Mark 14:5 Meaning and Explanation
“For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →They reckon the perfume worth more than three hundred pence and scold the woman for not selling it for the poor.
What Does Mark 14:5 Mean?
The critics price the gift: more than three hundred pence, roughly a year of earnings for a laborer, poured out in one gesture. Their proposal sounds godly — sell it, give it to the poor — and under cover of that piety they turn on the woman with harsh words.
Care for the poor is commanded throughout Scripture, and Jesus will affirm it in the next breath. But here generosity toward God is being weighed on a merchant's scale, and a worshiper is being shamed for honoring her Lord. Goodness used as a weapon ceases to be good. The Lord sees both the gift and the motives of those who judge it.
Mark 14:5 in the Original Language
denarion (δηνάριον), 'pence' -- a denarius, a silver coin worth about a day's wage for a laborer.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mark 14:5
What does Mark 14:5 mean?
They reckon the perfume worth more than three hundred pence and scold the woman for not selling it for the poor.