Judas was treasurer for the disciples, and from their little store he had secretly drawn for his own use, thus narrowing down their resources to a meager pittance. He was eager to put into the bag all that he could obtain. The treasure in the bag was often drawn upon to relieve the poor; and when something that Judas did not think essential was bought, he would say, Why is this waste? why was not the cost of this put into the bag that I carry for the poor? Now the act of Mary was in such marked contrast to his selfishness that he was put to shame; and according to his custom, he sought to assign a worthy motive for his objection to her gift. Turning to the disciples, he asked, "Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein." Judas had no heart for the poor. Had Mary's ointment been sold, and the proceeds fallen into his possession, the poor would have received no benefit.

Judas tog sig af disciplenes pengesager, og af deres lille forråd havde han hemmeligt taget til sit eget brug og således formindsket deres pengebeholdning til en ubetydelighed. Han ville gerne lægge alt det i pungen, som han kunne få fat i. Der blev ofte brugt af midlerne i pungen til at hjælpe de fattige, og når der blev købt noget, som Judas ikke fandt nødvendigt, plejede han at sige: "Hvorfor denne ødselhed? hvorfor blev ikke prisen for dette lagt i den pung, som jeg fører med mig til de fattige?" Nu var dette, som Maria gjorde, i så skarp modsætning til hans selviskhed, at han måtte skamme sig; og som han plejede, søgte han at udpege et værdigt motiv for sine indvendinger mod hendes gave. Han vendte sig til disciplene og sagde: "Hvorfor er denne salve ikke blevet solgt for tre hundrede denarer og givet til de fattige? Men det sagde han ikke, fordi han brød sig om de fattige, men fordi han var en tyv; og da han havde pengepungen, stak han jævnlig til sig, hvad der blev lagt i den." Judas følte ingen kærlighed til de fattige. Hvis Marias salve var blevet solgt og udbyttet var kommet i hans besiddelse, ville de fattige ikke have nydt godt af pengene.