Lecture 2 — Christ speaks against Judas

^12:7^ Jesus therefore said: let her alone, that she may keep it for the day of my burial. [n. 1608]

^12:8^ For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me with you. [n. 1610]

^12:9^ A great multitude of the Jews knew that he was there, and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. [n. 1613]

^12:10^ But the chief priests planned to kill Lazarus also: [n. 1614]

^12:11^ because many of the Jews, on account of him, went away, and believed in Jesus. [n. 1614]

1607. Having narrated the traitor’s indignation at the kindness shown by the woman, the Evangelist now shows how our Lord put a stop to it.

First, our Lord answers the unjust criticism Judas spoke against the woman;

second, he rejects the spiritual reason Judas pretended to have: for the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me with you.

1608. He says, let her alone, i.e., do not stop her.

For it is known that many good works are done which if our advice had been sought before they were done, we would not have advised that they be done, because something better could have been done. Yet after they are begun, so long as they are good, they should not be stopped. Thus, as Chrysostom says, before the woman had poured out the ointment, Jesus would perhaps have preferred that it be given to the poor, but now that it was done, he held back those who were trying to stop her, saying, let her alone: do not prevent one who is able from doing good. If you are able, you also do good (Prov 3:27).

He adds, that she may keep it for the day of my burial, foretelling both his approaching death and the kindness this woman was ready to do for him in his tomb if he had not precluded it by rising so soon, for as we read in Mark’s Gospel: Mary Magdalene, along with other women, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him (Mark 16:1). This is why he said, that she may keep it for the day of my burial, not the identical ointment she used, but ointment of the same kind, in general or particular, or even a similar service. It is as if he were saying: do not stop her from doing for me while I am alive what she will be unable to do for me when I am dead. For, as was said, she was prevented by the resurrection of Christ occurring so quickly. This is expressed in a clearer way in Mark: she has anointed my body beforehand for burying (Mark 14:8).

1609. But did she have foreknowledge of Christ’s death?

Not at all: for she did not understand what she was doing. Rather, she was moved to do it by a certain inner urge. It often happens that people are moved to do things that they do not understand, as in the case of Caiaphas, the high priest, who said, you do not know anything (John 11:49). Things of this sort are called presages, because they take place before the event.

1610. Then when he says, the poor you always have with you, he rejects the pious reason which Judas feigned when he said: why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor? Our Lord answered, the poor you always have with you.

Here it might be remarked that sometimes one should do what is less needful if the opportunity remains for doing what is more needful. Thus, although it was more needful that this ointment be given to the poor rather than having it used to anoint the Lord’s feet, nevertheless, because there was still opportunity to do the former, since we always have the poor with us, our Lord allowed what was less needful.

In the statement that the poor you always have with you, we are led to understand the fellowship the rich should have toward the poor: make yourself companionable to the poor (Sir 4:7).

1611. But you do not always have me with you.

Yet: I am with you always, to the close of the age (Matt 28:20).

Augustine gives this reply. When our Lord said, but you do not always have me with you, he was speaking of his bodily presence, that is, as he appeared and in the form in which he would ascend into heaven: again, I leave the world (John 16:28). But he is always with us as present in his divinity; and he is also present sacramentally in the Church.

Another explanation would be this. When our Lord said this he was thinking of the presence of his divinity. Now some seem to possess Christ spiritually, either in the sacrament or in professing the faith; yet they will not always possess him because they belong to the Church only nominally, and not by merit. These are the servants. But the children will always possess him because the Son abides forever (John 8:35). Thus he said to Judas, but you do not always have me with you, because you have made yourself unworthy of this.

As Chrysostom says, our Lord was rebuking Judas when he said this: for by being annoyed that this respect was shown to Christ, he seemed to consider Christ’s presence as a burden. So Christ said, you do not always have me with you. This was like saying: I am a burden to you; but wait awhile, and I will leave.

1612. Next the Evangelist shows how Jesus was honored by many of the Jews: a great multitude of the Jews knew that he was there, and they came, not for Jesus’s sake only;

first, by the crowd that went to see him there;

second, by the crowd which meet him on his way to Jerusalem: **and on the next day, a great multitude came to the festival day **(John 12:12).

In regard to the first he does two things:

first, he shows the eagerness of those who came to see him;

second, he shows the vehemence of the Pharisees aroused by their envy: but the chief priests planned to kill Lazarus also.

1613. The first part is divided into two parts: first, the Evangelist writes of the visit of the crowds, second, he adds the occasion of the visit.

As to the first, he says, a great multitude of the Jews knew that he was there, at Bethany, and they came. This was in keeping with our Lord’s invitation: come to me, all who labor and are heaven laden, and I will give you rest (Matt 11:28). And so, when we know where Jesus is, we should go to him quickly.

Now there were two reasons why they came. The first was to enjoy the sight and teaching of Christ. Second, they came to see Lazarus. And they came to see Lazarus for two reasons. First, because of the extraordinary miracle accomplished on Lazarus, that is, his being raised back to the living after four days in the tomb; and the people desired to see this: your works are wonderful, and my soul knows them well (Ps 138:14), that is, it attempts to understand them. Second, they came because they hoped they would learn something about the other life from Lazarus, for man has an inborn desire for knowledge of this kind, in spite of what the foolish say: short and sorrowful is our life, and there is no remedy when a man comes to his end, and no one has been known to return from Hades (Wis 2:1). But here he is! Lazarus, whom he raised from the dead, has resumed from the lower world.

1614. Then the Evangelist describes the vehemence of the Pharisees in their envy, when he says, but the chief priests planned to kill Lazarus also. In this they were opposing God: for God had raised him to life, and they wanted to kill him: running with his neck raised against him, and armed with a fat neck (Job 15:26). Then the reason for their vehemence is stated, because many of the Jews, on account of him, went away, and believed in Jesus.

1615. But since Christ had cured many people, such as the paralytic and the man born blind, why did they want to kill only Lazarus?

Chrysostom gives four reasons. First, because this miracle was more evident, it was performed before many people, and it was absolutely astounding to see a man dead for four days walking and speaking. The second reason was that Lazarus was a well-known person, while the blind man was unimportant, so much so that they even expelled him from the temple. The third reason was because this miracle was accomplished near the time of a great feast, and all the Jewish people who had come for the feast disregarded the solemnities and went to Bethany. The fourth reason was that in the other miracles they could accuse Christ of breaking the Sabbath, and in this way alienate the people from him; but this time that way was closed. And so because they could find no reason to attack Jesus, they attacked Lazarus as the best way to conceal the miracle: their feet run to evil and they make haste to shed blood (Prov 1:16).