Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-07-29
THE SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR AUG. 4,
-, tee6--LEssoN FIFTH.

AAPAnhaeory NoCes py REV. JOhn Hail,
ID. D., IL. D., New York-From The
Sunday School worId-subject. "Jesus
Honored."-John xii, Lie.
1t is intended that we should see how diff
ferent parties looked on Jesus-some in ad-
miration and gratitude, some in scorn and
hate. This is strange, but no more so than
the way His gospel Is sregarded, some counting
1t the very word of life and resting on it, and
some treating it with scofiing and contempt
and planning by books and talks to destroy
It. In a sense Christ, with His gospel Of
peace, sends a sword on the earth. He unites
believers, but He divides them widely from
urbelievers.
We have here honor done to Christ in two
ways-in private house and in public; the
former by an individual, the latter by the
multitude. Each makes picture, the like of
which we have nowhere else in the world and
each has dark background. Study tho pic
lures in their order.
l. In the private house. It was in Beth
any, Of which We know so much that we need
not go back to it. One great object of atten-
tion there at this time was Lazarus. That this
supper-the main meal of the day-was in an
other house than that of Lazarus may be in
ferred from Lazarus being mentioned as 1sit-
ting at the table," That Martha served was
like her-capable, practical and neighborly.
!. Very often friends and neighbors in the sim
ter forms of life do che like of this still, at
kxillage entertainments The time was 1six
days before the Passover" mentioned to ex-
plain v. z, and to show the relation of all
these occurrences to the crucifxion so near at
hanI Go ss,,
light on the facts OF vs. 10-11, which see
In this connection.
We have nothing in our habits that would
help us to understand the amounting even of
the feet of Christ with precious ointment, but
1t was not difficult according to eastern ways.
The guests reclined, their feet not under the
table as with us, but outside. They wore san
dals easy ofremoval, and the washing of the
feet on arriving at house was common, rem
dered necessary by the dry dust on their feet,
only kept from the ground by sandals The
peculiarities Of this are three: a. That Mary
didit. eisnot to be confounded with another
who did the like, but who is described as a
Sinner" There is not particle Of evidence
that any stain rested on the character Of Mary
or Martha, or indeed of Mary Magdalene, to
whom tradition, and the habit it produced of
calling certain institutions "Magdalen asy-
lums" has done great injustice Mary was
loving, grateful and devoted to Jesus, and she
wished to show this. Her brothers return to
her was too great blessing to be soon forgot
ten
(2) The value of the spikenard there is no
use In perplexing pupils about the nature of
it. 1t was liquid perfume, nard, probably
called so from the place of its manufacture,
like eau de Cologne, some well known and
costly perfume, of which she, from her means
Though the family appears to have been COM
fortable), would not have been expected to
expend SO much. Good women often sur
prise the world by their deeds.
g. The wiping with her hair of the Saviour's
feet (His body was, according to the other
evangelists, also anointed. This of his feet
John emphasizes.) The apostle Paul, who
was observant and practical, says of woman
that long hair is a glory to her-a fitting and
beautiful ornament. Notice the use to which
this woman puts her hair. Let us give our
best to Christ. Often sermons have been
preached on the 'house filed with the odor;;"
the fragrance of piety, unselfshness, self-sacri-
flee, devotion, fills the place. Alasl how
many Hbad odors" there are in many dwell
ings- selfishness, jealousy, quarreling and
hate-or, to change the figure, skeletons in
the closetsl
Now for the dark background. Listen to
Judas, the traitor, lamenting that so much
money was wasted that might have been
gfven to the poor! He was treasurer of the
tle companys little means (see Revision
heBe) ". 6l. He was not sincere any more
than those who deplore money spent on mis-
NJ and oh ruhi1o
many poor at our own door. As rule they
do little for this poor. As rule those who
do the most abroad are the best friends of the
poor at home. And what is the whole amount
spent on missions, churches and the like,
compared to what goes to pleasure and sin!
Hear our Lords defense of her Tvs. T-S):
"Let her Alone" etc. He knew she had pre-
pared for this, kept it (see the Revision), de-
MED herself in other ways, perhaps, to do it.
And there was more fitness in it than she
knew He knew it; it was as if sho did it for
his burial. See John xix, 3940) She
sbuilded better than she knew" So many
Christian worker obeys noble impulse, with
no idea of all that God sees in it and all that
will come of it. Jesus mildly puts the case of
the poor. They will always be within reach
of Il kindly hand. As for him he is soon to be
aw from them. 1t is calm, dignifed, and
ILL., Lat one would say when consciously
near end, when passion seems signally out
OF place.
Then we have two or three explanatory
statement. Q) The crowd is accounted for
v. g). They knew he was there, and they
wished to see Lazarus The love Of the sensa-
tional is deep and widespread ~ The plan
Of the chief priests to put Christ to death was
going forward, though against difficulties, for
his hour was not yet come. The "also" Of
v. 10 shows this. ~ They meant to get
Lazarus also out Of the way. He was stand
ing, living witness to Jesus power, and SO far
was, remember, the third case Of restoring to
Life by Jesis but the first SO near them.
IL The public demonstration ". 1915.
Bethany was suburb of Jerusalem. Jesus was
known to be there. His fame was now wide
spread The hope was rife that at length the
coming King was near them. They wished
to show their feeling, and, as the manner Of
the Jews was, took branches Of palms-not
signs Of victory, but such as were used at the
feast Of tabernacles-pu them ON his path,
waved them with accompanying acclama-
tions from the Psalms. (See Ps cxviii, 25-26
and study v. ~, which refers to suffer-
&pg. 'Hosannaa is the Hebrew Save, we
RaW, in Greek form.) As we learn from
lltt. xxi, 1-6, Jesus knew their intention,
Tell IN with it, secured an ass on which to
ride--a common steed in those days--and not
regarded as with us. Horses were for heathen
kings, and the importing Of them for state
and for military ends was discouraged as
1aas3tS,o. ~ ;,,,ifatiey. of fn,.ai0r1 uyovc oud