Mateus 26

Mateus 26

Calvin - Finding Divine Vindication (See Calvin's commentary on Matthew 26 ) When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. Matthew 26:10+ In his reply Christ does not merely defend the cause of one woman but likewise maintains the holy boasting of all who rest satisfied with having themselves and their works approved by God. It often happens that not only censure, but open condemnation, is pronounced on godly men who are convinced in their own consciences that what they do is agreeable to the command of God. Furthermore, they are accused of pride if they ignore the false judgments of the world and rest satisfied with being approved by God alone. Since this is a difficult temptation and it is scarcely possible not to be shaken by the agreement of many people against us, even when they are wrong, we ought to maintain this truth that none will ever be courageous and steady in acting properly unless they depend solely on the will of God. Christ settles here the distinction between what is good and evil by his own solitary decision. By affirming what the woman has done as “a good work,” when that action has already been condemned by the disciples, he represses the rashness of men who freely allow themselves to pronounce judgment. Relying on this testimony, let us learn to set little value on any reports concerning us that are spread abroad in the world, provided we know that what men condemn, God approves. Let us learn to pay no deference to the opinions of men farther than that they may be edified by our example in obedience to God. When the world rises against us with a loud noise, let us satisfy ourselves with the consolation that what is reckoned bad on earth is pronounced good in heaven. Jon Courson - Matthew 26:10–12+ (A Day's Journey) In Jesus’ time, bodies were anointed after burial in order to reduce the stench of putrefaction. However, Mary anointed His body before He died because, just as David prophesied, she knew He would not see corruption or putrefaction (Psalm 49:9). She knew He would rise again. How did Mary know this? Peter didn’t understand it. John didn’t get it. Thomas, Andrew, and Nathanael—they all missed it. Why did Mary understand what Jesus was saying? She didn’t spend nearly as much time in His physical presence as the disciples. She didn’t hear all of His teaching as they had. She hadn’t climbed the Mount of Transfiguration with them. Yet she had an understanding of what was really going on. How? Revelation and adoration are intricately linked together. When you’re at the feet of Jesus Christ in worship, you see things that others don’t. You understand things others miss. The most beautiful statue I’ve ever seen is a life-size granite carving of Jesus by Danish sculptor Thors Walden. Walden sculpted the body of Christ in such a way that yo can’t see His face from a standing position. A sign next to the statue reads: If you want to see the face of Jesus, You must sit at His feet. And sure enough, when you sit at the foot of the statue and look up, you can see His face perfectly. To you who feel like you don’t see the Lord in your home, at your school, in your situation, my question is: how long has it been since you’ve sat at His feet? When you’re at the feet of Jesus in worship, you see things others don’t. It’s amazing what you’ll see when, like Mary, you take the time to sit at His feet Mary saw the incomparable worth and beauty of Jesus and responded appropriately by anointing His body from head to toe with precious oil. This reminds me of Twila Paris' song. Play it as you ponder with wonder, awe and gratitude the beauty of the body of Christ, given for you and for me for the remission of our sins forever and ever. Amen.... How Beautiful How beautiful the hands that served the wine and the bread and the sons of the earth. How beautiful the feet that walked the long dusty roads and the hills to the cross. How beautiful how beautiful how beautiful is the body of Christ. How beautiful the heart that bled that took all my sin and bore it instead. How beautiful the tender eyes that chose to forgive and never despise. How beautiful how beautiful how beautiful is the body of Christ. And as He laid down His life we offer this sacrifice that we will live just as he died: willing to pay the price willing to pay the price. How beautiful the radient Bride who waits for her Groom with His light in her eyes. How beautiful when humble hearts give the fruit of pure lives so that others may live. How beautiful how beautiful how beautiful is the body of Christ. How beautiful the feet that bring the sound of good news and the love of the King. How beautiful the hands that serve the wine and the bread and the sons of the earth. How beautiful how beautiful how beautiful is the body of Christ. Oswald Chambers - Have you ever been carried away for Him? She hath wrought a good work on Me. Mark 14:6+. If human love does not carry a man beyond himself, it is not love. If love is always discreet, always wise, always sensible and calculating, never carried beyond itself, it is not love at all. It may be affection, it may be warmth of feeling, but it has not the true nature of love in it. Have I ever been carried away to do something for God not because it was my duty, nor because it was useful, nor because there was anything in it at all beyond the fact that I love Him? Have I ever realized that I can bring to God things which are of value to Him, or am I mooning round the magnitude of His Redemption whilst there are any number of things I might be doing? Not Divine, colossal things which could be recorded as marvellous, but ordinary, simple human things which will give evidence to God that I am abandoned to Him? Have I ever produced in the heart of the Lord Jesus what Mary of Bethany produced? There are times when it seems as if God watches to see if we will give Him the abandoned tokens of how genuinely we do love Him. Abandon to God is of more value than personal holiness. Personal holiness focuses the eye on our own whiteness; we are greatly concerned about the way we walk and talk and look, fearful lest we offend Him. Perfect love casts out all that when once we are abandoned to God. We have to get rid of this notion—‘Am I of any use?’ and make up our minds that we are not, and we may be near the truth. It is never a question of being of use, but of being of value to God Himself. When we are abandoned to God, He works through us