26:6-7 This event evidently happened on the previous Saturday evening (John 12:1).971The reference to two days before the Passover in verse 2 dates the plot to seize Jesus, not the anointing in Simon's house.972Apparently He spent the evening of that Saturday in the home of Simon, a healed leper, with His disciples and other guests. John recorded that Lazarus was there, his sister Martha helped with the serving, and their sister Mary was the woman who broke the vial and anointed Jesus' head (and feet, John 12:2-3). Perhaps Matthew did not mention them by name to keep Jesus central in his story. John also recorded that the pound of perfume cost 300 denarii, about one year's wages for a working man (John 12:3, 5). The perfume was nard that probably came from India.973Matthew and Mark just said it was very expensive.
26:8-9 Evidently Judas Iscariot led the disciples' criticism of Mary's act (John 12:4). The disciples failed to appreciate what Mary was doing and that such an anointing was appropriate in view of Jesus' impending death (cf. 16:21-28; 17:22-23; 20:18-19). Regardless of Judas' true motive the other disciples felt righteous indignation in view of the needs of the poor. They did not realize that the sacrifice that Jesus was about to make would solve the basic need of every poor person throughout all of history. Their objection was not evil but wrong due to lack of understanding. Mary does not seem to have understood that Jesus was going to die any more than the disciples.
26:10-11 Jesus probably overheard His disciples talking, though His awareness of their thoughts could have been supernatural (cf. 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."974
"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' (11:29), deservesthis 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. Ps. 41]."975
26:12 Normally friends of the deceased would prepare the body for burial after death, but that was impossible in the case of criminals.976Mary may not have understood the full significance of what she was doing, but Jesus used the situation to remind His disciples of His coming crucifixion.
26:13 The "gospel"or good news to which Jesus referred was probably the good news about His death, namely that it is the basis for salvation (v. 12). This is probably not a reference to the gospel of the kingdom. In either case Mary's act has become a part of the gospel story in the larger sense because the Holy Spirit preserved the record of it in Scripture. Jesus introduced this prediction with His characteristic phrase that highlighted something specially important: "Truly I say to you"or "I tell you the truth."
