The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1899-04-07
THE AMOUNTING IN BETHANY.
sunday school Lesson Ia The s-se~s
national series for April ID,
IsD9-John I2s1-iI.


with the parallel accounts and broad
view 81 the rest Of the chapter. which IN
clndes all that John tells u Of the five days
from Saturday. April !. 10 Wednesday.
April ) ..<.
l. Jesus Entertained at BETHANY
Vs.l.e. The rising Of Lazarus from the
dead, as described in our last lesson.
produced so much excitement and
awakened such bitter hostility that
Jesus left the region Of Jerusalem and
spent a few weeks in retirement with
His disciples at Ephrair' in the noun
famous district north OF Jerusalem
As the Passover drew near, Jesus
wen; across the Jordan and descended
on the other side through Perea TO the
lords opposite Jericho. healing and
teaching by the way. Thence he went
up toward Jerusalem and reached
Bethany on Friday evening. March 81.
six days before the Passover" Here
He spent Saturday. the Jewish Saba til.
doubtless with the family that Jesus
loved
2 There they made Him a supper"
In the little town OF Bethany JesuShad
become popular, and since the raising
/ of Lazarus He was regarded with
marked generation. The supper was
on Saturday evening. after the Jewish
! Sabbath was ended at sunset. and at
Z the house Of Simon the leper. probably
one who had been cured by Jesus.
Lazarus was one Of them that sat at
7 the table" What had been done for
him by Jesus made him an houored
guest.
H. The Flask Of Precious Odors
Poured Upon the Feet Of Jesus.-N B.
Then took Mary pound Of ointment
OF spikeUard:" By the ointment we
are TO understand rather a liquid per
fume than what we commonly know as
ointment. Very costly" worth about
$500 or $500 in our time. Amounted the
feet OF jesus" She first poured it
over His head" Mark. but John no
tees only her pouring il upon His feet.
for il was common to pour it upon the
head. and expressed the usual senti-
ments OF honor 70 guest; but anoint-
ing the feet was unusual. and expressed
the tenderesi. most humble. most rev.
erential. unutterable affection. And
wiped His feet with her hair" This,
too. was unusual. She took "womans
chief ornament" and devoted it to wip-
ing the travel-stained feet of her
teacher.
Ill Boxes of Money Versus Flasks Of
Fragrance-vs. 4-6. 4. Then saith
Judas Iscariot:" He looked up
on this as waste. and his mutterings
convinced some of the other disciples so
that they joined with him in his con-
demnation of the act.
G. .Not that he cared for the poor"
He was acting under false pretenses.
"Bare what was put therein" rather,
took away, as II. ", stole. Or his bear
ing the money bag gave him the oppor-
tunity TO steal.
~. The Two Answers of Jesus in De-
Tense Of Mary's Act.-Ns. :. s. Z. Then
said jesus" IL we combine the reports
of the three evangelists. il will appear
that Christ's words were substantially
as follows: Let her alone. Why
trouble We the woman? for she hath
wrought good work upon me; she
hath done what she could; against the
day of my burying hath she kept this
and is come beforehand to anoint my
body for the burial" Let her alone:'
Spoken chiefly TO Judas. IL WAS the
language of sharp rebuke. Jesus was
indignant at the hypocrisy of Judas
and the dull perceptions OF the others
The first defense OF Mary's deed was
that IL was a high act of noble soul ex.
pressing its noblest emotions. The sec.
ond defense was that the act did not
interfere with gifts to the poor.
$. For the poor We have always with
you:" They would have plenty of oppor-
tunities to aid them; and the more they
did for their Master. the more they
would do for the poor. for the poor are
left in His stead. and through them
would be expressed the increased love
Of the Master.
v. Conclusion.-More Opposition
and More Faith.-Vs. OIL. 3. Much
which inserts the article SO that it reads
.'the common people" in contrast with
the rulers. These, melted by curiosity
went TO see the wonder worker. and ths
man on whom be had wrought this mar
velous work.
TO- "IIut the chief priests consulted
that they might put Lazarus also te
DEATH" This standing public proof OF
Jesus as the Messiah must be put away
at any cost.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
The first condition of all really great
moral excellence is n spirit of genuine
sclf-sacrifce and self-renunciation.
Acurious writer says: "Ifmy friends
have alabaster boxes full of fragrant
perfume Of sympathy and affection laid
away. which they intend TO break oveI
my body. | would rather they would
bring them out in my weary and
troubled hours. and open them. that
may be refreshed and cheered by then
while | need them i would
rather have a plain coffin without
flower. funeral without eulogy. thar
life without the sweetness OF love ans
sympathy. Flowers on the cot
fin cast no fragrance backward on thu
: weary road"