“But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?”
And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying: why this waste? The disciples' indignation — why this waste — is the economically rational response to the extravagant act: the ointment could have been sold for a significant amount. John 12:5 identifies the objector as Judas, who kept the money bag. The waste language reflects a valuation of the ointment by its monetary exchange value rather than its symbolic significance.
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
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