10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. 11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. 12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. (Matthew 26:10-12 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
Observe here, How readily our Lord vindicates this good woman: she says nothing for herself, nor need she having such an advocate.
1. Christ rebukes Judas, Why trouble ye the woman? plainly intimating, that it is so small trouble to a gracious spirit, to find their good works misinterpreted and misrepresented.
Next, He defends the action, calling it a good work; because done out of a principle of love to Christ: she hath wrought a good work upon me
And lastly, He gives the reason of her action; she did it for my burial. As kings and great persons were wont, in those eastern countries, at their funerals to be embalmed with odours and sweet perfumes; so says our Saviour, this woman, to declare her faith in me as her King and Lord, doth with this box of ointment, as it were before-hand, embalm my body for its burial. True faith puts honour upon a crucified, as well as a glorified, Saviour. This holy woman accounts Christ worthy of all honour in his death, believing it would be a sweet smelling sacrifice unto God, and the savour of life unto his people.
Observe farther, From these words, But me ye have not always, the doctrine of transubstantiation is overthrown: for if Christ be, as to soul, body, and divinity, perpetually present in the host amongst those of the church of Rome, then have they Christ always with them: contrary to what our Saviour here declares; though his poor members would be always present with them, yet he himself should not be so; The poor ye have always, but me ye have not always.