Matthew 26:10
Aware of this, Jesus asked, "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful deed to Me.
Aware of this
In Matthew 26:10, the phrase "Aware of this" indicates Jesus' omniscience and His deep understanding of human thoughts and actions. The Greek word used here is "γνοὺς" (gnous), derived from "γινώσκω" (ginōskō), which means to know or perceive. This highlights Jesus' divine insight, as He perceives the intentions and murmurs of His disciples without them explicitly stating their concerns. This awareness is a testament to His divine nature, reminding us that nothing is hidden from God, and He is fully aware of our hearts and motives.

Jesus said
The phrase "Jesus said" underscores the authority and importance of His words. In the Gospels, whenever Jesus speaks, it is with authority and purpose. The Greek verb "εἶπεν" (eipen) is used here, which is a common term for speaking or saying. This emphasizes that Jesus' words are not just casual remarks but carry weight and significance. His teachings and responses are meant to instruct, correct, and guide His followers, reflecting His role as the ultimate teacher and shepherd.

Why are you bothering this woman?
Here, Jesus addresses the disciples' criticism of the woman's actions. The Greek word for "bothering" is "κόπους παρέχετε" (kopous parechete), which can mean causing trouble or distress. Jesus' question challenges the disciples to reconsider their judgment and to see the woman's actions from a different perspective. This phrase invites us to reflect on our own judgments and to approach others with grace and understanding, recognizing the value of their intentions and actions.

She has done a beautiful deed to Me
In this phrase, Jesus acknowledges the woman's act as a "beautiful deed." The Greek word "καλὸν" (kalon) translates to good, noble, or beautiful. This highlights the intrinsic value of her actions, which were motivated by love and devotion. Jesus' commendation of her deed serves as a reminder that acts of worship and sacrifice, when done with a pure heart, are precious in God's sight. It encourages believers to offer their best to the Lord, knowing that He sees and appreciates the beauty in our sincere offerings.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jesus
The central figure in this passage, Jesus is the one who defends the woman's actions and provides a deeper understanding of her deed.

2. The Woman
Although not named in this verse, she is identified in the surrounding context as Mary of Bethany, who anoints Jesus with expensive perfume.

3. The Disciples
Present during this event, they express indignation over what they perceive as wastefulness, prompting Jesus' response.

4. Bethany
The location where this event takes place, a village near Jerusalem, often associated with Jesus' friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.

5. The Anointing
The act of the woman pouring expensive perfume on Jesus, symbolizing honor and preparation for His burial.
Teaching Points
The Value of Worship
True worship is not measured by cost but by the heart's intention. The woman's act was a profound expression of love and devotion to Jesus.

Understanding Jesus' Mission
Jesus' defense of the woman highlights His awareness of His impending death and the significance of her act as preparation for His burial.

Criticism and Misunderstanding
Even well-intentioned actions can be misunderstood by others. Jesus' response teaches us to seek His perspective rather than human approval.

Generosity and Sacrifice
The woman's willingness to give something valuable for Jesus' sake challenges us to consider what we are willing to sacrifice in our own lives for Him.

The Beauty of Deeds
Jesus calls the woman's act "beautiful," reminding us that acts of love and devotion are precious in His sight, regardless of how they are perceived by others.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the woman's act of anointing Jesus challenge our understanding of worship and sacrifice today?

2. In what ways can we ensure that our actions are aligned with Jesus' values rather than seeking human approval?

3. How can we apply the principle of looking at the heart, as God does, in our interactions with others?

4. What are some modern-day equivalents of the "beautiful deed" that the woman performed, and how can we incorporate them into our lives?

5. How do the parallel accounts in Mark and John enhance our understanding of this event and its significance in Jesus' ministry?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Mark 14:3-9 and John 12:1-8
These parallel accounts provide additional details about the anointing, including the identity of the woman and the type of perfume used.

Proverbs 19:17
This verse speaks to the value of kindness and generosity, which can be seen in the woman's actions toward Jesus.

