Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 26:13

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.

This piece of History, (or one very like it) is recorded by the three other Evangelists. Mark hath it with very little difference, Ch. 14.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. in stead of for much, v. 9. Mark hath a precise Sum, three hundred Pence, and adds, they Murmured against her, and some other little differences he hath in Words rather than in Sense. Luke, Ch. 7.36. we read one of the Pharisees desired him that [illegible: 1 letter]e would Eat with him, and he went into the Pharisees House, and sate down to Meat. This seemeth not to be the same History, tho some think it is. And behold a Woman in the City, which was a Sinner, when she knew that Iesus sate at Meat in the Pharisees House, brought an Alabaster Box of Oyntment. And stood at his Feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his Feet with Tears, and did wipe them with the Hairs of her Head, and kissed his Feet, and Anointed them with Oyntment. It is plain this Pharisees Name was Simon, by v. 40. Luke further addeth a Discourse betwixt our Saviour, and this Pharisee, from v. 39. to the end (which I shall in its order consider. Iohn relateth it, Ch. 12.1, 2, &c. Then Iesus, six Days before the Passeover came to Bethany where Lazarus was, which had been Dead, and was raised from the Dead. There they made him a Supper, and Martha served: But Lazarus was one of them which sate at the Table with him. Then took Mary a pound of Oyntment of Spikenard, very costly, and Anointed the Feet of Iesus, and wiped his Feet with her Hair, and the House was filled with the Odour of the Oyntment. Then saith one of his Disciples, Iudas Iscariot, Simon's Son which should betray him, why was not this Oynment sold for three hundred Pence, and given to the Poor? This he said, not that he cared for the Poor, but because he was a Thief, and had the Bag, and knew what was put [illegible: 1 letter]herein. Then said Iesus, let her alone, against the Day of my Burying hath she kept this. For the Poor always you have with you, but me you have not always. Whether all the Evangelists relate one, and the same or Divers Stories in the Question. Luke's Relation seemeth the most different, he saith nothing of this Simon being a Leper, and relateth this History immediately after things done in Galilee. All the other three agree this passage to have fallen out at Bethany, within two Miles of Ierusalem. It is very probable that Matthew, and Mark, and Iohn recite the same Story. They agree it to have happened in Bethany, at a Supper in Simon's House, they agree in the kind of the Oyntment, and in our Saviours Discourse upon the thing. The difference in the time, Iohn mentioning six Days before the Passeover, and Matthew two Days, will be cleared, by considering, that St. Iohn sets down the precise time when our Saviour came to Bethany, which was six Days before the Passover, St. Matthew sets down the time when the Feast was made, which was two Days before the Passover, so that our Saviour had been four Days in Bethany, before he was entertained in the House of Simon, and Anointed by Mary for his Burial. When Christ came out of Galee toward Ierusalem, he came (as we heard before) to Bethany, Mark 11.1. There he was entertained at a Supper by one Simon, who had formerly been a Leper, and probably had been cured by Christ, who therefore in Gratitude entertained him and made him a Supper, where (saith Iohn) Martha served, Lazarus sate at Meat, whom Ch. 11. he had newly raised from the Dead. There comes a Woman, Iohn saith her Name was Mary, and takes a pound of the Oyntment of Spikenard, Matthew and Mark say it was in an Alabaster Box; Iohn saith she did Anoint his Feet, and wiped them with her Hair. Matthew and Mark say nothing of her Anointing his Feet, but of his Head only. Tho therefore opinions both of Ancient, and Modern Divines be very Various, some thinking that the Evangelists speak but of one Anointing, others, that they speak of two, others, that they speak of three, yet it seems most probable, that they speak of two, one of which is mentioned by Luke, a year before this. The other is mentioned by Matthew, Mark, and Iohn. Whoso Deliberately reads over the History in Luke, and compareth it with the Record of it in the three others, will see Reasons enough to conclude, that Luke speaketh of another Person, and another time, and another place, for certainly Simon the Pharisee, and Simon the Leper, were not the same, besides we Read in Luke that that Simon carpt at our Saviour for letting such a sinful Woman come near him: here is nothing like it in this Story. I shall therefore here consider the History as reported by our Evangelist, taking