Matthew 26:10-12
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Jesus doesn't just see this as a waste of money; he sees it as a "beautiful thing." This isn't about the cost, but about the woman's profound love and intuition, a love so deep that she acts with a faith and understanding that even his closest followers lack at this moment.
But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Just before Passover, while Jesus is having dinner at the home of a man named Simon, a woman (later identified as Mary) pours expensive perfume on Jesus' head. The disciples, led by Judas, become angry, seeing it as a waste of money that could have gone to the poor, but Jesus immediately rebukes them, recognizing the woman's act as a beautiful and loving gesture. He explains that while the poor will always be with them, his own time is short, and this act is a preparation for his burial.
The disciples saw waste; Jesus saw beauty. What’s the difference, and why does it matter for how we express love today?
When the disciples saw Mary pour expensive oil on Jesus, they were outraged. "Why this waste?" they grumbled, calculating its monetary value and thinking of the poor. But Jesus saw something entirely different. He recognized her act not as waste, but as a "beautiful thing" done to Him.
A Higher Value
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Mary acted with a sense of urgency that the disciples lacked. What can we learn about timing and devotion from her actions?
The disciples murmured because they didn't grasp the full picture. They saw a costly ointment and a potential lost opportunity to help the poor. Jesus, however, understood that Mary's action was deeply prophetic and timely.
Preparing for the End
Understand the original words
kalos · Greek Adjective
That which is morally good, virtuous, or aesthetically pleasing; in this context, it refers to an act that is profoundly fitting and honors God.
ptōchos · Greek Adjective/Noun
Those who lack material wealth, often appearing in Scripture as a group requiring justice, compassion, and divine protection. In a spiritual sense, it often refers to those who recognize their need for God.
myron · Greek Noun
A fragrant, often expensive oil used for medicinal, cosmetic, or funerary purposes. In Scripture, it is used for anointing people and objects set apart for sacred service or honor.
entaphiasmos · Greek Noun
The interment or placement of a corpse in a grave. Biblically, this represents the finality of death and the transition of the body to the ground.
c. AD 30
Jesus' final week begins
Jesus triumphantly enters Jerusalem, marking the start of the week leading up to his crucifixion and the Passover festival.
c. AD 30
Plot to kill Jesus intensifies
The chief priests and elders, fearing Jesus' popularity, meet to plot his arrest and execution, deciding to wait until after the Passover feast to avoid a riot.
c. AD 30— this verse
Supper in Bethany
While at a dinner in Bethany, likely at the home of Simon the leper, a woman (identified in John's Gospel as Mary) anoints Jesus' head with expensive perfume.
c. AD 30
Disciples' disapproval
Some disciples, particularly Judas Iscariot, protest the act, calling it a waste of valuable ointment that could have been sold and given to the poor.
c. AD 30
Jesus defends the woman
Jesus rebukes the disciples for troubling the woman, explaining that her act is a beautiful preparation for his impending burial and will be remembered wherever the Gospel is preached.
This passage describes the same event of Mary anointing Jesus, providing more detail about her devotion and Jesus' defense of her actions, highlighting the spiritual insight behind her 'beautiful thing'.
1 Samuel 16:7This verse contrasts with the disciples' outward focus on cost and waste, reminding us that God looks at the heart and intention, just as Jesus saw the beautiful motive behind Mary's action.
Proverbs 3:9-10While the disciples worried about material 'waste,' Jesus prioritized honoring Him, reflecting a principle that honoring God with our best is a source of blessing, not loss.
Matthew 25:34-40Jesus contrasts Mary's act of devotion to Him with the ongoing needs of the poor, showing that while caring for the poor is vital, there are moments for direct, unique acts of worship and love towards Him.
vincentMatthew 26:10: "When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me."
When Jesus understood it (γνοὺς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς)The A. V. implies that some time elapsed before Jesus was aware of the disciples' complaint. But the statement is that Jesus perceived it at once. Rev., rightly, Jesus perceiving it.Good work (καλὸν)Lit., beautiful, but in a moral sense: an excellent, morally beautiful deed.
barnesMatthew 26:10: "When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me."
Trouble ye the woman - That is, disturb her mind by insinuations, as if she had done wrong. A good work on me - She has done it with a mind grateful, and full of love to me. The work was good, also, as it was preparative for his death, Matthew 26:12.
Jesus doesn't just see this as a waste of money; he sees it as a "beautiful thing." This isn't about the cost, but about the woman's profound love and intuition, a love so deep that she acts with a faith and understanding that even his closest followers lack at this moment.
Just before Passover, while Jesus is having dinner at the home of a man named Simon, a woman (later identified as Mary) pours expensive perfume on Jesus' head. The disciples, led by Judas, become angry, seeing it as a waste of money that could have gone to the poor, but Jesus immediately rebukes them, recognizing the woman's act as a beautiful and loving gesture. He explains that while the poor will always be with them, his own time is short, and this act is a preparation for his burial.
Just before Passover, while Jesus is having dinner at the home of a man named Simon, a woman (later identified as Mary) pours expensive perfume on Jesus' head. The disciples, led by Judas, become angry, seeing it as a waste of money that could have gone to the poor, but Jesus immediately rebukes them, recognizing the woman's act as a beautiful and loving gesture. He explains that while the poor will always be with them, his own time is short, and this act is a preparation for his burial.
"But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it t…" — Jesus doesn't just see this as a waste of money; he sees it as a "beautiful thing." This isn't about the cost, but about the woman's profound love and intuition, a love so deep that she acts with a f…
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Last reviewed October 2026
