by Mike Bennett

In the days before Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, the Bible juxtaposes two vastly different approaches to money and loyalty to Christ.

First, at a dinner in Bethany, “A woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table” (Matthew 26:7).

The disciples, and especially Judas Iscariot (Matthew 26:8-9; John 12:4-5), were indignant and thought the woman’s actions were very wasteful. They thought the money could have been much better spent by giving it to the poor. Judas, it seems, had other plans for the money, because he was embezzling the funds for himself (John 12:6).

Jesus Christ’s response is remarkable: “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial” (Matthew 26:10-12).

Jesus had this extravagant event recorded in three of the Gospels, and He prophesied that this woman’s act of service would be told wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world! It is a lesson for us of the importance of the death of our great God and Savior!

But Matthew follows this story with the story of Judas Iscariot agreeing to betray Jesus Christ for just 30 pieces of silver. His greed and disloyalty stand in stark contrast to the deep appreciation of the woman who anointed Christ.

For more about our Savior, see the section on “Who Is Jesus?”