1 Samuel 16:7
This verse reminds us that God looks at the heart, not outward appearances, similar to how Jesus values the woman's intentions over the disciples' criticisms.
A Woman's MemorialC. H. Spurgeon.Matthew 26:6-13
Christ Anointed for His BurialR. Woodford, M. A.Matthew 26:6-13
Immortality of Good DeedsC. Dickens.Matthew 26:6-13
Jesus Christ Deserves to be Served After an Extraordinary MannerC. H. Spurgeon.Matthew 26:6-13
Love the Great Energy in ReligionA. G. Brown.Matthew 26:6-13
Mary Anointing ChristC. Molyneux, B. A.Matthew 26:6-13
Mediocrity in Religion Best Liked by the WorldA. G. Brown.Matthew 26:6-13
Ointment Poured ForthW.F. Adeney Matthew 26:6-13
Originality in ReligionA. G. Brown.Matthew 26:6-13
Profitable WasteAnon.Matthew 26:6-13
Spiritual Emotion not to be SuppressedA. Watson, D. D.Matthew 26:6-13
Superiority of Christian to Humanitarian VirtuesR. B. Fairbairn, D. D.Matthew 26:6-13
The Anointing At BethanyC. W. Baird.Matthew 26:6-13
The Anointing of the Feet of JesusH. M. Jackson.Matthew 26:6-13
The Originality of ServiceC. H. Spurgeon.Matthew 26:6-13
The Problem of Poverty, and How to Deal with ItAmerican Homiletic ReviewMatthew 26:6-13
The Saviour's Defence of Sublime DevotionA. G. Brown.Matthew 26:6-13
The Universal MemorialJ. Alexander.Matthew 26:6-13
The Woman that Anointed JesusN. Lardner.Matthew 26:6-13
The Worth of Life Enhanced by Kinder ActsA. Watson, D. D.Matthew 26:6-13
Things of Highest Value have not a Marked PriceJ. R. S. Harington.Matthew 26:6-13
True FameW. M. Taylor D. D.Matthew 26:6-13
True Principles of Christian EconomyJ. R. McGavin, D. D.Matthew 26:6-13
Troublers of the GoodJ.A. Macdonald Matthew 26:6-16
People
Caiaphas, Jesus, Judas, Peter, Simon, Zabdi, Zebedee
Places
Bethany, Galilee, Gethsemane, Jerusalem, Mount of Olives, Nazareth
Topics
Act, Aware, Beautiful, Bother, Bothering, Deed, Gracious, However, Kind, Perceiving, Seeing, Towards, Trouble, Troubling, Understood, Vexing, Wrought
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Matthew 26:10

     5262   commendation

Matthew 26:6-12

     7304   anointing

Matthew 26:6-13

     5745   women
     5979   waste
     8356   unselfishness

Library
January 9. "Not as I Will, but as Thou Wilt" (Matt. xxvi. 39).
"Not as I will, but as Thou wilt" (Matt. xxvi. 39). "To will and do of His good pleasure" (Phil. ii. 13). There are two attitudes in which our will should be given to God. First. We should have the surrendered will. This is where we must all begin, by yielding up to God our natural will, and having Him possess it. But next, He wants us to have the victorious will. As soon as He receives our will in honest surrender, He wants to put His will into it and make it stronger than ever for Him. It is henceforth
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

November 29. "Could Ye not Watch with Me one Hour?" (Matt. xxvi. 40. )
"Could ye not watch with Me one hour?" (Matt. xxvi. 40.) A young lady whose parents had died while she was an infant, had been kindly cared for by a dear friend of the family. Before she was old enough to know him, he went to Europe. Regularly he wrote to her through all his years of absence, and never failed to send her money for all her wants. Finally word came that during a certain week he would return and visit her. He did not fix the day or the hour. She received several invitations to take
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

January 3. "Watch and Pray" (Matt. xxvi. 41).
"Watch and pray" (Matt. xxvi. 41). We need to watch for prayers as well as for the answers to our prayers. It needs as much wisdom to pray rightly as it does faith to receive the answers to our prayers. We met a friend the other day, who had been in years of darkness because God had failed to answer certain prayers, and the result had been a state bordering on infidelity. A very few moments were sufficient to convince this friend that these prayers had been entirely unauthorized, and that God had
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

