“Spy Wednesday”
(Matthew 26:6-16)
While researching this Holy Week devotions series, I
discovered that some traditions call Wednesday of Holy Week Spy Wednesday. When
I read this term, I immediately imagined the disciples all geared up as spies
for the kingdom. James the Son of Zebedee takes the role of 007 with all the
neat gadgets and spy gear. His brother, John, goes along for the ride. They act as the secret spy team – The Sons of Thunder. Or maybe Simon the Zealot carried out covert missions for his revolutionary friends. He snuck around, hid behind the
pillars in the Temple, and spied on the priests because of the priesthood’s
underhanded alliance with Rome.
Rather than Jesus’s disciples taking on the role of clandestine
individuals, Spy Wednesday refers to the day that tradition claims Judas
Iscariot betrayed Jesus.[1]
Matthew 26:14-16 informs us that Judas went to the chief priests to betray
Jesus. He and the priests agree on the sum of 30 pieces of silver for his act
of betrayal. From that point on, Judas looks for opportunities to turn Jesus
over to the priests. This covert activity gains him the title of spy. Therefore,
some traditions dub the Wednesday of Holy Week, Spy Wednesday.
The other event that likely happened on this day, or at
least in proximity to Judas’s betrayal, concerns a woman who anoints Jesus with
a perfume worth a year of a common laborer’s wages.[2]
The unnamed woman uses pure nard, an oil harvested from the nard plant in
India.[3]
In her action, she shows genuine and
extreme devotion to Jesus. As N. T. Wright comments, “. . . here is an unnamed woman
whose love for Jesus overflowed, quite literally, in an act of needless beauty.
. .”[4]
This woman honored Jesus. She, in her extravagant action, helps to prepare
Jesus for burial.
Matthew most likely places these two incidents together to
contrast two ways of responding to Jesus.[5]
People can, like Judas, try to use Jesus for their gain. Judas showed that he
valued money more than the Lord. Maybe he betrayed Jesus because something
indicated he could not gain anything else from this man intent on some sacrifice.
He could have been more aware than people often give him credit for. He knew
continued association had less value than the 30 pieces of silver. So instead
of showing devotion to Jesus and the Kingdom of God, Judas shows devotion to
his pocketbook. In this action, he begins spying on his rabbi.
The woman who spilled her expensive nard upon Jesus displays
a different attitude. Out of a heart focused on commitment to her Lord, she
sacrificed something of great value. Some of those who observed her action
considered it an extravagant waste. They thought she could have used the money
from the sale of the nard to care for the poor. While they are not wrong, they
misunderstood her heart. Jesus knew her heart. Jesus knew she longed to honor
him. So, he declared her action as worthy, an act to prepare him for his
purpose of loving sacrifice. Her actions show extravagant worship of Jesus.
Do we act more like the spy, Judas, or like the unnamed
woman? Do we seek out Jesus for our designs? Do we desire material or cultural
benefit because of our relationship with Jesus? Do we turn our back on him when
he fails to supply our every desire and dream?
Or do we extravagantly honor him through our lives and
generosity? Does our devotion overflow because we know the sacrifice Jesus made
for us? Do we generously respond to his love for us? Do our actions reveal
extravagant devotion to our Lord?
Prayer: Precious
Lord, you have given your all for us! Thank you! We ask that you enable us to let
go of our selfish reasons for living. Instead, empower us to live selflessly.
Lord, we desire to show our gratefulness for your sacrifice extravagantly.
Inspire us to do so with the total of our beings. Please help us sacrificially
give to you so that people will know the abundant grace you have given to us. In
Jesus' name we pray, Amen!
[1] Spy
Wednesday - It's Meaning and Importance During Holy Week, accessed April
15, 2025.
[2]
Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background
Commentary: New Testament. (Downers Grove: IVP, 1993), 119.
[3]
Michael J. Wilkins, The NIV Application Commentary:
Matthew. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004), 829.
[4] N.
T. Wright, Matthew for Everyone Part 2:
Chapters 16-28. (Louisville: WJK, 2004), 148.
[5]
Craig S. Keener, A Commentary on the
Gospel of Matthew. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999), 620.
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