The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 512

strict nccordnnce with the old Lnw: "The quent comment of Chrysostom, who, how- ,poor shall never ccnee out of the land; ever, unreasonably identifies Mary with the therefore I command thoo, saying, Thou sinner who previously anointed Jesus. ehaltopen thine han<l wi<le unto thy brother, "Who then proclaimed it, and caused it to to thy poor, an<l to thy needy in thy land" he spread abroad ? It was the power ot' (Deut, xv. 11). The existence of poor gi vee hirn who is speaking these words. And scope for the exercise of the graces of while of countless kings and generals the charity, benevolence, and self-denial ; and noble exploits, even of those whose such opportunities will never be wanting memoriEtls remain, l,nve sunk into silence; while the world lasts. Mo ye have not end having overthrown cities, an,! encom- always; i.e. in boJily prosence. When he passed them with walls, and set up trophies, .speab of being with Jiie Church o.lways to and enslaved many nations, they are not the end, he is speaking of hie Divine known so much as by hearsay, nor by name, _presence. Hie human body, his body of though they have both set up statues, and Jiumiliation, was removed from the eight established laws; yet that a. woman who cand touch of men, and he could no longer waa a harlot poured out oil in the house be received and welcomed and succoured as of some leper, in the presence of ten men, heretofore. In a different nn<l far more -this all men celebrate throughont the effectual mode ho would visit his faithful world; and so great a time has passed, a,t1l servants by a spiritual presence which yet the memory of that which was dun~ .should never fail or be withdrawn. To the hath not faded awo.y, but alilce Persians nnd .objectors he would say, "You will no longer Indians, Scythians o.nd Thracians, and Sar- have opportunity of honouring me in my matians, and the race of the Moors, and human form; why, then, do you grudge the they ti.at inhabit the British Islands, spread homage now paid me for the last time?" abroad that which was done secret! v in a Ver. 12.-0n my body, she did it for my house by a. woman" (' Hom. lu.x. in n:Lttt.'). burial(1rpbr .,b,vTo.4>«/.n,,,.,,to prepare me/OT Vere. 14-16.-Compact of Judas with the burial). .Thie doubLless wo.s in some sort her intention (see on ver, 10). She desired Jewish authoritie8 to betray Jeaus. (Mark to offer what ehe could (Mark xiv. 8) of the xiv. 10, 11 ; Lnke xxii. 3-6.) offices lllld attentions due to the corpse of a Ver. H.-Then. The time referred to is beloved and revered Friend. Christ inter- the close of Christ's a,!dresses, aud the preted her act, and go.ve it a solemn signifi- assembling of the Jewish authorities men- cance. By this effusion of the precious un- tioned e.t tbe beginning of the chapter, vers. ,guent she o.nticipe.ted the embalming of 6-13 being parenthetical It is reasonable the Lord's body; she showed her reverence to suppose that the lose of the three hundred ,for that body which wo.s to be given for the denarii. of which he would have had the life of the world not many do.ys hence. handling, and the reproof then admini..t!tered, The fuUmenning of the mystery of which gave the final impulse to the tre,,chery of she was the illlltrument Mary did not Ju<las. This seems to be signified by the comprehend, but what she had con.sciously synoptists' introduction of tile transaction .done received o. wonderful commendation at Dethany immedi,1tely before the account from the Lord, which ho.s no parallel i11 the of J udas's infamous bo.rga.in (see preliminary Gospel history. note on vers. 6-13). One of the twelve, Ver. 13.-Wheresoever this gospel shall called Judas Iscariot. That he was one of be preached. This weighty promise and the twelve, the c!iosen companions of Cl,rist, prediction is introduced by the emphasizing emphasizes his crime, makes it more nmazing formula, Verily I say unto you. The gospel and more heinous. To witness the daily is the story of the incarnation of Jeellll-his life of Christ, to behold his miracles of 'life, teaching, death, resurrection, whioh mercy, to listen to his hea.rnnly teaching, to implies written documents as well o.s oml hear his stern dennncie.tione of such sins as exposition. Our Lord bad already (ch. covetousness and hypocrisy, and in sµite of z:xiv. 14) intimated that the gospel of the nll to bargain with his bitterest enemies for kingdom should be published tluoughout his betrayal, reveals a depth of pern'rse the world; he here affirms tl.u~t lllary'e wickedness which is simply o.ppalling. deed eho.11 be enshrined therein for o.ll time. Well me.y the evnngeli.st say that So.tan There shall also this, that this woman hath eutored into Judas (Luke xxii. 3): it wns the done (>..aA71(M1TeTo.< Ko.I ~ l1ro(71,re11 ailT71, tliat devil's work he wus doing ; he followed this also wh1'ch this 1ooman did) be told for a evil inspiration, and thought not whither memorial of her. The history which records it would lead him. Went unto the chief the grudging remonstrance of the disciples priests. Their hostility was no secret. contains thie remarko.ble o.pproval of Mary's Judns nnd eYerybod:y knew of their h1ttred act, associnting her for ever with the Passion of Jesus, o.nd of their attempts to get I.Jim ,of the Lord We may hero quote the elo- into t.1.Jdr power: he aaw hie way to cnrry- 518 TIIE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [en. xxv1. 1-75.