Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 26:10
When Jesus understood [it,] he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.
10. When Jesus understood it ] The murmurings had been whispered at first. St Mark says, “had indignation within themselves, and said, &c.”
a good work ] Rather, a noble and beautiful work, denoting a delicate and refined, almost artistic, sense of the fitness of things, which was lacking to the blunter perception of the rest.
The Lord passes a higher commendation on this than on any other act recorded in the N.T.; it implied a faith that enabled Mary to see, as no else then did, the truth of the Kingdom. She saw that Jesus was still a King, though destined to die. The same thought the certainty of the death of Jesus that estranged Judas made her devotion more intense.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 10. Why trouble ye the woman?] Or, Why do ye put the woman to pain? See this sense of , established by Kypke in loco. A generous mind is ever pained when it is denied the opportunity of doing good, or when its proffered kindness is refused.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
When Jesus understood it,…. The indignation of his disciples at this action of the woman’s; which he might know, as man, partly by their looks, and partly by their words; though without these, as God, he knew the secret indignation, and private resentment of their minds:
he said unto them, why trouble ye the woman? by blaming her, and censuring the action she had done; as it must, no doubt, greatly trouble her to meet with such treatment from the disciples of Christ: had any of the Pharisees blamed her conduct, it would have given her no pain or uneasiness; but that Christ’s own disciples should show indignation at an action done by her from a sincere love to Christ, and to do honour to him, must cut her to the heart: and so it is when either ministers of the Gospel, or private believers, are blamed for their honest zeal in the cause of Christ, by any that profess to love him; this grieves them more than all the enemies of religion say or do unto them:
for she hath wrought a good work upon me; upon his body, by pouring the ointment on it: the Persic version reads it, “according to my mind”: it was done, in the faith of him, as the Messiah; it sprung from real and sincere love to him, and was designed for his honour and glory; and so had the essentials of a good work in it. This is the first part of our Lord’s defence of the woman: he goes on in the next verse.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Why trouble ye the woman? ( ?) A phrase not common in Greek writers, though two examples occur in the papyri for giving trouble. is from , to beat, smite, cut. It is a beating, trouble, and often work, toil. Jesus champions Mary’s act with this striking phrase. It is so hard for some people to allow others liberty for their own personalities to express themselves. It is easy to raise small objections to what we do not like and do not understand.
A good work upon me ( ). A beautiful deed upon Jesus himself.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
When Jesus understood it [ ] . 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 [] . Lit., beautiful, but in a moral sense : an excellent, morally beautiful deed.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
10. Why do you trouble the woman? It is wonderful that Christ, whose whole life was a rule and pattern of temperance and frugality, now approves of immoderate expense, which appears to have been closely allied to luxury and superfluous indulgence. But we must observe the kind of defense which he employs; for he does not maintain that the woman did right, in such a manner as if he wished that the same thing should be done every day, but maintains that what she had done in a single instance was agreeable to God, because it must have been done for a good reason. Though Christ had no desire for the use of the ointment, yet this anointing pleased him on account of the circumstances in which it happened. Hence we infer that certain extraordinary ways of acting are sometimes approved by God, and yet that it would be improper to make them an example. Nor have we any reason to doubt that Mary was led by a secret movement of the Spirit to anoint Christ; as it is certain that, whenever the saints were called to any extraordinary performance, they were led by an unusual movement, so as not to attempt any thing without the guidance and authority of God. There was no precept in existence enjoining on Mary this anointing, nor was it necessary that a law should be laid down for every single action; but as the heavenly calling is the only origin and principle of proper conduct, and as God rejects every thing which men undertake at their own suggestion, Mary was directed by the inspiration of the Spirit, so that this duty, which she performed to Christ, was founded on assured confidence.
