A.T. Robertson Commentary John 12:8

"For the poor ye have always with you; but me ye have not always." — John 12:8 (ASV)

Ye have always (παντοτε εχετε). Jesus does not discredit gifts to the poor at all. But there is relativity in one's duties.

But me ye have not always (εμε δε ου παντοτε εχετε). This is what Mary perceived with her delicate woman's intuition and what the apostles failed to understand though repeatedly and plainly told by Jesus. John does not mention the precious promise of praise for Mary preserved in Mr 14:9; Matthew 26:13, but he does show her keen sympathetic insight and Christ's genuine appreciation of her noble deed. It is curiously μαλ-α-προπος surely to put alongside this incident the other incident told long before by Luke (Luke 7:35ff.) of the sinful woman. Let Mary alone in her glorious act of love.