms ongoing generosity to the poor. He doesn't say, look, it's all about me. It is all about him.
And part of what he says is to go out and look after the poor. He confirms his crucifixion and his resurrection from the dead. He confirms a worldwide missionary outreach. to proclaim the gospel. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her." He confirms, in Psalm, why he is worthy of such devotion and extravagance.
He is chief among 10,000. I mentioned that earlier, Song of Solomon 510. Over the last few years, it's become sort of Christian, in the popular Christian realm, to interpret the Song of Solomon as a marriage manual between a husband and a wife. It's between Yahweh and Israel.
It's between Christ and the Church. That's who the Song of Solomon is about. So we have this statement concerning Christ. He is chief among 10,000.
He is altogether lovely. I'm reminded of a particular passage or comment on 1 Kings chapter 8. Earlier I said, what would they have said about the extravagance in the temple? What would they have said about those gold hinges?
If this was their response, would they have been down with the temple? And I think they would have been, they're just not thinking consistently here. But Ralph Davis comments on the extravagance of the temple in the Old Testament. And if you haven't read 1 Kings 6-8, you should read it sometime.
You should get it in your head to see how Israel approached her God under the Old Covenant. But Davis says, I suggest that the splendor of the temple is meant to reflect the splendor of Israel's God. That the temple's gold points to Yahweh's glory. It was a world in which kings built or refurbished lavish temples as appropriate tributes to their gods and goddesses.
In such a world, why should Yahweh look like a discount store deity with a government loan house? If there is an indulgence that is sinful, Luke 12, there is an extravagance that is godly, Mark 14, our woman who poured out this oil. He says, and perhaps the message of the temple gold is that nothing cheap should be offered to Yahweh, but only what is a tribute commensurate with His splendor. I think that's consistent with what we find here in Matthew chapter 26.
This oil reflects the splendor of this Messiah.
Gospel Call
Well, praise God Almighty that we have one who is altogether lovely and is chief among 10,000. If you don't have this one, you need to. You need to look to Him in faith. You need to believe the gospel.
You need to quit looking to your own works or your own accomplishments, or somehow arguing yourself out of the kingdom because of some perceived ideas that are imbalanced with reference to God's sovereignty. The gospel is preached, and the gospel is simply this. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. We might suggest it this way, in Romans 5a, God commends His own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
The reality is that He lived and died and rose again, and all those who look to Him in faith will have everlasting life. And then it's the hope and prayer of all of us, or it should be, that we express this kind of devotion and affection and adoration to this kind of Savior, because He's worthy. Well, let us pray.
Closing Prayer
Our Father, we thank you so much for this blessed Christ. We thank you for the wonder of the incarnation. We thank you for the wonder of His mission on earth. We thank you especially for that life, that death, that resurrection on the third day.
And God, we know that He came to save His people from their sins. That's in Matthew 1. Matthew 26 to 28 demonstrates how that is the case. And I pray that everyone here would be looking unto Him in faith, For those of us who by grace are believers, may we express that devotion, that worship, and that adoration in ways that are consistent with his dignity and with his glory and with his majesty.
And for those who aren't believers, we pray that you would grant them grace to see that he is chief among 10,000, to see that he is altogether lovely, to see that he is alone the one who is able to save sinners. And we ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.