in what Mark and Iohn have to make it compleat. Matthew and Mark say, it was in Bethany, in the House of Simon the Leper. Iohn mentioneth not the House, but adds that Lazarus was at the same time at Supper with our Lord, and that Martha waited. It will not from hence follow that our Saviour was at the House of Lazarus (as some think) for as the other Evangelists express another house, so Iohn gives no suspicion of any such thing, but by mentioning the presence of Lazarus, and his two Sisters there, which might be, and one of them wait, tho they were at the House of a Friend. There came unto him a Woman (so say Matthew and Mark) Iohn saith it was Mary, one of the Sisters of Lazarus) she having an Alabaster Box of Oyntment very precious, powred it on his Head as he sate at Meat. Iohn saith the Oyntment was of Spikenard, very costly, and that she Anointed his Feet, and wiped them with her Hair, and that the quantity of it was a Pound, so as the Odour of it did fill the Room. She did certainly anoint both his Head and his Feet. It is certain that in those Eastern Countries, this was an usual Fashion to entertain their Guests at Banquets, by Anointing them with Oyl, to which the Psalmist alludeth, Psal. 23.5. This Woman seemeth to have exceeded the usual Complement of this Nature in the kind of Oyl she used, the quantity of it, and in her Anointing his Feet (which she possibly did instead of washing his Feet, which was very usual with them,) in these things she shewed the greatness of her Love to this Guest. When his Disciples [illegible: 1 word] it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this wast? Mark adds, they Murmured at the Woman, they said, This Ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the Poor. Mark and Iohn say, for three hundred Pence. Iohn saith it was Iudas Iscariot that spake the Words, and gives the Reason for it, because he bare the Bag into which the price of the Oyntment (had it been sold) must have come, and he was a Thief, he spake not this out of any regard to the poor, but to himself, it is likely other of the Disciples might also think that it was too great a Wast upon such a Complement. Our Lord understanding it, vindicateth the Woman. 1. He tells them that she had done a good Work ▪ Actions not forbidden by the Divine Law nor commanded in it, take up their goodness or b[illegible: 1 letter]dness, from their principles and ends; what she had done, was done out of a principle of love to Christ, and for his Honour and Glory, so it was a good Work. 2. He tells them that they had the Poor with them always, but they should not have him alway. A Work may be good, done at an extraordinary time, and upon an extraordinary occasion, which is not so if brought into ordinary practice. Christ here declares that he had no design to discourage the relief of the Poor, but they would have daily occasions to do them good, but he was not long to be with them. 3. He tells them that she had powred this Oyntment upon him against his Burial. That is, if this cost had been spent upon my Dead Body, you would not have blamed her, for those kind of Perfumes both moist and dry were much used in their Embalming dead Bodies. I am about to dye, I have often told you so, you believe it not, she believeth it, and hath out of her Love to me, but bestowed such a cost upon my dying Body ▪ as you would not have blamed, had it been bestowed upon my dead Body, so she shewed her Faith in Christs Words, as well as his Person. Or if this Woman did not do it with any such Intention, yet (saith our Saviour) she hath done the thing. I shall suddenly dye, and she hath but Anointed me aforehand, and is certainly as much excusable, as those that spend more about Bodies already Dead. Finally he tells them, That wheresoever this Gospel should be Preached, what she had done, should be told to her Honour and Praise for a Memorial of her. Christ seeing that her Action proceeded from an hearty and burning Love to him, accepteth her act as an extraordinary Act of kindness to him, and proportioneth her a reward. Without Love if a Man give all his Goods to the poor, it signifyeth nothing. But if there be Love in the Heart, it makes the Gift acceptable. Love seldom underdoth in an Act of kindness, and it cannot overdo where Christ is the true object of it. Men who know not our Hearts, may be ready to blame us for Actions which God will highly commend and reward. The Evangelist having thus far digressed from his Discourse (probably to give us an account of the reason of Iudas his disgust to our Saviour) he now returneth to a Discourse about what was done at the Council he had told us of, v. 3, 4, 5. The fear of an uproar amongst the People, seemed to be that alone which made them shy of apprehending him on the Feast day.