Always having the inflamed passion of avarice, he is indignant everywhere when deprived of profit. Therefore the Master, looking to their thought and his, brings forward two reasons why it is not necessary to rebuke the woman: one, that she has done a good work, for which the testimony of the teacher alone was sufficient for the well-disposed of the disciples. And another, that she has done this for my burial, which was openly spoken to Judas, as if: Do you rebuke this woman and pretend to care for almsgiving? You who are running toward my death, you who are murdering your benefactor, do you judge this woman unworthy to pour ointment on me, you who are imagining and meditating on the slaughter and the tomb and the burial rites; do you pity a poor man, you who are selling the one who has nowhere to lay his head; do you have compassion on another, you who are betraying the teacher; And he said this very thing to him in the case of Lazarus' sister, when he alone, with audacity of opinion and contempt for the teacher and with the passion of avarice, said: Why was this ointment not sold and given to the poor? For then too he says: "Let her alone; she has kept it for the day of my burial," through all things checking him from his undertaking and wicked purpose and bringing before his eyes what he was meditating and was about to do. But nothing helps a soul swallowed up by avarice and despair with madness; and "the poor you always have with you, but me you do not always have" is attached to the same thought. Why, he says, do you make the poor your pretext, if you consider me, who has lived with you for a short time and am about to depart quickly, so burdensome and oppressive that you even betray me to death, although you have enjoyed countless good things? Those on whom you ought to bestow your own things and with whom it is necessary to spend your whole life, will you bear them without burden and be eager to pity them? But it is necessary to know that there appear to be three women in the Gospels who anointed the Lord with ointment, and all three from great faith and fervent desire, first the one in Luke, second the one in John, and third the one in Matthew and Mark; for these two mention the same one. But the one in John was known for her piety, while the other two were of the condemned. And the one poured the ointment in the house of her own sister, Martha; but of the others, one was in the house of Simon the leper, the other in the house of the Pharisee. And the one pours the ointment as a thank-offering for the resurrection of her brother Lazarus, but each of these for her own sins. And from other things it is possible to see the difference of the three; for one approaches Jesus six days before the legal Passover; another, two days before, and the other a long time before, [as] the