The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-03-25
Written Tor the Republican,
Mary, the Sister of Lazarus.

Mary, the Sister of Lazarus.
In the first century of the Christian
era, the land OF Palestine consisted OF
three divisions, Gaiilee, Samaria and
Judea. The northern division was
called Galilee, the central one, Sauna
ria, and the southern one, Judea.
Jerusalem was in the southern divi-
sion. Mount Olivet stood opposite
the eastern side of that city, and on
the eastern slope of that mountain,
two miles away from Jerusalem, stood
the town of Bethany, which was the
home of young man named Lazarus
and his sisters Martha and Mary.
Skeptlcs would have us believe that
Mary, the sister of Lazarus, was none
other than Nary Magdalene. and that
she had led dissolute life, and, after
reforming, became the favorite female
companion OF Jesus But these skep-
tics are mistaken. There ia not par
ticle OF evidence produCible to show
that Mary of Bethany was ever a dis
solute woman, OF that she was Mary
Magdalene.
There were many women and girls
In Palestine named Mary. Seven
Marys are mentioned in the New Tes-
lament. First. and rnost blessed OF
all was Mary, the mother OF our Lord
and Saviour. Jesus Christ. Our Saw.
Jour loved her more than he did any
other woman OH the earth. Another
Mary was the mother OF the two apos'
ties, James and Joseph. Another was
the mother OF John Mark, who was the
nephew of Barnabas. Another was
Mary Magdalene. Another was Lazar.
us's sister. Another was the wife OF
Cleophas. And the seventh was citt-
zen of Rome.
1t is evident that Jesus loved Mary,
the sister of Lazarus, and it is equally
evident that he also loved Martha and
Lazarus. The apostle John declares
that Jesus loved Martha, and her sis
ter and Lazarus. THAT is all there is
on record concerning his love for Mary;
and there is nothing i'll that record to
Indicate that Jesus loved her more
than he did Martha or Lazarus.
Our Lords public ministry lasted
three years and a half. At the begin
ming of that period lie preached in va
rlonS synagogues in Galilee, Nazareth,
Main, CapernauIn. etc. While He was
in Main, Simon. PhariseN, desired
Him that He would eat with him. And
He went into the pharisees house and
sat down to meat. And behold, u wo-
man in the city. which was a sinner
wien she knew that Jesus sat at meat
in tho pharisee's house, brought al
at His feet behind Him, weeping,
and began to wash His feet
with tears, and diu wipe then
with the hairs of her head, and kissed
His feet, and anointed them with the
ointment" See Luke VII, soto 80.
1t will be noticed that this woman's
name is not given She was a resident
OF Main i'll Galilee, and had been dis
solute woman. Only those little skep
ND nh In il
their Investigations guess at one half
| and multiply by two, can conclude
that this womnnwas Mary hagdaleno
and the sister of Lazarus of Bethany.
From Main our Lord went through
out Gulilee. and visited every city
and village, preaching and showing
the glad tidings of tho kingdom oil
God: and the twelve" apostles 'wert
| with Him. And certain women, which
had been healed of evil spirits and in
tirmities Mary called Mugdalene, out
OF whom went seven devils, and
Joanna the wife OF Chuza, Herod's
| steward, and many others, which min
| istcred unto Him of their substance
Luke VIII. | to 8.
Mary Magdalene means simple Mary
| of Mugdalu. his Mary was a resi-
dent of the town of Magdala in Gall
lee. The record of Luke does not in
1
Lutte woman. She had been afflicted
| by "seven DEVILS"
1t must now be evident to tn
| thoughtful reader that the unnamed
repeHtant woman of Main in Galilee
and Mary OF Magdala in Galilee, wer
two separate and distinct persons.
Three years and more after the fore
| going circumstances took place, wheI
our Lords ministry was drawing to q;
| close, and about a week before He wa
| crucilied, Simon, q resident of Bethany
made our Lord a supper. He, Laza
| rus, Martha and Mary, the sisters o
| Lazarus, were present. On this occa
sion this Mary took "a pound of oint
ment of spikenard, very costly, ant
anointed the feet of Jesus, and wipe,
| His feet with her hair; and the hous
| was filled with the odor of the oint
mpnt.n John xii. l to ).
| From Mark xiv, ., we learn that thi
Simon was termed "Simon the leper:
and, that Mary also Amounted the heu,
OF Jesus. This Simon had been lcu
err, ana to distinguish him from othc
S,moHs he was called ''Siiuun the lep
lcr" Niilr distinct Simuus are men
toned in the New Testament. The,
are simon the son oil iona, the che
lapostle TO the Jews: Simon tho Ca
naanite, another apostle: Simon ON
of the brothers oil our Lord. Simon
the CSrenian; Simon the father o
Judas Iscariot; Simon the tanner
I