Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 26:8-9

"But when the disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? For this [ointment] might have been sold for much, and given to the poor." — Matthew 26:8-9 (ASV)

When you do the best you can do, from the purest motives, and your Lord accepts your service, do not expect that your fellow believers will approve all your actions. If you do, you will be greatly disappointed. There was never a more beautiful proof of love to Christ than this anointing at Bethany, yet the disciples found fault with it; they had indignation, saying, “To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.” According to John’s account, it was Judas who asked, “Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?” The same evangelist gives the reason for the traitor’s question: “This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.”

The complaint having been started by Judas, others of the disciples joined in it. If this devoted and enthusiastic woman had waited for the advice of these prudent people, she would neither have sold the ointment nor poured it out. She did well to take counsel with her own loving heart and then to pour the precious nard upon that dear head which was so soon to be crowned with thorns. She thus showed that there was, at least, one heart in the world that thought nothing was too good for her Lord! and that the best of the best ought to be given to Him. May she have many imitators in every age until Jesus comes again!

When you do the best you can do, from the purest motives, and your Lord accepts your service, do not expect that your brothers and sisters will approve all your actions. If you do, you will be greatly disappointed.

There was never a more beautiful proof of love to Christ than this anointing at Bethany, yet the disciples found fault with it. As they could not object to the thing itself, they objected that there might have been another thing done that would have been better. There is a great deal of that kind of wisdom in the world which can always teach you how you might have done a thing better, but if you wait until you learn that wisdom, you will never do anything for your Lord.

If this devoted and enthusiastic woman had waited for the advice of these prudent people, she would neither have sold the ointment, nor poured it out. She did well to take counsel with her own loving heart, and then to pour the precious oil upon that dear head which was so soon to be crowned with thorns. She thus showed that there was at least one heart in the world that thought nothing was too good for her Lord, and that the best of the best ought to be given to him. May she have many imitators in every age until Jesus comes again!