Matthew 26:8

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....

8._And when the disciples saw it. _This also is not unusual with the Evangelists, when a thing has been done by one, to attribute it to many persons, if they give their consent to it. John says that the _murmur _proceeded from _Judeas, who betrayed Christ, _(John 12:4.) Matthew and Mark include all the disciples along with him. The reason is, that none of the others would ever have dared to_murmur _if the wicked slander of Judas had not served for a torch to kindle them. But when he began, under a plausible pretext, to condemn the expense as superfluous, all of them easily caught the contagion. And this example shows what danger arises from malignant and envenomed tongues; for even those who are naturally reasonable, and candid, and modest, if they do not exercise prudence and caution, are easily deceived by unfavorable speeches, and led to adopt false judgments. But i

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 26:8. _HIS DISCIPLES_] One of them, viz. _Judas_. This mode of speaking was common among the Hebrews. So, Matthew 27:44, _the thieves also_, i.e. _one_ of them. So, Matthew 28:17, _some doubted_, i.e. _one_, Thomas. See also Genesis 8:4; Judges 12:7; Nehemiah 6:7, c. By a figure called among rhetoricians _enallage_, the _plural_ is put for the _singular_ it is, however, possible that Judas, who made the objection, w...

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

BUT WHEN HIS DISCIPLES SAW IT,.... What the woman did, what a costly box of ointment it was, and with what profusion she used it, THEY HAD INDIGNATION: Mark says, "within themselves", Mark 14:4; either among themselves, or their indignation was secret in their breasts; their resentment was private, though it might be betrayed by their looks, and afterwards showed itself in words. This indignation was either at the woman, for the Evangelist Mark observes, that "they murmured against her", Mark 14:5, that she should act such an imprudent part, and be guilty of such extravagance; or at Christ himself, for suffering such an action to be done unto him; for so the Syriac version reads the above clause in Mark, and "they murmured בו, against him"; so De Dieu observes it should be rendered; though Tremellius,

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)...