Matthew 26:8 — Community Reflections

MATTHEW 26:8 — KING JAMES VERSION 0

“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.

Church Fathers on Matthew 26:8

Having set before us the counsels of the chief of the Jews concerning the death of Christ, the Evangelist would proceed to follow out their execution, and to relate the bargain of Judas with the Jews to deliver Him up, but be first shews the cause of this betrayal. He was grieved that the ointment which the woman poured upon Christ’s head had not been sold that he might have carried off something out of the price it brought, and to make up this loss he was willing to betray…
Gloss (Glossa Ordinaria) · medieval compilation · non. occ.

Not that he was a leper yet, but having been so, and having been healed by the Saviour, be retained the appellation to shew forth the power of Him who healed him.
Jerome · 4th century

'Alabaster' is a kind of marble, white but marked with veins of different colours, which was in use for vessels to hold ointment, because it was said to preserve it from corruption.
Rabanus Maurus · 9th century

Read all 30 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

Publish a reflection on this verse

No reflections on this verse yet. Be the first to write one!