For she hath performed a good action towards me. By this reply, Christ not merely defended the cause of one woman, but likewise maintained the holy boasting of all who rest satisfied with having themselves and their works approved by God. It will often happen that not only censure, but open condemnation, is pronounced on godly men, who are convinced in their own consciences that what they do is agreeable to the command of God; and it is ascribed to pride, if they set at naught the false judgments of the world, and rest satisfied with being approved by God alone. Since this is a hard temptation, and since it is scarcely possible not to be shaken by the agreement of many people against us, even when they are in the wrong, we ought to hold this doctrine, that none will ever be courageous and steady in acting properly, unless they depend solely on the will of God. And therefore Christ settles here the distinction between what is good and evil by his own solitary decision: for by affirming that what the woman has done is a good action, when that action had been already condemned by the disciples, he represses by this word the rashness of men, who freely allow themselves to pronounce judgment.
Relying on this testimony, let us learn to set little value on any reports concerning us that are spread abroad in the world, provided we know that what men condemn God approves. In this manner Isaiah, when oppressed by wicked calumnies, makes reference to God as his voucher, (Isa 50:7,) and Paul likewise appeals to the day of the Lord, (1Co 4:3.) Let us therefore learn to pay no deference to the opinions of men farther than that they may be edified by our example in obedience to God, and when the world rises against us with a loud noise, let us satisfy ourselves with this consolation, that what is reckoned bad on earth is pronounced to be good in heaven.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(10) Why trouble ye the woman?The Greek is more emphatic, Why are ye giving trouble? St. Mark uses a word to describe their conduct which explains the verse. They murmured against her, or better, They were bitterly reproaching her. One after another of the murmurers uttered his bitter remonstrances.
She hath wrought a good work upon me.The Greek adjective implies something more than gooda noble, an honourable work. The Lord Jesus, in His sympathy with all human affections, recognises the love that is lavish in its personal devotion as noble and excellent in itself. After His departure, as the teaching of Mat. 25:40 reminds us, the poor are His chosen representatives, and our offerings to Him are best made through them. How far the words sanction, as they are often urged as sanctioning, a lavish expenditure on the sthetic element of worship, church architecture, ornamentation, and the like, is a question to which it may be well to find an answer. And the leading lines of thought are, (1) that if the motive be love, and not ostentation, He will recognise it, even if it is misdirected; (2) that so far as ostentation, or the wish to gratify our own taste and sense of beauty, enters into it, it is vitiated from the beginning; (3) that the wants of the poor have a prior claim before that gratification. On the other hand, we must remember (1) that the poor have spiritual wants as well as physical; (2) that all well-directed church-building and decoration minister to those wants, and, even in its accessories of form and colour, give to the poor a joy which is in itself an element of culture, and may minister to their religious life by making worship a delight. It is a work of charity thus to lighten up lives that are otherwise dull and dreary, and the true law to guide our conscience in such matters is to place our noblest churches in the districts where the people are the poorest.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. Why trouble ye the woman? Mary was doubtless startled by this murmur among the Lord’s own disciples. She stands in silence, attempting no defence. But the voice of the Saviour rebukes the rebukers, and not only defends but utters a eulogy upon the deed.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘But Jesus perceiving it said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? for she has wrought a good work on me.” ’
When Jesus saw their attitude He instantly intervened. He knew the true love in her heart and it was an encouragement to Him at this hour of tension, at a time when He was aware of so many who hated Him. She had done Him much good. And it was a reminder also to Him that His Father was watching over Him. Thus He wanted them to know that it had accomplished in Him something far greater than its monetary value at a unique moment in history.
Literally ‘worked a good work’. The idea probably connects with Mat 5:16. ‘That they may see your good works and glorify your Father Who is in Heaven.’ What this woman had done was work a good work to the glory of God. Note the play on words found also in the Greek.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Christ’s defense of the woman:
v. 10. When Jesus understood it, He said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon Me.
v. 11. For ye have the poor always with you; but Me ye have not always.
v. 12. For in that she hath poured this ointment on My body she did it for My burial.
