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“The  Woman  With  An  Alabaster  Jar”  Matthew  26:1-‐16  

   Message  by  Michael  J.  Barnard                                                                                                                      August  30,  2015      Teaching  Aim:    To  contrast  the  wicked  schemes  of  the  Jewish  religious   leaders  and  Judas   Iscariot  with  the  humble,  loving  act  of  worship  performed  by  Mary  in  the  home  of  Simon  the  leper.    To  understand  true  worship  is  costly  and  requires  that  we  first  be  broken.    To  realize  those  who  genuinely  worship  the  Lord  will  be  rewarded  and  leave  a  legacy  for  many  others  to  follow.    

DIGGING  DEEPER  INTO  GOD’S  WORD  (BIBLE  STUDY)  Part  I:    The  religious  leaders  plot  to  kill  Jesus  (Matt.  26:1-‐5)  1. What   “sayings”   is   Matthew   referring   to   in   verse   1?     (See   Chapters   24-‐25)     Why   is   “the   Olivet  

Discourse”  called  “the  Olivet  Discourse”?    What  are  the  primary  messages  of  chapters  24  &  25?                2. What  message  does  Jesus  deliver   to  His  apostles   for  a   fourth  and  final   time   in  verse  2?     (See  Matt.  

16:21;   17:22-‐23;   20:17-‐19)     According   to   Jesus,   how  many   hours   were   left   before   His   trials   and  crucifixion?     What   title   does   Jesus   use   for   Himself   in   verse   2?  Why   is   His   use   of   this   title   so  important?    (See  Dan.  7:9-‐10,  13-‐14)      

             3. Who  assembled  at  the  house  of  the  high  priest  to  plot  against  Jesus  (vs.  3)?    What  made  this  all  the  

more  diabolical?  Who  was   the  high  priest   according   to  verse  3?    What   is   Caiaphas  plotting  every  time   we   see   him   in   Scripture   (vs.   4)?     (See   26:57-‐59;   John   11:49-‐51;   18:12-‐14)     Who   else   was  functioning  as  high  priest?    Why?    (See  Luke  3:1-‐2;  Acts  4:5-‐6)    Note:    Annas  was  the  father-‐in-‐law  of  Caiaphas  and  officially  served  as  the  high  priest  of  Israel  from  6-‐15  A.D.  In  15  A.D.  he  was  removed  from  office  by  Rome.    Annas  was  still  considered  to  be  high  priest  by  many  of  the  Jews  and  carried  tremendous  influence  in  the  Jewish  community.    

               4. Why  do  you  think  the  religious   leaders  did  not  want  to  kill   Jesus  during  Passover  while  hundreds  of  

thousands  of  pilgrims  were  in  Jerusalem  for  the  feast  (vs.  5)?    In  what  way  is  the  Muslim  holiday  of  Ramadan  today  similar  to  the  Jewish  Feast  of  Passover  in  the  days  of  Jesus?    Why  were  the  Roman  troops  on  high  alert?  

           

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Part  II:    Mary  anoints  Jesus  for  His  upcoming  burial  (Matt.  26:6-‐13)  1. John   records   the   events   chronologically   while  Matthew   and   Mark   record   them   topically   (vs.   6).    

According  to  John  12:1-‐3,  when  did  this  event  take  place?    Where  does  verse  6   indicate  this  event  took   place?    What   can  we   learn   about   Simon   from  verse   6?     In   light   of   Lev.   13  &   14,  what   is   so  unusual  about  Simon  being  in  a  room  with  all  of  these  people?    Is  it  possible  the  reason  Simon  the  leper  was  giving  this  dinner  for  Jesus  was  to  honor  Him  for  previously  healing  him?  

                 2. According  to  John  12:1-‐3,  who  else  was  at  this  dinner?    Who  did  the  serving  at  this  dinner?    Who  is  

the  unidentified  woman   in  verse  7   identified  as   in  John  12:3?    What   is  an  alabaster   flask  and  why  was  this  object  and  the  oil  in  it  so  expensive?    (See  Commentaries)      

3. What  can  we  learn  about  the  value  of  the  alabaster  flask  and  oil  from  Mark  14:3  and  John  12:3?    True  

worship   is   costly   and   requires   that   we   first   be   broken.   How   did   Mary   act   out   this   truth   as   she  anointed  Jesus?    How  were  you  broken  when  you  came  to  Christ?    How  can  we  worship  the  Lord  in  spirit  and  in  truth  today?    (See  John  4:23-‐24)    When  do  you  feel  the  closest  to  God  in  worship?  

               4. As   stated  before,   every   time  we   see   Caiaphas   in   Scripture   he   is   plotting   to   destroy   Jesus.     In   stark  

contrast,  how  do  we  find  Mary  each  time  we  see  her  in  Scripture?    (See  Luke  10:38-‐42;  John  11:32-‐35;  John  12:3)    Why  should  we  worship   like  this  as  well?    Does   it  bother  you  to  stand  up  and  sing  songs  of  praise  in  front  of  other  people?    Are  you  embarrassed  to  raise  your  hands  in  worship  to  the  Lord?    If  so,  why?  

               5. How  did  the  disciples  of  Jesus  react  to  this  generous  and  exceptional  act  of  worship  by  Mary  (vs.  8)?    

Did  Jesus  receive  this  act  of  worship  from  Mary  or  rebuke  her?    What  does  this  teach  us  about  the  deity  of  Christ?    Has  anyone  ever  accused  you  of  wasting  your  time  by  worshiping  God?    If  so,  why?      

