Spy Wednesday: A Choice Between Greed and Giving
Holy Wednesday is often called “Spy Wednesday” because it is the day in Holy Week that Judas Iscariot agreed to betray Jesus and became a spy for the high priests. It is also the day that Mary of Bethany anointed Jesus with costly ointment. Mary’s extravagant gift contrasts with the greed of Judas, who that same night received thirty pieces of silver as payment for his betrayal.
As we observe Spy Wednesday, the occasion challenges each of us to consider which example we will follow: Judas’ greed, or Mary’s giving? In one sense, all of us are like Judas, betraying Jesus through our continual sin and greedy self-centeredness. But in another sense, the gospel saves us and enriches us for extravagant giving, just as Mary gave so much to express her love. Because Jesus gave himself for us, we can give ourselves in devotion to him.
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Judas the Greedy Spy
In espionage, it is common for an agency to flip a member of a target group into an informant and spy. Matthew describes this process in detail, first describing the gathering of the chief priests on Holy Wednesday, “who plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him” (Matthew 26:4). Later that night, Judas came and met with the chief priests, agreeing to betray Jesus in exchange for money:
Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests, and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.
Matthew 26:14-16
To understand Judas’ motivation, it helps to know that Judas served as something like the treasurer for Jesus and the disciples, keeping possession of their moneybag, receiving funds, and making payments for their expenses. But Judas was not honest in his dealings; in the Gospel of John, we learn that Judas “was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it” (John 12:6).
Those who practice espionage seek to understand and exploit their targets’ moral weaknesses. They can flip the grandiose with validation, the lonely with love, the resentful with revenge, and the greedy with money. Judas may have had multiple reasons to betray Jesus, but the chief priests made particular use of his greed, giving him thirty pieces of silver.
The Value of the Thirty Pieces of Silver
What was the value of the thirty pieces of silver? Its worth would have depended upon its weight, so we can’t know for sure. But there are two clues in scripture that suggest it was a small fortune:
- Later, once Judas experienced guilt for his betrayal, he returned the silver to the chief priests and subsequently killed himself. The chief priests subsequently took the silver pieces “and bought with them the potter’s field as a burial place for strangers” (Matthew 27:7). Though the potter’s field was likely not prime real estate, all land in Israel is expensive, especially land in or near Jerusalem. If the thirty pieces of silver could buy a field near Jerusalem, they likely would have purchased a sizable estate in Galilee.
- Matthew connects the purchase of the field to Zechariah 11, which similarly includes a purchase for thirty pieces of silver. There, it is the bad shepherd who sells off the flock and proclaims, ‘Blessed be the LORD, I have become rich!” (Zechariah 11:5). In other words, this is the kind of money that can make a person feel secure, even though it has been at the cost of the flock.
Mary the Giving Sinner
The gospels also suggest that money was especially on Judas’ mind, because that same night, a woman anointed Jesus with expensive ointment. Neither Matthew nor Mark includes this woman’s name, and tradition sometimes identifies her as Mary Magdalene. However, the Gospel of John identifies her as Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
Mark includes multiple details to establish the extravagance of Mary’s gift:
As he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her.
Mark 14:3-5
Mark emphasizes the extravagance of the gift: the ointment was pure nard, very costly, and stored in an alabaster flask, a material associated with the finest oils. Ancient sources such as Pliny the Elder note that the best ointments were preserved in alabaster (Natural History XIII.iii.19, cited by Lane in The Gospel of Mark, 492). Luke‘s parallel story portrays the woman as a city woman and a sinner, suggesting that she may have obtained the costly ointment improperly (Luke 7:36-50).
The disciples understood the ointment’s high value and complained that it had been wasted. Mark includes their inner thought process as they imagine how much the ointment might cost. Knowing this, Jesus defends Mary, explaining that she has done something beautiful: “she has anointed my body beforehand for burial” (Mark 14:8).
While Mark does not name Judas specifically here, he is clearly in view. The very next scene depicts Judas going to the high priests to betray Jesus. In fact, this sequence is the last of Mark’s intercalations, or sandwich stories, in which Mark begins one story, interrupts it with another, and then comes back to complete the initial story. In this case:
- A: The chief priests gather and discuss how they can arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him (Mark 14:1-2).