'Until that Day'
'I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.'--MATT. xxvi. 29. This remarkable saying of our Lord's is recorded in all of the accounts of the institution of the Lord's Supper. The thought embodied in it ought to be present in the minds of all who partake of that rite. It converts what is primarily a memorial into a prophecy. It bids us hope as well as, and because we, remember. The light behind us is cast forward on to
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Last Pleading of Love
'And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come?'--MATT. xxvi. 50. We are accustomed to think of the betrayer of our Lord as a kind of monster, whose crime is so mysterious in its atrocity as to put him beyond the pale of human sympathy. The awful picture which the great Italian poet draws of him as alone in hell, shunned even there, as guilty beyond all others, expresses the general feeling about him. And even the attempts which have been made to diminish the greatness of his guilt, by
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Jesus Charged with Blasphemy
'Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses?'--MATT. xxvi. 65. Jesus was tried and condemned by two tribunals, the Jewish ecclesiastical and the Roman civil. In each case the charge corresponded to the Court. The Sanhedrin took no cognisance of, and had no concern with, rebellion against Caesar; though for the time they pretended loyalty. Pilate had still less concern about Jewish superstitions. And so the investigation in each
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The New Passover
'Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto Him, Where wilt Thou that we prepare for Thee to eat the passover? 18. And He said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with My disciples. 19. And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover. 20. Now when the even was come, He sat down with the twelve. 21. And as they did eat, He said,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

'This Cup'
'And Jesus took the cup, and grave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 28. For this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins'--MATT. xxvi. 27, 28. The comparative silence of our Lord as to the sacrificial character of His death has very often been urged as a reason for doubting that doctrine, and for regarding it as no part of the original Christian teaching. That silence may be accounted for by sufficient reasons. It has been very much
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Gethsemane, the Oil-Press
'Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. 37. And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. 38. Then saith He unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with Me. 39. And He went a little farther, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Real High Priest and his Counterfeit
'And they that had laid hold on Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. 58. But Peter followed Him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end. 59. Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put Him to death; 60. But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, 61. And said,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Defence of Uncalculating Love
'Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, 7. There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on His head, as He sat at meat. 8. But when His disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? 9. For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. 10. When Jesus understood it, He said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon Me. 11. For ye have the poor
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Power of Prayer in Relation to Outward Circumstances.
TEXT: MATT. xxvi. 36-46. TO be a religious man and to pray are really one and the same thing. To join the thought of God with every thought of any importance that occurs to us; in all our admiration of external nature, to regard it as the work of His wisdom; to take counsel with God about all our plans, that we may be able to carry them out in His name; and even in our most mirthful hours to remember His all-seeing eye; this is the prayer without ceasing to which we are called, and which is really
Friedrich Schleiermacher—Selected Sermons of Schleiermacher

An Awful Contrast
"Then did they spit in his face."--Matthew 26:67. "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away."--Revelation 20:11. GUIDED BY OUR TEXT in Matthew's Gospel, let us first go in thought to the palace of Caiaphas the high priest, and there let us, in deepest sorrow, realize the meaning of these terrible words: "Then did they spit in his face." There is more of deep and awful thunder in them than in the bolt that bursts overhead, there is
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 42: 1896

A Woman's Memorial
And now my prayer is that we may be endued this morning with the same spirit as that which prompted the woman, when she broke her alabaster box upon the head of Christ. There must be something wonderful about this story, or else Christ would not have linked it with his gospel, for so hath he done. So long as this gospel lives shall this story of the woman be told; and when this story of the woman ceaseth to exist, then the gospel must cease to exist also, for they are co-eternal. As long as this
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 6: 1860

Sunday Next Before Easter.
What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. These words, we cannot doubt, have an application to ourselves, and to all Christians, far beyond the particular occasion on which they were actually spoken. They are, in fact, the words which Christ addresses daily to all of us. Every day, when he sees how often we have gone astray from him, he repeats to us, Could ye not watch with me one hour? Every
Thomas Arnold—The Christian Life

"For they that are after the Flesh do Mind the Things of the Flesh,",
Rom. viii. 5.--"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh,", &c. Though sin hath taken up the principal and inmost cabinet of the heart of man--though it hath fixed its imperial throne in the spirit of man, and makes use of all the powers and faculties in the soul to accomplish its accursed desires and fulfil its boundless lusts, yet it is not without good reason expressed in scripture, ordinarily under the name of "flesh," and a "body of death," and men dead in sins, are
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Wyclif -- Christ's Real Body not in the Eucharist
John Wyclif, eminent as scholar, preacher, and translator, was born in 1324 in Spresswel, near Richmond, Yorkshire, England. Known as the "Morning Star of the Reformation" he was a vigorous and argumentative speaker, exemplifying his own definition of preaching as something which should be "apt, apparent, full of true feeling, fearless in rebuking sins, and so addrest to the heart as to enlighten the spirit and subdue the will." On these lines he organized a band of Bible preachers who worked largely
Various—The World's Great Sermons, Volume I