one in Luke. And the one six days before anoints his feet without weeping; for the act was a thank-offering for joy and a benefaction accomplished. The one two days before does not weep either, she being all aflame with fervent faith and great desire, but from her great eagerness and indeed also from her reverence toward the Master, she does not even attempt to anoint and touch the master's and undefiled body, but breaking the whole alabaster jar at once, she pours it on the master's head. The one in Luke, however, anoints his feet with ointment, but mixing the ointment with tears. And she wiped the master's feet with her hair, as did Lazarus' sister, but the one who broke the alabaster jar and poured it on his head did not dare even to touch him, as we have said. And in the case of Lazarus' sister, Judas alone was indignant and grumbled, but in the case of the one who broke the alabaster jar, the other disciples also. But in the case of the one in Luke, none of the disciples, but the Pharisee who had received him into his house, who should have rather rejoiced and been more established in the faith because he saw people turning from their sins, he alone was scandalized. And to this one it was said: "Your sins are forgiven you," and "your faith has saved you, go in peace," but to the one who broke the alabaster jar it was said that wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, also what this woman has done
φλεγμαῖνον ἔχων ἀεὶ τὸ τῆς φιλαργυρίας πάθος πανταχοῦ ἀγανακτεῖ ἀποστερούμενος τοῦ κέρδους. διὸ καὶ ὁ δεσπότης πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνων τε καὶ τούτου διάνοιαν ἀφορῶν δύο ἐπάγει αἰτίας, ὅτι μὴ δεῖ ἐπιτιμᾶν τῇ γυναικί· μίαν μὲν ὅτι καλὸν ἔργον ἐποίησεν, ὃ τοῖς εὐγνώμοσιν τῶν μαθητῶν ἐξήρκει μόνη ἡ τοῦ διδασκάλου μαρτυρία. ἑτέραν δέ, ὅτι εἰς τὸν ἐνταφιασμόν μου τοῦτο πεποίηκεν, ὅπερ ἄντικρυς εἰς τὸν Ἰούδαν ἀπείρηται οἷον· σὺ ταύτην ἐπιτιμᾷς τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ ἐλεημοσύνης προσποιεῖ φροντίζειν; ὁ εἰς τὸν θάνατον τρέχων τὸν ἐμόν, ὁ κατὰ τοῦ εὐεργέτου φονῶν ἀναξίαν ταύτην κρίνεις μύρον μοι ἐπιχέειν, ὁ τὴν σφαγὴν καὶ τὸν τάφον καὶ τὰ ἐντάφια φανταζόμενος καὶ διαμελετῶν· ἐλεᾷς πτωχὸν ὁ τὸν μὴ ἔχοντα τὴν κεφαλὴν ποῦ κλίνῃ πιπράσκων· οἰκτείρεις ἄλλον ὁ τὸν διδάσκαλον προδιδούς· τοῦτο δὲ αὐτὸ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς τοῦ Λαζάρου ἀδελφῆς ἔλεγεν πρὸς αὐτόν, ὅτε μόνος αὐθαδείᾳ γνώμης καὶ καταφρονήσει τοῦ διδασκάλου καὶ πάθει φιλαργυρίας ἔφασκεν· διὰ τί μὴ ἐπράθη τοῦτο τὸ μύρον καὶ ἐδόθη πτωχοῖς ; καὶ γὰρ καὶ τότε φησίν· ἄφες αὐτήν· εἰς τὴν ἡμέραν τοῦ ἐνταφιασμοῦ μου τετήρηκεν αὐτό , διὰ πάντων αὐτὸν ἀνακόπτων τῆς ἐγχειρήσεως καὶ πονηρᾶς προαιρέσεως καὶ πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν ἄγων ἃ ἐμελέτα τε καὶ ἔμελλεν πράττειν. ἀλλ' οὐδὲν ὀνίνησιν ψυχὴν