"Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 6 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." (John 12:5-6)
It is amazing how easy it can be for us to put up false pretenses, to get what we want. This is but one of many found in the Bible, this time by Judas Iscariot. Earlier in the story, John 12:3, Mary had taken a pound of spikenard, which was very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus with it. This leads Judas to make the statement quoted above, which while sounding righteous, was actually filled with deception. How many times have we said one thing, while thinking something else? I know I have done so. When I ask someone if they need help with something, do I also hope that they say no because I don’t want to be troubled? This scenario isn’t exactly the same as what is quoted above, but I think it is a similar concept. It is something that we should strive to avoid. I like what the Geneva Study Bible says about these two verses, "A horrible example in Judas of a mind blinded with covetousness, and yet pretending godliness."
Opening The Scriptures 