Matthew 26:10-12

Matthew 26:10-12. Why trouble ye the woman, &c.— The vindication of the woman suggests the reason why Jesus permitted so expensive a compliment to be paid to him. He told them, that God had ordered it for the exercise and improvement of charity, that there should always be poor in the land to whom they might do good offices at anytime; but if their love was not testified to him at that juncture, they would have no opportunity to shew it afterwards; because he was to die within two days, for which reason the woman had come very seasonably to anoint him for his burial; προς το ενταφιασαι με, corpus meum ad funus componere,—ornamentis sepulchralibus ornare,—"to prepare my body for its funeral:" see Mark 14:8. "You think," says our Lord, "that this profusion of precious ointment is a piece of extravagance; but if the very same thing was done to a dead body, none would find fault with it: for this is not only an established custom, but likewise a deed which is worthy of praise, especially when a king is the subject, and such this woman esteems me. Why then should the same action, which would be praise-worthy if the dead were the object, be thought blameable when applied to the living? I have often told you and others that my death is not far off. This woman therefore has only anticipated the solemn office to my body, a short time before it would be otherwise necessary." This possiblywas not the design of Mary; but our Saviour puts this construction upon what she did, that he might confirm thereby what he had said to his disciples concerning his approaching death. See ch. Matthew 20:18. John 12:3; Joh 12:50 and the note on Deuteronomy 15:0.