Matthew 26:1-16

Matthew 26

The Plot Against Jesus

 ¹When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, ²"As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified."

 ³Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, ⁴and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him. ⁵"But not during the Feast," they said, "or there may be a riot among the people."

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

 ⁶While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, ⁷a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.

 ⁸When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. "Why this waste?" they asked. ⁹"This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor."

 ¹⁰Aware of this, Jesus said to them, "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ¹¹The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. ¹²When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. ¹³I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

 ¹⁴Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests ¹⁵and asked, "What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. ¹⁶From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

 

Devotional (by Isaac Pellerin)

"Why the waste?" Does this question stick out to you? It never ceases to amaze me how the disciples can be so in tune with what's going on, and then the next moment, they totally miss the point. When I read this story I am challenged by the woman. Often we talk about worshipping God and we maybe limit our definition of worship to singing, or coming to church. But here we see this woman engaging in worship. She is giving all that she has to give. The most expensive thing she had (this perfume was worth about a years wages). 

 I think what amazes me is that the disciples logic isn't really "bad". I mean they see it as a resource to give to the poor. But as I read through it again. I was wondering if they were maybe defensive because this woman was showing them up. I mean Jesus was their friend and that was good, but in that momen this woman was really recognizing him as Lord of her life.

Maybe you feel like the more you put Christ at the center of your life, the less it makes sense to those around you. If that's the case, then be encouraged by this woman, who did what was right in the eyes of Jesus, no matter what the eyes of others said.

 Prayer

God, please help me to recognize how wonderful You are. Help me to give you all that I can knowing that all that I do to worship You is still far less worship than you deserve. In Jesus' Name. Amen.