Matthew 26:9

For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.

Matthew 26:9 (KJV)

Context

This verse records the disciples’ objection when a woman poured very costly ointment on Jesus’ head in Bethany. The event took place in the house of Simon the leper during the final days before the crucifixion, while the religious leaders were already plotting against Jesus. The disciples, seeing the expensive gift, complained that it might have been sold for much and the money given to the poor. Their words sound reasonable and even compassionate, yet Jesus’ response in the following verses shows that their concern, though outwardly pious, missed the deeper meaning of the woman’s act.

The account is part of the larger narrative of the anointing at Bethany, also told in Mark 14:3-9 and John 12:1-8. In John’s Gospel, the woman is identified as Mary, the sister of Lazarus. The ointment was pure nard, and Mark 14:5 notes its value as more than three hundred pence (denarii)—roughly a year’s wages for a laborer. This detail helps explain why the disciples were so indignant: the cost was not trivial, and their objection seemed both practical and charitable.

Meaning

The disciples’ complaint in Matthew 26:9 reflects a tension between practical charity and worshipful extravagance. On the surface, selling the ointment and giving the proceeds to the poor appears to be a wise and compassionate use of resources. Caring for the poor is a consistent theme in Jesus’ teaching, so their words might seem justified. Yet Jesus rebukes them, saying, “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” (Matthew 26:10-11). He reveals that the woman’s act was not waste but preparation for His burial, and He declares that her deed will be told as a memorial wherever the gospel is preached.

The verse thus teaches that not all criticism is valid, even when it sounds reasonable. The disciples’ concern for the poor, while not wrong in itself, became a way to diminish an act of wholehearted devotion to Jesus. The woman’s extravagance was a prophetic and loving response to who Jesus is and what He was about to suffer. Her example challenges readers to consider whether their own practical calculations might sometimes crowd out genuine worship and costly love for Christ.

Biblical connections

Jesus’ response in Matthew 26:11, “The poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always,” echoes Deuteronomy 15:11, where God says the poor will never cease from the land. This does not dismiss ongoing care for the needy; rather, it highlights the unique and temporary opportunity the disciples had to honor Jesus in person. The woman’s anointing also connects to the Old Testament practice of anointing kings and priests, and Jesus interprets it as an anointing for His burial (Matthew 26:12). Her act points forward to His death and resurrection, making it a moment of profound theological significance.

Application

This passage invites believers to examine their own motives when evaluating acts of devotion. It is easy to criticize what appears extravagant or impractical, especially when framed as concern for the poor. Yet Jesus honors the woman’s sacrificial love and commends her for doing what she could. The verse encourages Christians to discern when God is calling them to costly worship, even if it seems inefficient by human standards. It also reminds them that caring for the poor remains a vital part of discipleship, but it must not become an excuse to neglect direct expressions of love and honor toward Christ.

Reflection

The woman’s act challenges us to ask: What costly gift might we offer to Jesus today? Her devotion was not calculated for maximum social benefit; it was poured out in love, and Jesus received it as a beautiful thing. In a world that often measures value by utility, this verse calls us to see that worship offered to Christ is never wasted. Her story has been told for two thousand years, fulfilling Jesus’ promise, and it still speaks of the surpassing worth of loving Him without reservation.