“Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?”
Parallel translations
- WEB “Why wasn’t this ointment sold for three hundred denarii, and given to the poor?”
- KJV Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
- NKJV “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”
- NASB “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the proceeds given to poor people?”
- NLT “That perfume was worth a year’s wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Judas asks why the ointment was not sold and given to the poor. His pious-sounding question conceals greed.
Overview
Judas frames his objection as concern for the poor, citing the ointment's great value. The complaint sounds reasonable but, as John reveals, is insincere. It exposes how religious language can cloak self-interest, setting Judas's hypocrisy against Mary's true worship.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Luke 12:33Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves with purses that will not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.
- Luke 18:22On hearing this, Jesus told him, “You still lack one thing: Sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
- Mark 14:4–5Some of those present, however, expressed their indignation to one another: “Why this waste of perfume?
- Matt 26:8–9When the disciples saw this, they were indignant and asked, “Why this waste?
- Mal 1:10–13“Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would no longer kindle useless fires on My altar! I take no pleasure in you,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and I will accept no offering from your hands.
- Luke 6:41Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?
- Exod 5:8But require of them the same quota of bricks as before; do not reduce it. For they are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’
- Exod 5:17“You are slackers!” Pharaoh replied. “Slackers! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’
- Amos 8:5asking, “When will the New Moon be over, that we may sell grain? When will the Sabbath end, that we may market wheat? Let us reduce the ephah and increase the shekel; let us cheat with dishonest scales.
- John 6:7Philip answered, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to have a small piece.”
- Matt 20:2He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 12:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.