Matthew 26:9

Mat 26:9. Ἠδύνατο, might) The disciples exhibit in this instance great ignorance of comparative theology.—τοῖς πτωχοῖς, to the poor) Which is, generally speaking, a right employment of our means;[1114] see ch. Mat 19:21, and Luk 19:8.

[1114] And that such was the practice of the disciples is evident from this very passage.—V. g.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat_26:9. Πολλοῦ] put more precisely in Mar_14:5; Joh_12:5. On the expensiveness of spikenard, a pound of which is alleged to have cost even upwards of 400 denarii, see Plin. N. H. xii. 26, xiii. 4.

καὶ δοθῆναι] the subject (the equivalent in money, had it been sold) may be inferred from the context (πραθῆναι πολλοῦ). See Kühner, II. 1, p. 30 f.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 26:9 . δοθῆναι , etc., to be given (the proceeds, subject easily understood) to the poor . How much better a use than to waste it in the expression of a sentiment!

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 9. And given to the poor.] How often does charity serve as a cloak for covetousness! God is sometimes robbed of his right under the pretence of devoting what is withheld to some charitable purpose, to which there was no intention ever to give it.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(9) This ointment might have been sold for much.—St. Mark and St. John agree in giving the Traitor’s computation. It might have been sold for three hundred denarii, a labourer’s wages for nearly a whole year (Mat_20:2), enough to feed a multitude of more than 7,500 men (Joh_6:7). St. John adds the damning fact that the pretended zeal for the poor was the cloak for the irritation of disappointed greed. “He was a thief, and bare the bag.” He was, i.e., the treasurer or bursar of the travelling company, received the offerings of the wealthier disciples, and disbursed them either on their necessary expenditure or in alms to the poor (see Notes on Joh_12:6; Joh_13:29). This was the “one talent” given to him “according to his ability,” and in dealing with it he proved fraudulent and faithless.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For this ointment might have been sold for much,.... Mark says, "for more than three hundred pence", Mar 14:5, now if this is to be understood of Roman pence, each penny being seven pence half penny of our money, three hundred pence come to nine pounds, seven shillings, and six pence; but if it is to be understood of the penny of the sanctuary, which was one shilling and three pence, they come to just as much more: it might well be called very precious and costly ointment; and this was the reason of the disciples indignation, that so much cost and expense should be thrown away, as they thought, in such a manner, which might have been applied, in their opinion, to a better purpose. For had it been sold for its worth, so much might have been had for it,

and given to the poor; which was a very plausible objection to the action; and which they seem to have taken from Judas, who had made the same, on a like occasion, about four days before this, and he might instigate the disciples now: which shows what mischief an hypocrite may do in a church, and what influence he may have over good men to draw them into his measures, under the specious pretences of carefulness, frugality, and doing good to the poor. It seems our Lord inured his disciples to this good work of relieving the poor: they kept one common purse, and one of them, who was Judas, was appointed the bearer of it; whatever they collected, or was made a present to them, they put into this purse; out of which they were provided with the necessaries of life; and the rest expended on the poor.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.

Ver. 9. For this ointment might have been sold] True, and better it had been sold, had it been a superfluous and idle expence; such as is today ordinary in fine clothes, sumptuous feasts, over stately buildings, &c. Back, belly, and building, these three B B B, like the daughters of the horseleech, suck out the blood of men’s substance. But here it is a senseless sentence that Judas uttereth, out of discontent only, that he missed so fat a morsel. Avarice made Judas, as it did Sejanus, think all which he acquired not, to be lost, Quicquid non acquiritur, damnum est, whatever is not gotten is lost.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9. Given to the poor — John informs us that the utterer of this benevolent talk was Judas; not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a covetous thief at heart, being carrier of the money-bag. Mary meant it for a token of love to him, the Redeemer of the world. There are thousands who think that the money given for the Gospel had better be bestowed in mere temporal supplies; forgetting that it is much better to bestow upon men those principles which will make them wise, good, and industrious, than to give them supplies which will leave them as wicked and thriftless as ever. Could the faith that Mary showed in the Redeemer inspire all the world, the poor would be easily taken care of.

Sold for much — Judas ciphered it up. It would come to just 300 denarii.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Might have been sold for much. According to St. John, Judas had accurately estimated the value of the ointment at 300 denarii, equal to about of our money. When we remember that one denarius represented the daily wages of a labouring man, (Mat_20:2) we see that the cost was very large. Given to the poor. And this "much" given to the poor. But piety is not shown only in giving alms; the honour of God has a superior claim. And Mary was rich, and quite able to afford this offering without neglecting her almsgiving. "How often does charity serve as a cloak for covetousness! We must not neglect what we owe to Jesus Christ under pretence of what we owe his members. Men count as wasted what is expended in the outer worship of God, when they love neither God nor his worship. Jesus Christ authorizes it by accepting it at the very instant in which he was establishing religion by a worship the most spiritual and inward" (Quesnel).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9. This ointment might have been sold for much. Mark and John say, “three hundred denarii.” Pliny says a pound, the amount in the vase, was worth 400 denarii. Given to the poor. A pretence. Judas wanted to get the money into his bag.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

9. The weight of evidence is against τὸ μύρον after τοῦτο.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9. πολλοῦ] 300 denarii (John),—even more than that (Mark). On the singular relation which these three accounts bear to one another, see notes on Mark. δοθῆναι, viz. the πολύ for which the ointment might have been sold: the subject being supplied out of the preceding sentence. So Herod. ix. 8, τὸν ἰσθμὸν ἐτείχεον καί σφι ἦν πρὸς τέλεϊ, sc. τὸ τεῖχος. See other examples in Kühner, Gr. Gr. ii. pp. 36, 7.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(M) 9. For this might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.] Mk. has: “For this ointment might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and given to the poor. And they were indignant with her.” For Mt.’s shortening, cf. Introduction, p. xxiv.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.