This Woman

Matthew 26:13 “Truly, I say to you, wherever this Good News is proclaimed in all the world, what this woman has done shall be spoken of also, to her remembrance.”

What did this woman do? What was so remarkable that wherever the Good News is proclaimed, she would be mentioned in remembrance?

Before we can answer these questions, we need to define the Good News of which Yahushua spoke. It was the same Good News his disciples proclaimed. This Good News is still being proclaimed today.

The Good News is that Yahushua, born of a woman, born the Son of Elohim (God), lived a sinless life and died to become a sin offering for all. That’s the first part—Yahushua’s death. The second part of the Good News is that Yahushua rose from the dead. He defeated both sin and death and became the first to be resurrected from the dead. His death and resurrection are the Good News and the foundation of belief for all those who will join Him to live for eternity.

So, what did this woman do?

Let’s set the scene.

It was two days before the Passover—the feast that memorialized the salvation of the firstborn of Yah’s people when they were living in Egypt.

At the time of Yahushua (as is true today), there were several sects of Judaism. The sects formed because of disagreements, and they disagreed on Yah’s calendar. There were the Pharisees who followed the moon and the Sadducees who did likewise. The Essenes followed a solar-lunar calendar; they may have been following the same calendar as Yahushua. We can derive from the Biblical accounts that Yahushua was not following the same calendar as the majority of “Jews” of the day, as He observed the Passover a day before them.

Given that this was two days before the Passover, and many were observing it that week, on different days, calendar observances would have been a subject for debate as religious men gathered. Passions were high; all thought they were on the side of truth.

More on the scene…

This woman was in Bethany in the home of “Simon the Leper” according to the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. Very similar incidents are recorded in the Gospels of Luke and John, with small differences in the scene. For the sake of this article, we are going to stick with the scene as portrayed by Matthew and Mark, as they are clearly the same. Whether Luke and John’s accounts are the same is a good subject for study and discussion. If you are interested, the references are Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9, Luke 7:36-50, and John 12:1-8.

From the account in Matthew, we know that Yahushua sat at a table, eating. We can suppose that Simon the Leper was with Him. Further, Yahushua’s disciples were present. From observing other scenes in Scripture, it’s safe to say that others were there. At this point, two days before the Passover, Yahushua had raised Lazarus from the dead. He was attracting attention and crowds wherever he went. Likely, the gathering in Simon’s home was a big one with Yahushua’s disciples, Pharisees, and others.

This woman came to Him at the table, having an alabaster flask of costly perfume. We do not know how she obtained the perfume. Did she inherit it? Did she do something unethical to get it? Was she a wealthy woman? The text doesn’t say. All we know is that the perfume was hers, and she chose to pour it on Yahushua’s head.

While the men sat talking, debating, laughing, eating, this woman walked passed them all.

To draw near Yahushua, she walked past the men hovering around the table—the ones taking pleasure in Yahushua’s presence, the ones enjoying special seats of honor at the table, the ones standing back hoping Yahushua would trip over His words, the ones unsure of Him and asking questions in the background.

She walked past those who knew her past shame, those who would remind her of her sins if only they could use it to their advantage. She walked past the ones who tolerated her presence because Yahushua did, but were never really sure why He allowed her to come so close.

She walked past all of them and poured perfume on His head at the table.

She was criticized. “It could have been sold for much and given to the poor.” Her critics didn’t care about the poor. They wanted the money. But this woman didn’t care about the money, not in the presence of Yahushua.

Why did she do it?

Why did she do it? Yahushua explained, “She did it for My burial.”

He silenced them—even their thoughts—when He said, “Truly, I say to you, wherever this Good News is proclaimed in all the world, what this woman has done shall be spoken of also to her remembrance.”

Matthew, who was there, took note of this; he recorded it in his Gospel account. John was also an eyewitness. Possibly, Mark was there. Luke may not have been there, but he undoubtedly heard the story from those who were present. All four Gospels tell a perspective of this outrageous act of worship that would be recorded and remembered wherever the Good News is preached.

Okay, let’s go back to our question. What was so amazing about this woman’s act that all four gospel accounts record it (or something very closely related)? Was it simply that Yahushua said it would be told that these men recorded it? Or did something touch them so deeply that they felt compelled to share?

Let’s back up in the narrative.

When Yahushua was with his disciples in Caesarea Philippi, He asked them, “Who do men say the Son of Adam is?” (Matthew 16:15)

Peter answered correctly. He testified, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living Elohim.”

Peter’s enlightenment pleased Yahushua so much that Yahushua began teaching His disciples about His destiny in Jerusalem.

Matthew 16:21 From that time יהושע [Yahushua] began to show to His taught ones that it was necessary for Him to go to Yerushalayim [Jerusalem], and to suffer much from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and to be raised again the third day.

Yahushua’s destiny was to die in Jerusalem. The prophets pointed to this. His coming Kingdom depended on it.

His closest companions rejected it. Peter accepted that Yahushua was the Messiah, but, before Yahushua’s death, Peter rejected His fate to suffer and die. Peter had yet to receive Him as the Passover Lamb.

It was two days before the Passover, and still Yahushua wanted His disciples to understand what He had to do in Jerusalem.

Matthew 26:1-2 And it came to be, when יהושע [Yahushua] ended all these words, He said to His taught ones, “You know that after two days the Pěsaḥ [Passover] takes place, and the Son of Aḏam is to be delivered up to be impaled.”

His disciples still did not understand, but this woman understood. Before this woman poured perfume on His head, she sat at His feet. She listened to His teaching. Before a drop left the bottle, her tears washed His feet; she was ashamed of her unrighteousness.

This woman realized what Yahushua was about to do. She perceived that He was doing it for her, for her sins. Her offering did not compare with His, and she knew that, too. She was aligned with His purpose in Jerusalem.

Yahushua needed someone to acknowledge His purpose, someone to see the sorrow in His eyes as He sat among them. He needed someone to pour perfume on Him and remind Him that His offering was a sweet fragrance to His Father in Heaven. He needed someone to see His humanity and comfort Him. He needed a reminder that His sacrifice would be worth it.

This woman was His reminder. She offered what Yahushua required most—compassion, presence, understanding, and gratefulness. She offered it when He needed it the most.

This woman set aside her dignity in the presence of men, and Yahushua honored her for all time.

This is the woman Yahushua is still seeking.

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If you liked this story, I would like to invite you to read my e-book: My Counselor, My Friend: Hope for the End Days.

In 2020, I lost a close friend to a hard-fought battle with cancer. This woman introduced me to Yahushua/Jesus when I was 18 years old.

In my book, I shared the story of how I accepted Yahushua. Further, I shared how my Heavenly Father brought this woman back into my life for friendship and fellowship. I was living in the Middle East for an End Days calling, and she was in the States getting chemo treatments. We were both clinging to our Messiah.

Through the story of our friendship, I shared insights from the Scriptures about what happens when we die. Mine are not typical ‘Sunday School’ answers. I write about a real relationship with God through His Son. Even if you have strong views on this subject, I believe you will find something in this book that will challenge your thinking and draw you closer to our Messiah as we wait for His Return.

Blessings to you as you seek the One who is seeking you.