Why did Judas question the use of the perfume in John 12:5? Setting the Scene • “Then Mary took about a pint of expensive perfume of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” (John 12:3) • In response, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (John 12:5) Judas’ Question Explained • Three hundred denarii equaled roughly a year’s wages; Judas framed his objection in practical, charitable terms. • John immediately unmasks the real motive: “He did not say this because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to take from what was put into it.” (John 12:6) What Truly Drove Judas • Greed: Love of money had already taken root (cf. 1 Timothy 6:10). • Hypocrisy: He cloaked greed with pious concern for the poor (cf. Proverbs 26:24–26). • Hardened heart: Judas’ pattern of sin progressed to betrayal (John 13:2; 13:27; Matthew 26:14–16). • Spiritual blindness: Mary recognized Jesus’ worth and approaching death; Judas could not (Mark 14:8–9). Why John Highlights the Motive • To contrast sacrificial worship (Mary) with self-serving religion (Judas). • To reveal how love of money can masquerade as virtue yet oppose Christ. • To prepare readers for Judas’ ultimate betrayal, showing it was no sudden slip but the culmination of unchecked sin. Key Takeaways • Outwardly noble objections can mask inner rebellion. • True devotion values Jesus above material wealth. • Sin tolerated in the heart soon bears destructive fruit (James 1:14–15). |
    |