Who said this?

“Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?” ~ John 12:5

If you answered “Jesus,” sorry, but you get the buzzer. Many in the Church would say something similar and agree with the statement. The person who made that statement was Judas Iscariot. He was the treasurer for Jesus’ ministry, carrying the money bag for the group. He was also known to have stolen from the bag for his own personal use and not all that much later betrayed Jesus to death for a handful of silver, so those in agreement would be traveling in some pretty shady company.

Mary, the sister of Lazarus whom Jesus had recently raised from the dead had brought in a jar of perfume worth about a year’s wages. She had poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her own hair as an act of love and worship.

Judas was in this matter an antitype of all those who self-righteously exclaim what others should or should not do with their own money. He was a liar, a hypocrite, and a person who loved money more than he loved people. If you genuinely care for someone in need you will endeavor to do something for them yourself using YOUR time, YOUR energy, YOUR talents and, yes YOUR money.

In a related matter, would you feel good about yourself if your own son or daughter were broke, hungry and/or living in a cardboard box under an overpass? Then would you be dumb enough to believe for one moment the perfect Father who serves as a model for fathers everywhere would be pleased over it? Never allow an unbelieving person or a believer who does not truly know the Scriptures tell you how to think, speak, believe or act on such matters. Deuteronomy 28 makes plain that poverty is a curse, and Jesus redeemed us from all the curse of the law.

Were a person genuinely to believe it could ever be God’s will for someone to be poor, then by all means he should do absolutely nothing to change the situation. Giving him money, goods, or a job would therefore be attempting to get him out of the will of God. By the same token, if a person does not believe in healing, then taking any medication or seeing a doctor would be moving to get out of the will of God. Those who are honest with themselves know that people only believe such nonsense within the walls of many churches.

So if your neighbor gets something very nice, put on your spiritual big boy pants, then jump up and down and praise Jesus along with him for such generosity. It ain’t greed: it’s growth. Sharing in his joy makes you eligible to receive your own. Christians should be the wealthiest people on earth, in imitation of the Father being the biggest givers on earth.

Oh, and never, never water down the Word of God to match your own lack of experience. Disagree? That is fine. All I ask is that you show me three complete verses IN CONTEXT to refute. Two or three witnesses are required to establish a matter.

References: 3 John 2; Psalm 35:27; Psalm 112:1; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 Timothy 6:17; Mark 7:6; Colossians 2:16; Matthew 8:14: 1 Timothy 3:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:1; Deuteronomy 16:9; Deuteronomy 28:1; Ecclesiastes 3:13; Proverbs 10:22; Ecclesiastes 5:18; Luke 16:9; Matthew 6:19; Romans 4:18 and verses following each reference.