8在场的有几个人『恼怒著彼此说,何必这样枉费香膏?这香膏可以卖三百多银币,分给穷人。他们就向她怒气冲冲』。(4~5。)那些恼怒的门徒认为这女人向主爱的奉献是枉费。已过二十世纪以来,千千万万宝贵的性命、心爱的奇珍、崇高的地位、以及灿烂的前途,都曾『枉费』在主耶稣身上。对这些爱主的人,祂是全然可爱,配得他们献上一切。他们浇在主身上的不是枉费,乃是馨香的见证,见证祂的甘甜。根据六至七节,主耶稣对那些向这女人发怒气的人说,『由她罢!你们为甚么难为她?她在我身上作的,是一件美事。因为常有穷人和你们同在,要向他们行善,随时都可以,只是你们不常有我。』主所说,『只是你们不常有我』这句话,指明我们必须爱主,并把握机会爱祂。今天,许多基督徒关心慈善工作过于顾到基督。对穷人慈善的关切,常常顶替了基督。但在马可十四章,主耶稣不许关切穷人的事来顶替祂自己。祂在这里似乎没有顾到穷人,而只顾到自己。祂似乎说,『不要难为这位爱我的人,她在我身上作了一件美事。你们若要照顾穷人,就等别的时间,到另外的地方去作罢。常有穷人和你们同在,但这是一个独特的时机,让你们以我作你们的顶替,而把你们所有的,全数倾倒在我身上。』
8Some who were present “were indignant among themselves, saying, Why has this waste of the ointment been made? For this ointment could have been sold for over three hundred denarii and given to the poor; and they were scolding her” (vv. 4-5). Those who were indignant regarded the woman’s love offering to the Lord a waste. Throughout the past nineteen centuries, thousands of precious lives, heart treasures, high positions, and golden futures have been “wasted” upon the Lord Jesus. To those who love Him in such a way, He is altogether lovely and worthy of their offering. What they have poured upon Him is not a waste, but a fragrant testimony of His sweetness. According to verses 6 and 7, the Lord Jesus said to those who were scolding the woman, “Let her alone; why are you causing her trouble? She has wrought a good work upon Me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want you can do them good; but you do not always have Me.” The Lord’sword, “You do not always have Me,” indicates that we must love the Lord and seize the opportunity to love Him. Today many Christians care more for works of charity than for Christ. A charitable concern for the poor often replaces Christ. But in Mark 14 the Lord Jesus would not allow the concern for the poor to be a replacement of Himself. Here it seems that He does not care for the poor, but cares only for Himself. He seems to be saying, “Do not trouble this one who loves Me. She has done a good work on Me. If you want to take care of the poor, wait for another time and go to another place. The poor are always with you. But this is the unique time for you to take Me as your replacement and to pour out everything upon Me.”