           

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6. According  to  John  12:4-‐5,  which  disciple  stirred  up  the  others  to  complain?    Is  it  true  it  only  takes  one  voice  to  cause  division  within  a  church?    Was  the  motive  of  Judas  compassion  for  the  poor,  or  was  there  an  ulterior  motive?    (See  John  12:6)      

             7. In  what  way  do  the  disciples  of  Jesus  rebuke  Mary  in  verse  9?    Had  the  disciples  been  wrong  before  in  

rebuking   others  who  worshiped   Christ?     (See  Matt.   10:13-‐16)     According   to  Mark   and   John,   how  much  money  was  this  alabaster  jar  and  the  precious  oil  worth?    (See  Mark  14:5;  John  12:4-‐5)    Why  was  it  worth  so  much?    (See  Commentaries)    How  much  money  would  300  denarii  be  worth  today?      

             8. Had  Mary   wasted   the  money   (vs.   10)?    Why   or   why   not?     In  Mary’s   case   this   was   an   act   of   true  

worship.   (See   John   4:23-‐24)     In   examining   our   own   lives,   how  much   of   our   wealth   is   wasted   on  things  that  are  worthless  when  it  comes  to  eternity?    Will  we  be  held  accountable  for  this?    (See  2  Cor.  5:10-‐11;  Rev.  20:11-‐15)  

             9. Is  Jesus  being  insensitive  to  the  poor  in  verse  11?    What  truth  is  He  communicating?    Whether  Mary  

realized   it  or  not,  what  had  she  done  for  Jesus   in  verse  12?    Was  Jesus  fully  aware  of  what  would  happen   to   Him  within   48   hours?     Apart   from   Judas,   did   the   disciples   realize   what   was   about   to  happen  to  Jesus?  

             10. What  does  Jesus  assure  His  disciples  of   in  verse  13?    Are  these  prophetic  words  true  today?     If  so,  

how?   Part  III:    Judas  agrees  to  betray  Jesus  for  a  meager  amount  of  money  (Matt.  26:14-‐16)  1. What  do  you  think  caused  Judas  Iscariot  to  go  the  chief  priests  (vs.  14)?    Judas  became  angry  when  he  

couldn’t  get  his  hands  on  the  alabaster   jar  and  the  money  the  oil  would  bring   in,  why?     (See   John  12:6)    “Son  of  perdition”   literally  means  “son  of  waste”.    What  does  Jesus  refer  to  Judas  as  in  John  17:12?    In  what  way  was  Judas  “a  waste”  and  how  does  Jesus  use  this  statement  as  a  play  on  words  here?  

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   2. How  much  money  did   Judas  ask   the   religious   leaders   to  give  him   in  order   to  betray   Jesus   (vs.  15)?    

What  figure  do  they  finally  agree  on?    What  could  be  purchased  for  thirty  shekels  of  silver  in  the  Old  Testament?    (See  Exod.  21:32)    How  much  was  paid  for  the  rejected  Shepherd  of  Zech.  11:12?    Who  does  this  Shepherd  represent?    What  does  this  small  amount  of  money  teach  us  about  the  value  the  religious   leaders  and  Judas  placed  on  Jesus?    How  does  this  compare  to  the  value  Mary  placed  on  Jesus  in  verses  6-‐13?  

             3. When  do  you   think   Judas   turned   from  apostle   to   traitor?    Was   Judas  ever  a   true  believer?    Do  you  

know  of  people  who  have  turned  away  from  the  Lord  when  they  didn’t  get  their  way?    What  does  this  indicate  about  the  genuineness  of  their  faith?    Are  you  ever  tempted  to  turn  away  from  Christ  when  things  don’t  go  your  way?  

             4. What   can  we   learn   about   the  motivation   of   Judas   and   his   love   for   Jesus   from  verse   16?    Was   this  

betrayal   by   Judas   a   surprise   to   God,   or   did   God   use   the   evil   intent   of   Judas   to   bring   about   His  sovereign  plan  of  placing  the  crucifixion  and  death  of  Jesus  Christ  on  the  Passover  Day  at  the  exact  moment  the  Passover  lambs  were  being  slain?        

               5. Have  you  received  Jesus  Christ  as  Savior  and  Lord?     If  not  why  not  receive  Him  right  now  in  prayer,  

perhaps  this  is  the  exact  moment  God  has  ordained  for  you  to  receive  Christ?            MINER’S  CORNER  ~  Manna  to  live  by!  • Just  because  people   look  religious  doesn’t  mean  that  they  are,   they  must  be  born-‐again  by  the  Holy  

Spirit  of  God.  • Passover  had  been  celebrated  for  almost  1,500  years,  but  now  the  real  Lamb  of  God  had  appeared  in  

Jerusalem,  everything  before  had  just  been  a  foreshadow.  • Every  time  Caiaphas  is  seen  in  Scripture  he  is  trying  to  destroy  Jesus.  • Every  time  Mary  is  seen  in  Scripture  she  is  worshiping  at  the  feet  of  Jesus.  • Mary’s  anointing  of  Jesus  took  place  chronologically  just  before  the  Triumphal  Entry.  • True  worship  is  costly  and  requires  that  we  first  be  broken;  Mary  acted  out  this  truth  in  dramatic  form  

as  she  anointed  Jesus.  • Judas  betrayed  Jesus  when  Jesus  didn’t  do  what  he  wanted,  many  people  are  guilty  of  doing  the  same  

today.  

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