Matthew 26:8

But when his disciples saw [it], they had indignation, saying, To what purpose [is] this waste?

But {G1161} when his {G846} disciples {G3101} saw {G1492} it, they had indignation {G23}, saying {G3004}, To {G1519} what purpose {G5101} is this {G3778} waste {G684}?

When the talmidim saw it, they became very angry. "Why this waste?" they asked.

When the disciples saw this, they were indignant and asked, “Why this waste?

But when the disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?

Matthew 26:8 presents a moment of tension and misunderstanding during a significant event in Jesus' final days. This verse immediately follows the account of a woman anointing Jesus with costly perfumed oil at the house of Simon the leper in Bethany.

Context

The scene unfolds just before the Passover, a time of intense spiritual and political activity surrounding Jesus. In Matthew 26:7, a woman approaches Jesus with an alabaster box of very precious ointment and pours it on His head. This act, an extraordinary display of devotion and reverence, immediately draws a strong reaction from His disciples.

Key Themes

  • Misunderstanding of Value: The disciples, seeing the large quantity and high cost of the ointment, perceived the act as a "waste." They quickly calculated its monetary value, suggesting it could have been sold for much and given to the poor. This highlights a common human tendency to prioritize pragmatic, material concerns over acts of lavish devotion and worship.
  • Exposed Motives: While Matthew's account attributes the indignation to "his disciples" generally, John's Gospel clarifies that Judas Iscariot was the primary instigator, not because he genuinely cared for the poor, but because he was a thief and kept the money bag (John 12:6). This reveals the stark contrast between true worship and self-serving hypocrisy.
  • The Nature of Worship: The disciples' indignation underscores a fundamental difference in understanding what is "valuable" in God's eyes. The woman's act was one of pure, unreserved love and sacrificial worship, a theme Jesus Himself affirms in the subsequent verses (Matthew 26:10-13).

Linguistic Insights

  • The word "indignation" in Greek is aganakteo (ἀγανακτέω), which conveys strong displeasure, annoyance, or even moral outrage. It suggests that the disciples were genuinely upset and felt that a wrong had been committed.
  • "Waste" comes from the Greek word apoleia (ἀπώλεια), meaning destruction, ruin, or squandering. Their perspective was that the precious oil was being senselessly lost or thrown away, rather than being used for a "better" or more practical purpose like charity.

Practical Application

Matthew 26:8 challenges us to examine our own perspectives on giving, worship, and service to God. Do we sometimes view acts of deep devotion, generosity, or spiritual commitment as "wasteful" if they don't yield immediate, tangible, or financially quantifiable results? This verse reminds us that true worship often involves costly sacrifice, not measured by worldly standards but by the heart's devotion. It encourages us to prioritize lavish love for Christ, understanding that what may seem like a "waste" to some is actually a beautiful and acceptable offering to God, even a prophetic act in His divine plan, as Jesus later explains this anointing was for His burial (Matthew 26:12).

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • John 12:4

    Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's [son], which should betray him,

  • John 12:6

    This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

  • Mark 14:4

    And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?

  • Exodus 5:17

    But he said, Ye [are] idle, [ye are] idle: therefore ye say, Let us go [and] do sacrifice to the LORD.

  • Haggai 1:2

    Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD'S house should be built.

  • Haggai 1:4

    [Is it] time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house [lie] waste?

  • Ecclesiastes 4:4

    ¶ Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This [is] also vanity and vexation of spirit.

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