Matthew 26:13

And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, For the exposition, see the notes at Mark 14:1....

13._Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached. _He says that this action will do honor to _Mary, _because it will be praised by the doctrine of the gospel. Hence we infer, that we ought to estimate our works not by the opinion of men, but by the testimony of the word of God. When he says that she will be held in honorable _remembrance throughout the whole world, _by this comparison he indirectly censures his disciples; for among strangers, and in distant parts of the world, all nations, with one consent, will applaud this action, which the members of his own household condemned with such bitterness. Christ gently reproves the disciples also, for not entertaining sufficiently honorable views of his future reign; but at the same time, by this expression he bears testimony to the calling of the Gentiles, on which our salvation is founded. In what sense _the gospel must be preached throughou...

6-13 The pouring ointment upon the head of Christ was a token of the highest respect. Where there is true love in the heart to Jesus Christ, nothing will be thought too good to bestow upon him. The more Christ's servants and their services are cavilled at, the more he manifests his acceptance. This act of faith and love was so remarkable, that it would be reported, as a memorial of Mary's faith and love, to all future ages, and in all places where the gospel should be preached. This prophecy is fulfilled....

Verse Matthew 26:13. _WHERESOEVER THIS GOSPEL SHALL BE PREACHED_] Another remarkable proof of the prescience of Christ. Such a matter as this, humanly speaking, depended on mere _fortuitous_ circumstances, yet so has God disposed matters, that the thing has continued, hitherto, as firm and regular as the ordinances of heaven. _FOR A MEMORIAL OF HER._] As embalming _preserves_ the body from _corruption_, and she has done this good work to _embalm_ and _preserve_ this body, so will I order every thing concerning this transaction to be carefully recorded, to _preserve_ her memory to the latest ages. The actions which the world blames, through the spirit of envy, covetousness, or malice, God takes delight to _distinguish_ and _record_....

EXPOSITION Ch. 26-28:20 THUS JESUS ENTERS UPON HIS KINGDOM. Before attempting to expound this most momentous section of the gospel history, we must make up our minds concerning the solution of the difficulties which are involved in some details in the account of the Supper. The supposed discrepancy between the narrative of the synoptists and that of St. John has exercised the minds of commentators from the earliest times unto the present, and enormous ingenuity has been expended in endeavouring to harmonize what are regarded as conflicting statements. The two chief difficulties are these: According to the synoptists, as generally understood, our Lord and his apostles ate the Passover, _i.e. _the Paschal lamb, when he instituted the Holy Communion; according to St. John, the death of Christ took place before the Passover was celebrated. Hence

VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU,.... The following words are prefaced in this manner, to excite attention, and command belief: WHERESOEVER THIS GOSPEL SHALL BE PREACHED IN THE WHOLE WORLD. The Syriac version reads it, סברתי, "my Gospel"; and so the Persic version; and has respect chiefly to the doctrine of his death, burial, and resurrection, which this action of the woman had relation to; for though the incarnation of Christ, and all the actions of his life, and whatsoever he did for the good, and in the room and stead of his people, are good news and glad tidings to the sons of men, and so the Gospel; yet his dying for sin, and making atonement for it, thereby satisfying justice, fulfilling the law, destroying death, and him that had the power of it, and his lying in the grave, and leaving the sins of his people behind him, and rising again for their justification, which were the ends of his co...

6, 7. _Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat._ This is not the woman who anointed Christ's feet with ointment, but another of the holy women who ministered to him. I believe this was Mary, the sister of Lazarus, who came to Jesus, «having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.» 8, 9. _But when his 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._ When you do the best you can do, from the purest motives, and your Lord accepts your service, do not expect that your brethren will approve all your actions. If you do, you will be greatly disappointed. There was never a more beautiful proof of...

13. THE PASSION OF THE KING. Chapter s 26-27. CHAPTER 26 1. His Death Planned. (Matthew 26:1 .) 2. Mary of Bethany Anointing the King.(Matthew 26:6 .) 3. The Betrayal. (Matthew 26:14 .) 4. The Last Passover.(Matthew 26:17 .) 5. The Lord's Supper Instituted.(Matthew 26:26 .) 6. Peter's Denial Announced and the Scattered Sheep.(Matthew 26:30 .) 7. In Gethsemane. ...

THE ANOINTING OF JESUS (Mark 13:3 *) Mt. follows Mk. very closely, though abbreviating somewhat, _e.g._ in Matthew 26:7; Matthew 26:9; Matthew 26:11. It is the Fourth Gospel that assigns the anointing to Mary of Bethany and the remonstrance to Judas. In Mk. it is some, in Mt. the disciples, who grumble thus there is a gradual defining of the culprit. In Mt. Jesus does not hear the murmuring, but perceives it....

THE BEGINNING OF THE LAST ACT OF THE TRAGEDY (Matthew 26:1-5)...