Spy Wednesday

On Wednesday, Jesus spends the day in Bethany. Mary of Bethany anoints Jesus with costly perfumed oil. Judas objects but Jesus rebukes Him and says Mary has anointed Him for his burial and praises her beautiful act of devotion. Those conspiring against Jesus were given their opportunity when Judas visited the chief priests and offers to betray Jesus. For this he was paid 30 pieces of silver. In reading Matthew 26, we see the contrast of what Mary was willing to spend on Jesus, verses what Judas sought to gain by betraying Him.

READING: For further study, read Matthew 26:6-16 in your favorite translation or below.

Matthew 26:6-16
A Woman Anoints Jesus
Then Jesus went to Bethany, to the home of Simon, a man Jesus had healed of leprosy. A woman came into the house, holding an alabaster flask filled with expensive, fragrant oil. She came right to Jesus, and in a lavish gesture of devotion, she poured out the costly oil, and it cascaded over his head as he was at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were offended. “What a total waste!” they grumbled. “We could have sold it for a great deal of money and given it to the poor.”

Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Why are you critical of this woman? She has done a beautiful act of kindness. You will always have someone poor whom you can help, but you will not always have me. When she poured the fragrant oil over me, she was preparing my body for burial. I promise you that when this wonderful gospel spreads all over the world, the story of her lavish devotion to me will also be mentioned in memory of her.”

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
One of the twelve apostles, Judas the locksmith, went to the leading priests and said, “How much are you willing to pay me to betray Jesus into your hands?” They agreed to pay him thirty silver coins. Immediately Judas began to scheme and look for an opportunity to betray him.