The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-04-05
THE SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR APRIL 9.


Mark XIV, documentary.
1. The rising OF Lazarus from the { ad,
rs described In our last lesson, produced so
much excitement and awakened such bit.
ter hostility that Jesus left the region OF
Jerusalem and spent a few weeks In rettrs-
ment with bis disciples at Ephriam In the
mountainous district north OF Jerusalem.
The disciples probably needed His instruc-
tions more than the people, in order that
they might be fitted to carry on His great
work after His death. As the Passover
drew near, Jesus went across the Jordan
and descended on the other side through
Perea to the fords opposite Jericho, heal
ing and teaching by His 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 Sabbath, doubtless
with the family "that Jesus loved"
Q. "There they made Him supper" In
the little town of Bethany Jesus had be-
come popular, and since the rising of Laza-
ton. Hence this token OF esteem and
honor. The supper was on Saturday even
ing, after the Jewish Sabbath was ended at
sunset, and at the house Of Simon the leper,
probably one who had been cured by Jesus.
According to tradition, He was the father
OF Lazarus; according to others, BE was q
husband OF Martha, or Martha was His
widow. Lazarus was one OF them that
sat at the table," What had been done for
him by Jesus made him an honored guest.
His very presence WAS an expression OF re-
gard to him who had restored him. Note
the characteristic part each OF this family
took at this feast.
8. "Then took Mary a pound OF ointment
OF spikenard." A Roman pound OF twelve
ounces. By the ointment we are to under.
stand rather liquid perfume than what
We commonly know as ointment. This
ointment was in an alabaster flask (Matt.) },
usually made OF Oriental or onyx alabaster
with long, narrow necks. Ointment Of
spikenard Is literally Continent OF pistic
nard," "pis!ic" meaning either genuine"
or "liquid." It was pure nard. like altar
OF roses, unadulterated, In full strength.
It's costliness made 1t peculiarly liable to
adulteration. Spikenard Spike. nard) was
plant closely allied to valerlan, and now
found In the Himalayan region. The odor
is described as resembling that OF q mix.
ture OF valerian and patchouli. 1t Is worth
300 Roman pence, denarii, silver coins
worth fifteen to seventeen cents. Hence
the whole was worth about $50, or $500 to
S400 In our time. penny or denarius be-
ing then equal to days wages (Matt. 20:
p. Amounted the feet OF Jusus." She
first "poured 1t over His head" MARK, but
John notices only her pouring 1t upon His
feet. for 1t was common 10 pour It upon
the head, and EXPIRE ssed the usual senti-
ments Of honor to a guest; but amounting
the feet was unusual, and expressed the
tenderest, most humble, most reverential,
feet with her hair" This, too, was un-
usual. She took "woman's chief orna-
ment," and devoted 1t to wiping the travel.
stained feet OF her Teacher. She devoted
the best she had to even the least honor
able service for Him. It was the utmost
possible expression OF her love and devo-
tion.
4. "Then saith. judas Iscariot." he
looked upon this as o waste, and his NUT
terlngs convinced some OF the other dis
clples so that they joined with him In his
condemnation OF the act (Matthew and
Mark). So often bad man, working from
gets good men to unto with him In opposing
things that are really good. Thus usually
the opposition to good wears mask OF
virtue; religion Is opposed in the name OF
liberty; faith, in the name OF free thought.
8. "Sold. :. and given to the poor"
Jesus was poor man, and His very ap.
pearance may have suggested that there
were other things He needed more urgently
than such gift as this. Had the family
provided home for Him or given Him the
price of this ointment, no one would have
uttered remark. But this was the kind
OF demonstration reserved for princes or
persons otgreat distinction; and when paid PAID
to one 80 conspicuously humble In His
dress and habits, there seemed to the I'M.
instructed eye something inoongruous and
bordering on the grotesque. It was lux
ury, Jeremy Taylor says, that even no en-
peror till Nero ever INDUCED In.
6. mot that he cared for the poor"
He was acting under false pretences. "Bare
what was put therein" rather, took away,
as R. v, stole. Or his bearing the money
bag gave him the opportunity to steal.
Note that the apostles do not hesitate to
record even those actions which are dis
creditable to themselves. They hide moth
authorship of the Gospels. These records
are g comfort, also; for what Christian
could find hope for himself, or for his age,
II all the early saints had been perfect?
z. "Then said Jesus" II we combine
the reports Of the three evangelists, it will
appear that Chrlst's words were substan-
italy as follows: "Let her alone. Why
trouble " the woman? for she hath wrought
q good work upon Me; she hath done what
she could; against the day OF My burying
hath she kept this. and Is come before
hand to anoint Ny body for the burial" !"
LET her alone" Spoken chiefly to Judas.
It was the language OF sharp rebuke:
Jesus was indignant at the hypocrisy OF
others.
8. "For the poor always have ye 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 they are left
in His stead, and through them would be
expressed the increased love OF the Master.
It Is the want OF love, not OF money, that
allows any Door to suffer; 80 that all gifts
to Christ which increase our love will In
crease the gifts to the poor.
9. "Much people," The r. Y. uses
Greek text which inserts the article 80 that
It reads the common people, in contrast
with the rulers. Great crowds were gather
ine at Jerusalem for the feast OF the Pass
over. These, melted by curiosity, went to
see the wonder worker, and the man on
whom He had wrought this marvellous
work. The result was that many OF them
believed (v. 1D. The facts were so plain,
80 completely proved, that they were COM
PEELED to accept Jesus as the Messiah.
10. "But the chief priests consulted that
they might put Lazarus also to death.
All the rulers, including the Pharisees,
would wish to destroy this rising sect,
which would take away their power and
undermine their influence. This standing
public proof OF Jesus as the Messiah must
be pat away at any cost. But the chief
priests, who were mostly Sadducees, would
have an additional reason, In that Lazarus
was living refutatioD Of their doctrine
that "thereis no resurrection" (Acts %, 81.
II. "Went away, and believed" Better,
"were going away and believing" Ths
I'm perfects denote continual process
STATISTICS OF CUBAN WAR,