φιλαργυρίᾳ καὶ ἀπογνώσει σὺν ἀπονοίᾳ καταποθεῖσαν· καὶ τοὺς πτωχοὺς δὲ πάντοτε ἔχετε μεθ' ἑαυτῶν, ἐμὲ δὲ οὐ πάντοτε ἔχετε τῆς αὐτῆς ἐννοίας ἐξῆπται. τί, φησίν, τοὺς πτωχοὺς προφασίζῃ, εἰ ἐμὲ ὀλίγον συνδιαιτηθέντα χρόνον καὶ ταχὺ ἀφεστάναι μέλλοντα οὕτως βαρὺν καὶ φορτικὸν ἡγήσω, ὥστε καὶ εἰς θάνατον προδιδόναι καίτοι μυρίων ἀπολαύσας ἀγαθῶν; εἰς οὓς καὶ τὰ σὰ δεῖ σε κενοῦν καὶ μεθ' ὧν ὅλον συναναστρέφεσθαι τὸν βίον ἀνάγκη, τούτους σὺ ἀβαρῶς οἴσεις καὶ ἐλεεῖν προθυμηθήσῃ; ∆εῖ δὲ εἰδέναι, ὅτι τρεῖς φαίνονται γυναῖκες παρὰ τοῖς εὐαγγελισταῖς ἀλείψασαι τὸν κύριον μύρῳ καὶ αἱ τρεῖς ἀπὸ πολλῆς πίστεως καὶ διαπύρου πόθου, πρώτη ἡ παρὰ τῷ Λουκᾷ, δευτέρα ἡ παρὰ τῷ Ἰωάννῃ καὶ τρίτη ἡ παρὰ τῷ Ματθαίῳ καὶ Μάρκῳ· οὗτοι γὰρ οἱ δύο τῆς αὐτῆς μνημονεύουσιν. ἀλλ' ἡ μὲν παρὰ τῷ Ἰωάννῃ ἐπ' εὐλαβείᾳ ἐγνωρίζετο, αἱ δὲ ἄλλαι δύο τῶν κατεγνωσμένων ἐτύγχανον. καὶ ἡ μὲν ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ τῆς οἰκείας ἀδελφῆς Μάρθας ἐπέχεεν τὸ μύρον· τῶν δὲ ἡ μὲν ἐν οἰκίᾳ Σίμωνος τοῦ λεπροῦ, ἡ δὲ ἐν οἰκίᾳ τοῦ Φαρισαίου. καὶ ἡ μὲν εὐχαριστήριον ἄγουσα τῆς ἐγέρσεως τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ Λαζάρου ἐπιχέει τὸ μύρον, τούτων δὲ ἑκατέρα ὑπὲρ τῶν ἰδίων ἁμαρτιῶν. καὶ ἐξ ἄλλων δὲ ἔστιν ἰδεῖν τὴν διαφορὰν τῶν τριῶν· ἡ μὲν γὰρ πρὸ ἓξ ἡμερῶν τοῦ νομικοῦ πάσχα πρόσεισιν τῷ Ἰησοῦ· ἡ δὲ πρὸ δύο ἡμερῶν, ἡ δὲ ἔμπροσθεν πολλῷ χρόνῳ [ὡς] ἡ παρὰ τῷ Λουκᾷ. καὶ ἡ μὲν πρὸ ἓξ τοὺς πόδας ἀλείφει μὴ κλαίουσα· εὐφροσύνης γὰρ καὶ εὐεργεσίας τετελεσμένης τὸ γινόμενον χαριστήριον ἦν. ἡ δὲ πρὸ δύο ἡμερῶν οὐ κλαίει μὲν οὐδ' αὐτὴ τῇ ζεούσῃ πίστει καὶ τῷ πολλῷ πόθῳ ὅλη ἀναφλεχθεῖσα, ὑπὸ πολλῆς δὲ τῆς προθυμίας καὶ δὴ καὶ τῆς πρὸς τὸν δεσπότην εὐλαβείας οὐδὲ ἀλείφειν καὶ ἐφάπτεσθαι τοῦ δεσποτικοῦ καὶ ἀχράντου σώματος ἐπιχειρεῖ, ἀλλ' ὅλον ἀθρόον συντρίψασα τὸ ἀλάβαστρον ἐπιχέει τῇ δεσποτικῇ κεφαλῇ. ἡ μέντοι παρὰ τῷ Λουκᾷ τοὺς πόδας ἀλείφει μύρῳ , δάκρυσιν δὲ μιγνῦσα τὸ μύρον. καὶ αὐτὴ μὲν ταῖς θριξὶν ἐξέμασσεν τοὺς πόδας τοὺς δεσποτικοὺς ὡς καὶ ἡ τοῦ Λαζάρου ἀδελφή, ἡ δὲ τὸ ἀλάβαστρον συντρίψασα καὶ ἐπιχέασα τῇ κεφαλῇ οὐδὲ προσψαῦσαι ὡς ἔφαμεν ἐτόλμησεν. καὶ ἐπὶ μὲν τῇ τοῦ Λαζάρου ἀδελφῇ ὁ Ἰούδας μόνος ἠγανάκτει καὶ διεγόγγυζεν, ἐπὶ δὲ τῇ συντριψάσῃ τὸ ἀλάβαστρον καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ μαθηταί. ἐπὶ δὲ τῇ παρὰ τῷ Λουκᾷ οὐδεὶς μὲν τῶν μαθητῶν, ὁ δὲ ὑποδεξάμενος εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν Φαρισαῖος, ὃν ἔδει μᾶλλον χαίρειν καὶ πλέον καταρτίζεσθαι τῇ πίστει, ὅτι ἐπιστρέφοντας ἐξ ἁμαρτιῶν ἑώρα, αὐτὸς μόνος ἐσκανδαλίζετο. καὶ ταύτῃ μὲν εἴρηται· ἀφέωνταί σοι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι σου καὶ ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε, πορεύου εἰς εἰρήνην , τῇ δὲ συντριψαμένῃ τὸ ἀλάβαστρον εἴρηται, ὅτι ὅπου ἂν κηρυχθῇ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ κόσμῳ καὶ ὃ ἐποίησεν αὕτη