v. 13. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her. Whether these remarks were made in a subdued tone of voice so as to be inaudible to Christ, or whether He was so engrossed with His thoughts that He did not catch their exact wording, is immaterial. But He knew of the secret ungracious mumbling as well as of the angry remark of Judas. Immediately He arose to Mary’s defense. They should not cause her any unpleasantness, they should not make her feel bad “by confusing her conscience, disturbing her love, or by disparaging her noble act of sacrifice. ” It was not only a kind, but a good, a noble deed which she had done. It was not a mere impulsive act, and, whether she had a presentiment of coming evil, having understood the prophecies of Jesus concerning His death better than the disciples, or whether she merely meant to honor the chief guest, she had succeeded beyond her intentions in actually embalming Him with this ointment for His burial. To judge harshly in regard to many a deed, involving also expenditures, made for the honoring of Jesus and for the beautifying of His services, shows a lack of proper understanding of real, unselfish love toward Him. As for the poor, they are always with us, and there is always opportunity, and usually need, of doing them a kindness, but the bodily presence of Christ was shortly to be removed from the disciples, and all evidences and proofs of kindness toward His person would then be a thing of the past. Solemnly He declares that the woman’s deed of kindness, since it flowed from a heart full of faith and love, would be spoken of in her remembrance wherever this Gospel would be proclaimed, in the whole world. Note: Jesus knew, with the certainty of the omniscient God, that the Gospel would be preached throughout the world. He knew that the kindness of this woman would become a subject of discussion wherever such proclamation would take place. He thereby gave the most tactful and incidentally the most serious encouragement to all such as are willing to serve Him in a similar manner.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Mat 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; , corpus meum ad funus componere,ornamentis sepulchralibus ornare,“to prepare my body for its funeral:” see Mar 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. Mat 20:18. Joh 12:3; Joh 12:50 and the note on Deuteronomy 15.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Mat 26:10 . ] Comp. Mat 16:8 . We may imagine what precedes to have been spoken among the disciples in a low murmuring tone.
, to give trouble , to cause annoyance. See Kypke, Obss . I. p. 130. Comp. (Herod, i. 177), and such like.
, . . .] Justification of the disapproval implied in the foregoing question. , when used with , is, according to ordinary usage, to be taken in an ethical sense; thus (comp. Mat 5:16 ): an excellent deed, one that is morally beautiful, and not a piece of waste, as ye are niggardly enough to suppose. The disciples had allowed their estimate of the action to be determined by the principle of mere utility , and not by that of moral propriety , especially of love to Christ.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
10 When Jesus understood it , he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.
Ver. 10. Why trouble ye the woman? ] Christ will patronize his welldoers, and stick to them, though all forsake them, 2Ti 4:16-17 . He many times pleads for them in the consciences of their greatest enemies, who spend more thoughts about such than the world is aware of: and are “afraid of the name of God, whereby they are called,” Deu 28:9-10 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
10. . . . ] Stier remarks that this is a stronger expression than . would have been. See ch. Mat 5:16 . It was not only ‘a good work,’ but a noble act of love, which should be spoken of in all the churches to the end of time. On Mat 26:11 , see notes on Mark, where it is more fully expressed.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 26:10 . , perceiving though not hearing. We have many mean thoughts we would be ashamed to speak plainly out. , etc., why trouble ye the woman? a phrase not frequent in classic authors, though similar ones occur, and even this occasionally ( vide Kypke); found not only here but in Luk 11:7 ; Luk 18:5 , Gal 6:17 , the last place worthy to be associated with this; St. Paul and the heroine of Bethany kindred spirits, liable to “troubles” from the same sort of people and for similar reasons. , noble, heroic: a deed done under inspiration of uncalculating love.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
understood = got to know. Greek. ginosko. App-132. Not the same word as in verses: Mat 26:2, Mat 26:70, Mat 26:72, Mat 26:74.
good = excellent.
upon = toward. Greek. eis. App-104.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
10. . . .] Stier remarks that this is a stronger expression than . would have been. See ch. Mat 5:16. It was not only a good work, but a noble act of love, which should be spoken of in all the churches to the end of time. On Mat 26:11, see notes on Mark, where it is more fully expressed.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 26:10. , Why trouble ye the woman?) For it is a trouble to be doubtful in ones conscience, not only concerning a thing to be done hereafter (see Rom 14:15), but also concerning a thing already done.- , the woman) The disciples acted with incivility towards the Lord Himself; but this He finds less fault with than the annoyance given to the woman.-, good) Although she was not herself aware that she had done so well. The simplicity of an action does not detract from its goodness.[1115] It was not waste with regard to the poor (Mat 26:11) nor the disciples (Mar 14:7. middle of the verse), nor the woman (Mat 26:13), nor the Lord Himself (Mat 26:12).