That Man must not be Immersed in Business
"My Son, always commit thy cause to Me; I will dispose it aright in due time. Wait for My arrangement of it, and then thou shalt find it for thy profit." 2. O Lord, right freely I commit all things to Thee; for my planning can profit but little. Oh that I did not dwell so much on future events, but could offer myself altogether to Thy pleasures without delay. 3. "My Son, a man often striveth vehemently after somewhat which he desireth; but when he hath obtained it he beginneth to be of another
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

Jesus Predicts, the Rulers Plot For, and Judas Bargains for his Death.
(Mount of Olives, Bethany, and Jerusalem. Tuesday After Sunset, Which Jews Regarded as the Beginning of Wednesday.) ^A Matt. XXVI. 1-5, 14-16; ^B Mark XIV. 1, 2, 10, 11; ^C Luke XXII. 1-6. ^c 1 Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover. { ^b 1 Now after two days was the feast of the passover and the unleavened bread:} ^a 1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these words, he said unto his disciples, 2 Ye know that after two days the passover cometh, and
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Preparation for Passover. Disciples Contend for Precedence.
(Bethany to Jerusalem. Thursday Afternoon and, After Sunset, Beginning of Friday.) ^A Matt. XXVI. 17-20; ^B Mark XIV. 12-17; ^C Luke XXII. 7-18, 24-30. ^c 7 And the day of unleavened bread came, on which the passover must be sacrificed. [See p. 57. Leaven was to the Jew a symbol of corruption and impurity, because it causes bread to become stale. The feast of unleavened bread began properly on the fifteenth of Nisan, and lasted seven days, but this was the fourteenth Nisan, the day on which the paschal
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Judas' Betrayal and Peter's Denial Foretold.
(Jerusalem. Evening Before the Crucifixion.) ^A Matt. XXVI. 21-25, 31-35; ^B Mark XIV. 18-21, 27-31; ^C Luke XXII. 21-23, 31-38; ^D John XIII. 21-38. ^b 18 And ^d 21 When Jesus had thus said, ^b as they sat and were eating, ^d he was troubled in the spirit, and ^b Jesus ^d testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. ^b even he that eateth with me. ^c 21 But behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. [The foreknowledge of Judas' crime
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Lord's Supper Instituted.
(Jerusalem. Evening Before the Crucifixion.) ^A Matt. XXVI. 26-29; ^B Mark XIV. 22-25; ^C Luke XXII. 19, 20; ^F I. Cor. XI. 23-26. ^a 26 And as they were eating, ^f the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was betrayed took bread; 24 and when he had given thanks, { ^b blessed,} ^f he brake it, ^a and he gave to the disciples, and said, ^b Take ye: ^a Take, eat; this is my body. ^f which is ^c given ^f for you: this do in remembrance of me. [As only unleavened bread was eaten during the paschal supper,
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Jesus Betrayed, Arrested, and Forsaken.
(Gethsemane. Friday, Several Hours Before Dawn.) ^A Matt. XXVI. 47-56; ^B Mark XIV. 43-52; ^C Luke XXII. 47-53; ^D John XVIII. 2-11. ^d 2 Now Judas also, who betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples. [See p. 583.] 3 Judas then, having received the band of soldiers, and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. ^b 43 And straightway, while he yet spake, ^a lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came,
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Second Stage of Jewish Trial. Jesus Condemned by Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin.
(Palace of Caiaphas. Friday.) ^A Matt. XXVI. 57, 59-68; ^B Mark XIV. 53, 55-65; ^C Luke XXII. 54, 63-65; ^D John XVIII. 24. ^d 24 Annas therefore sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. [Foiled in his attempted examination of Jesus, Annas sends him to trial.] ^b and there come together with him all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. ^a 57 And they that had taken Jesus led him away to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, ^c and brought him into the high priest's house. ^a where
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

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