He longed to have the avails of the expensive ointment in his own hands to apply to his own selfish purposes. By his professed sympathy for the poor he deceived his fellow-disciples, and by his artful insinuations caused them to look distrustfully upon the devotion of Mary. Whispered hints of prodigality passed round the table: “To what purpose is this waste? for this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.” Mary was abashed as the eyes of the disciples were bent sternly and reproachfully upon her. She felt that her deed of devotion must have been wrong, and tremblingly expected Jesus to condemn it also. {2SP 376.2}

Judas ønskede at få værdien for den kostbare salve i sin egen hånd, så han kunne anvende den til sine egennyttige hensigter. Ved således at forstille sig og vise medlidenhed med fattige, bedragene han de andre disciple, Ved sine snedige indskydelser fik han dem til at betragte Marias hengivenhed for Jesus med mistænkelighed. De, som sad ved bordet, hviskede til hverandre om denne ødselhed: "Hvad (377) skal den ødselhed til? Det kunne jog være solgt for mange penge og givet til de fattige." (Matt 26,8.9) Maria blev skamfuld, idet disciplene så strengt og irettesættede på hende. Hun tænkte, at hendes kærlighedsgerning var ubetimelig, og hun ventede skælvende på, at Jesus også skulle misbillige den.