But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?
Parallel translations
- WEB But when his disciples saw this, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste?
- BSB When the disciples saw this, they were indignant and asked, “Why this waste?
- NKJV But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste?
- NASB But the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said, “Why this waste?
- NLT The disciples were indignant when they saw this. “What a waste!” they said.
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
The disciples object that the ointment is wasted. Their reaction reveals a failure to grasp the worthiness of Christ.
Overview
Seeing the expensive perfume poured out, the disciples judge it wasteful, with Judas leading the complaint according to John. Their indignation, though clothed in apparent concern, misses that nothing given to Christ is ever wasted. The episode warns against valuing earthly utility above devotion to the Lord.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- John 12:4–6Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him,
- Mark 14:4And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?
- Exod 5:17But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD.
- 1 Sam 17:28–29And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
- Amos 8:5Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?
- Hag 1:2–4Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD’s house should be built.
- Eccl 4:4Again, 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.
- Mal 1:7–10Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible.
- Mal 1:13Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD.
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 26:8 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
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