Mark 14:4 Meaning and Explanation
“And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Some at the table are angry, calling the poured-out perfume a waste.
What Does Mark 14:4 Mean?
The fragrance has barely filled the house before criticism follows. Some of those present — Matthew says disciples, and John names Judas among the complainers — bristle at the sight of such costly perfume spent in a moment. To them it is not devotion but loss; the word they reach for is waste.
Their arithmetic is plausible, which is what makes it cutting. Indignation can wear the dress of virtue; it can sound like stewardship while it shames a worshiper. The scene asks the heart a searching question: when love for Christ spends itself freely, do we rejoice with it — or do we audit it?
Frequently Asked Questions About Mark 14:4
What does Mark 14:4 mean?
Some at the table are angry, calling the poured-out perfume a waste.