[1115] For often an action is either worse or better than the agent himself had supposed; ch. Mat 25:38; Mat 25:44; Heb 13:2.-V. g.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Why: Job 13:7, Mar 14:6, Luk 7:44-50, Gal 1:7, Gal 5:12, Gal 6:17
a good: Neh 2:18, 2Co 9:8, Eph 2:10, Col 1:10, 2Th 2:17, 1Ti 3:1, 1Ti 5:10, 2Ti 2:21, Tit 1:16, Tit 2:14, Tit 3:1, Tit 3:8, Tit 3:14, Heb 13:21, 1Pe 2:12
Reciprocal: Son 4:16 – Let Joh 12:7 – Let
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
6:10
Good work is used in the sense of a good act or deed, not so much as a manual effort which we know it was not. What constituted this a good deed will be explained in the comments on verse 12.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 26:10. But Jesus knowing it, i.e., the whole case, as is evident. Said unto them. He answers, not Judas, but the others. Yet this was a rebuke to Judas, and helped to ripen his treacherous design.
Why trouble ye the woman?The chief concern is for the affectionate Mary. Her noble act of love had been misjudged, and remarks made which would disquiet or confuse her conscience. (See Mar 14:2.) She is defended and encouraged first of all. The impulses of genuine love to Christ, or His people, are often thus checked, even by real Christians, who for the time being speak the cold and selfish language of the world.
A good work. Christ measured the moral quality of the act by the motive, the disciples by its seeming utility. This utilitarian age presents many temptations to follow the lead of Judas.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Observe here, How readily our Lord vindicates this good woman: she says nothing for herself, nor need she having such an advocate.
1. Christ rebukes Judas, Why trouble ye the woman? plainly intimating, that it is so small trouble to a gracious spirit, to find their good works misinterpreted and misrepresented.
Next, He defends the action, calling it a good work; because done out of a principle of love to Christ: she hath wrought a good work upon me
And lastly, He gives the reason of her action; she did it for my burial. As kings and great persons were wont, in those eastern countries, at their funerals to be embalmed with odours and sweet perfumes; so says our Saviour, this woman, to declare her faith in me as her King and Lord, doth with this box of ointment, as it were before-hand, embalm my body for its burial. True faith puts honour upon a crucified, as well as a glorified, Saviour. This holy woman accounts Christ worthy of all honour in his death, believing it would be a sweet smelling sacrifice unto God, and the savour of life unto his people.
Observe farther, From these words, But me ye have not always, the doctrine of transubstantiation is overthrown: for if Christ be, as to soul, body, and divinity, perpetually present in the host amongst those of the church of Rome, then have they Christ always with them: contrary to what our Saviour here declares; though his poor members would be always present with them, yet he himself should not be so; The poor ye have always, but me ye have not always.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
26:10 {4} When Jesus understood [it], he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.
(4) We ought not to rashly condemn that which is not orderly done.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Jesus probably overheard His disciples talking, though His awareness of their thoughts could have been supernatural (cf. Mat 16:8). Jesus regarded the disciples’ criticism of Mary as a bother to her. He called a beautiful thing what they called a waste. The disciples would always have poor people they could help, but they would not have the incarnate Son of Man with them much longer.
"The disciples’ concern for the poor is by no means incorrect. In this one instance, however, the timing was wrong." [Note: Hagner, Matthew 14-28, p. 759.]
"Implicitly, the distinction Jesus makes is a high christological claim, for it not only shows that he foresees his impending departure but also that he himself, who is truly ’gentle and humble in heart’ (Mat 11:29), deserves this lavish outpouring of love and expense.
"Jesus is the poor, righteous Sufferer par excellence; and the opportunity to help him in any way will soon be gone forever [cf. Psalms 41]." [Note: Carson, "Matthew," p. 527.]