Thomas Aquinas

Having set forth the indignation of the betrayer on account of the woman's service, here consequently is set forth the repression of that very indignation; and first the Lord repels the calumny which Judas had cast upon the woman; second, he excludes the pious cause which he had put forward, at the place "for the poor you will always have with you," and so on.

He says therefore, "Let her alone," that is, do not prohibit her. For it must be known that many good works are done, concerning which, if counsel were sought before they were done, we would not counsel that they be done, because perhaps better things could be done; nevertheless, after they begin to be done, provided they are already good, they are not to be prohibited. And, as Chrysostom says, perhaps Jesus, before the woman had poured out the ointment, would rather have chosen that it be given to the poor; but now, because it had already been done, he checks those who would prohibit it, saying, "Let her alone." Proverbs 3:27: "Do not forbid him who does good; if you are able, do good yourself as well."

And he adds, "that she may keep it for the day of my burial": where first he foretells that his death is imminent, and the service of this woman, which she was prepared to render to him at his burial, had she not been forestalled by the swift resurrection of Christ: for, as is read in Mark, Mary Magdalene with others bought spices, that coming they might anoint Jesus. Therefore he says, "that she may keep it for the day of my burial," namely not the same ointment that was poured out, but something similar in kind, or in genus, or even in the work; as if to say: do not forbid her to do for me while I am yet living what she will not be able to do for me dead: for, as has been said, she was forestalled by the swift resurrection of Christ. And this is expressed more fully in Mark 14:8, for there it is said: "She has forestalled the anointing of my body for burial."

But did she foreknow the death of Christ? It must be said that she did not: for she did not understand what she was doing; but she was moved to do this by a certain interior instinct. For frequently some are moved to do what they do not understand, as Caiaphas, above in chapter 11:49, when he was high priest of that year, said to them: "You know nothing." And things of this kind are called presages, inasmuch as they are done beforehand, before the events themselves.

Consequently, when he says "for the poor you will always have with you," and so on, he excludes the pious cause which Judas had put forward, saying: "Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred denarii, and given to the needy?" Hence the Lord adds, "for the poor you will always have with you." Here it must be known that sometimes that which is less necessary is to be done, if there remains room for fulfilling that which is more necessary: and therefore the Lord, although it would have been more necessary that this ointment be given to the poor than that his feet be anointed with it; yet because this can still be done, since we always have the poor with us, therefore the Lord permitted this to be done, which is less necessary. Now in that he says, "the poor you will always have with you," it is given to be understood the familiarity which the rich ought to have toward the poor, and so on. Ecclesiasticus 4:7: "Make yourself affable to the congregation of the poor."

"But me you will not always have." But on the contrary, Matthew, last chapter, 20: "I am with you even to the consummation of the world." The response, according to Augustine: the Lord, saying "but me you will not always have," was speaking of the presence of his body, insofar as it appears in its own visible form, according to which he was about to go to heaven; below, 16:28: "again I leave the world." But as to the presence of his divinity, he is always with us; and also sacramentally in the Church.

Or otherwise: it must be said that the Lord, saying this, means it of the presence of his divinity. For some seem to have Christ spiritually, either in the sacrament, or in the confession of faith, who nevertheless will not always have him, since they belong to the Church only as to number, not as to merit: and such as these are servants. But sons will always have him: because, as is said above in 8:35, "the son abides in the house forever." He says therefore to Judas, "but me you will not always have": because you have made yourself unworthy of this. Now as Chrysostom says, in this the Lord rebukes Judas: for by the fact that he took ill the service rendered to Christ, he seems to be burdened by the presence of Christ: and therefore Christ says, "but me you will not always have," as if he were saying: I am grave and burdensome to you; but wait a little, and I will depart.

Consequently, when he says "a great crowd therefore of the Jews knew that he was there," and so on, he shows how Jesus was glorified by the crowds of the Jews; and first, how by the crowds visiting Christ; second, how by the crowds meeting him, at the place "but on the next day," and so on. Concerning the first he does two things. First is set forth the devotion of the visiting crowds; second is stirred up the roused zeal of the envying Pharisees, at the place "but the chief priests thought." The first part is divided into two. In the first is set forth the visitation of the crowds; in the second is added the occasion of the visitation.

As to the first, he says, "a great crowd therefore of the Jews knew that Jesus was there," in Bethany, "and they came," to which the Lord invites, Matthew 11:28: "Come to me all you who labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you." And therefore where we know him to be, we ought to hasten to approach.

Now the cause of the visitation is set forth as twofold. One, that they might enjoy the sight and teaching of Christ; the other, that they might see Lazarus. And this for two reasons. First, because that which had been done concerning him, inasmuch as he, four days in the tomb, had been raised, was greatly marvelous; and this men desire to see. Psalm 138:14: "Wonderful are your works, and my soul shall know exceedingly"; that is, it shall labor to know. Second, because they hoped, by Lazarus's report, to weigh and hear something about the other life; the desire for which knowledge is innate in men. But this is against that which the foolish say, Wisdom 2:1: "Small, and with weariness, is the time of our life, and there is no refreshment at the end of man; and there is none who has been known to have returned from the dead." For behold, Lazarus, whom he raised from the dead, returned from the netherworld.

Now he sets forth the roused zeal of the envying Pharisees, saying, "but the chief priests thought to kill Lazarus also," in which they seemed to oppose God: for he had brought Lazarus to life, and these wished to kill him. Job 15:26: "He has run against him with his neck raised up, and is armed with a fat neck." Now the reason for their zeal is given: because many of the Jews were going away on account of him, and believing in Jesus.

But on the contrary: Christ had healed many, for instance the paralytic, above in 5:5ff., the man born blind, above in 9:1ff.; why then did they wish to kill Lazarus alone? To this Chrysostom assigns four reasons. One, because this miracle was more evident, done before many, and it was unimaginable to see a man four days dead walking and speaking. Another reason was, because Lazarus was a distinguished person, whereas the blind man was a person of no standing: hence they also cast him out of the temple. The third reason is, because this miracle was done with the feast imminent, when the whole people of the Jews, gathering for the feast day, marveled, and, leaving the festivities, came to Bethany. The fourth reason, because in Christ's other miracles they strove to accuse him of violating the Sabbath, and through this to draw the crowds away from him; but here they were able to do nothing of the sort. Hence, because they had nothing whereby to complain against Jesus, they make their effort against Lazarus, as though this were the surest way to conceal the miracle. Proverbs 1:16: "Their feet run to evil, and they hasten to shed blood."