Her Memorial: An Alternative Reading of Matthew 26:13

This article presents a case for an alternative reading of Matt 26:13. I argue that a subjective genitive reading of εἰς μνημόσυνον αὐτῆς is not only plausible based on Matthew’s redaction of Mark 14:9 but also favorable, given Matthew’s deliberate omission of the anointing of Jesus’s body for burial in Mark 16:1 (cf. Matt 28:1). My proposed reading is as follows: “Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the whole world, what she has done [to me] as her memorial will be mentioned.” My argument appeals to three clues—the redactional, grammatical, and literary contexts of Mark 14:9, Matt 26:10–13, and Matt 16:8–9, respectively. Assuming Markan priority, I begin by examining the redactional changes of Mark 14:9 that make a subjective genitive reading possible. Next, I show how a subjective genitive reading fits favorably in the immediate context of Matt 26:10–13. Finally, I demonstrate how a subjective genitive reading underscores the verbal quality of the head noun μνημόσυνον based on its previous use in Matt 16:8–9. I conclude with two implications of the proposed reading.