- B: The woman anoints Jesus with the costly ointment (Mark 14:3-9).
- A’: Judas meets the chief priests and betrays Jesus for money (Mark 14:10-11).
The intercalation allows the two stories to comment on each other. It allows Judas’ greed and Mary’s gift to stand out all the more.
How To Observe Spy Wednesday
After Palm Sunday, the high point of Holy Week is the Triduum, the three days of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. As a result, Spy Wednesday can easily be forgotten or skipped. But there are several ways to observe Spy Wednesday that complement the rest of Holy Week.
Compare Judas and Mary
First, compare the figures of Judas and Mary. To do this, it is helpful to read the three central passages on these figures: Matthew 26:1-16, Mark 14:1-11, and John 12:1-11.
Then consider the paradox of their relative access and devotion. Though Judas was a disciple of Jesus, close enough to entrust with the ministry’s finances, his greed deceived him and led him to betray Jesus. Though Mary had less time with Jesus and reduced access to his inner circle, she made a remarkable gift and thereby demonstrated true devotion.
By way of application, consider how you are at times like Judas, taking proximity to Jesus for granted, and preferring the things of this world to faithfully following him. But consider also how the Lord can strengthen you to be like Mary, to show devotion in the face of opposition, and to give your best in his service. Say a prayer that the Lord would replace the greedy heart of Judas with the giving heart of Mary.
Make A Special Gift
Next, consider how you might practically follow Mary’s example. Is there a special gift you can give to honor and glorify Christ? Many parishes have dedicated funds for special purposes, such as missions, seminarians, or building funds.
Don’t let a consideration of value constrain the possibility of a gift. Jesus praised the widow who gave two coins (Mark 12:41-44).
Here, the point is not to earn status with God, but rather to give in thanksgiving for the grace he has already bestowed upon us. Mary was overflowing with love for Christ after he raised Lazarus from the dead. That’s why she poured her best ointment upon his head.
Spy Wednesday Tenebrae Service
On Spy Wednesday, some parishes hold a service called Tenebrae, which means shadows. Tenebrae features a progression of readings following Jesus’ journey to the cross. After each reading, a candle is extinguished, illustrating the deepening gloom of Holy Week. If you do attend this service, be prepared: while its material draws from all of Holy Week, its mood reflects the darkness of the disciple who became a spy.
Spy Wednesday Anointing Service
Some parishes hold an anointing service on Spy Wednesday. Together with Judas’ betrayal, they also read the story of Mary’s anointing, and conclude the service with anointing and prayer for healing of body and soul. If your parish does not hold this service, you might request that the clergy set aside a time for members to visit and receive prayer with anointing for healing.
In Conclusion: Listen and Contemplate
In conclusion, one of the best ways to observe Spy Wednesday is to listen to some of the great hymns written on its themes. These will lead you in contemplation of the mystery of the day, and especially of our Lord Jesus, who was willing to suffer betrayal for us and for our salvation.
Kassia’s Hymn
First, there’s a 9th-century Greek hymn by Saint Kassia, a nun from Constantinople, which draws from Luke’s parallel story of the anointing by a sinful woman. Here it is sung in English by a women’s choir at St. Tikhon’s Monastery Church.
Ah, Holy Jesus
Second, the Lutheran hymn “Ah, holy Jesus” reflects on the passion of Christ, with a special focus on the betrayal. The hymn acknowledges that we have ourselves betrayed Jesus by our sin, but also rejoices in the good news of Christ. For a full analysis, read our hymn guide. Here it is sung a cappella by the boys’ choir of King’s College, Cambridge.
Said Judas to Mary
Finally, there’s a striking song by Anglican folk musician Sydney Carter, titled “Said Judas to Mary.” This video was recorded live in 1972, with guitar and voice.
Image: Judas Receiving Thirty Pieces of Silver for Betraying Jesus by P. Molnár (1909). Courtesy of Wikipedia. Digitally edited by Jacob Davis.
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