all the time. QUESTION - What is the significance of Jesus being anointed by a woman with expensive perfume? ANSWER - All four gospels present an account of Jesus being anointed by a woman with a costly jar of perfume (Matthew 26:6–13+; Mark 14:3–9+; Luke 7:36–50+; John 12:1–8+). Matthew and Mark relate the same event but do not give the woman’s name; Luke tells of a different woman, also anonymous, on an earlier occasion; and, in yet another event, the woman in John is identified as Mary of Bethany (John 11:2+), sister to Martha and Lazarus. To understand the significance of Jesus being anointed on these three occasions, we’ll look at each account separately and then compare and contrast them in conclusion. The anointing of Jesus in Matthew takes place two days before Passover in the town of Bethany at Simon the leper’s home: “Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table” (Matthew 26:6–7+, ESV). Matthew focuses on the anointing of Jesus as a teaching episode for the disciples, who react with anger because of the woman’s wasteful extravagance. But Jesus defends her, saying, “She has done a beautiful thing to me” (Matthew 26:10+). Christ explains that the anointing is to prepare His body for burial and that the woman’s act of love will forever be remembered wherever the good news is preached. Mark tells the same story in similar terms, with an anonymous woman with an alabaster box interrupting a meal in Simon the leper’s home to anoint the head of Jesus with expensive perfume. Again, the woman’s critics describe her gift as excessive, complaining that it could have been sold for more than a year’s wages (Mark 14:5+). But Jesus receives the woman’s gift as a selfless act of love and devotion—an appropriate way to honor the Messiah. Jesus reveals that He will not be with them much longer, which references His impending death and burial. Both Matthew and Mark’s accounts emphasize the prophetic significance of the anointing of Jesus, alluding to His death and burial. There may also be an implication of Jesus’ kingship, since, in the Old Testament, the anointing of the head was often associated with the dedication of kings (1 Samuel 9:15—10:1; 16:12–13; 1 Kings 1:38–40+). In Luke’s account of a similar, yet different, instance, Jesus uses the occasion of being anointed to tell a parable about forgiveness (Luke 7:39–50+). About a year before His death, Jesus was dining in the home of Simon the Pharisee, who had arrogantly neglected to extend the customary respect and hospitality to his guest, while a sinful woman anoints Jesus’ feet, lavishing her love and gratefulness upon Jesus. In John’s gospel, Lazarus’ sister Mary is the woman who anoints Jesus with a high-priced perfume at a dinner in Bethany. The story is similar to those in the other gospels, although this anointing takes place six days before Passover, and Judas is named as the disciple who objects to the “waste.” On this occasion, “Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair”(John 12:3+, NLT). Jesus defends Mary from Judas’s criticism by pointing out the unique opportunity Mary had: “You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me” (John 12:8+). Mary’s anointing again points to Christ’s identity as Messiah-King, but it also points to His humble position as Servant-King. When Mary anoints Jesus’ feet and then wipes them with her hair, she foreshadows Jesus’ actions at the upcoming Last Supper when the Lord washes the disciples’ feet and teaches them how to love one another through sacrificial, humble service (John 13:1–20+). In each account, a woman pours out a precious and costly perfume in an extravagant act of worship. The three women who anointed Jesus recognized Christ’s unequaled value and expressed their gratitude with unreserved love and devotion. Two anointings of Jesus happen during the week of Passover and are linked with His imminent death and burial. The earlier anointing, in Luke’s account, is in the middle of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee and draws a different lesson on forgiveness and love. In each case, the woman’s actions signal more than she knows. But, although she may not fully comprehend the messianic significance of her anointing, each woman had come to appreciate Christ’s worth more than anyone else at the table. Jesus Christ is God’s anointed Messiah. The word Messiah means “anointed one” and derives directly from the Hebrew word for “anointed.” Christ comes from the Greek word Christos, also meaning “anointed one.” Thus, Christ is the Greek equivalent to Messiah. When Jesus receives the Holy Spirit at His baptism, He is “anointed” by God in preparation for His life’s work (Luke 3:22+; cf. Acts 10:38+; Luke 4:18+). On three separate occasions, Jesus is anointed with fragrant ointment in His work as the Savior, the King of heaven who was in preparation to die to save His people. Matthew 26:11 “For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me. you always have the poor: Mt 25:34-40,42-45+ De 15:11+ Mk 14:7+ Joh 12:8+ Ga 2:10+ 1Jn 3:17+ but: Mt 18:20+ Matthew 28:20+ Joh 13:33+ John 14:19+ John 16:5,28+ John 17:11+ Ac 3:21+ A DRAMATIC CONTRAST! For (gar) Term of explanation. Jesus is explaining why Mary's deed is a "beautiful eternal investment!" Jesus gives two reasons for His commendation (1) Understand the Limited Window of Opportunity and (2) Understand the Significance of the Anointing (next verse). You always have the poor (ptochos - "dirt poor") with you; but (term of contrast) you do not always have Me - The contrast is dramatic. "Always" and "poor" contrast with "not always" and "Me." Weigh those on a pair of scales if you dare! Some might argue that in Mt 28:20+ Jesus declared in “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” And yet here He says you do not always have Me. So which is true? Both! Mt 28:20+ refers to His spiritual presence (cf Col 1:27+b) and here in Mt 26:11+ He is referring to His physical presence so there is no contradiction! Henry Morris on poor always with you. In every generation there will be people in a state of poverty. No socialist society or governmental program will ever be able to win the war on poverty until Christ returns and sets up His own kingdom on earth. Then, with war and crime banned, and with a productive environment restored, universal prosperity will finally be achieved. The consequences of the simplest action done for Christ may be much greater than we suppose.