Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1899-04-08
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON II, SECOND QUARTER, INTER
NATIONAL SERIES, APRIL Q.

Comments by VIM. X. Fisher-suhjecs
The Amounting of the saviour by Mary
In Bethany. John II: I-1l-GoIden Texts
She Hath Done What she Could. Mark
AS
Then Jesus six days before the
passover came to Bethany, where Lag
arus was. which had been dead
whom he raised from the dead.
The raising of Lazarus not only
caused some 10 believe on Jesus, ana
those who loved Him 10 become more
firm In their faith in Him, but II also
caused greater hostility on the part or
those who refused to accept any PROOF
that Jesus was the Christ; IL IS sup
posed that on account OF this oitter
hostility that Jesus and His disciples
spent a few weeks in retirement al
Ephraim, in the mountainous district
north of Jerusalem Commentators
agree that in all probability this Tune
was taken up by Jesus in giving need
ed instructions to His disciples; the
time of our lesson being the first part
of Jesus ministry in the flesh.
There they made Him supper,
and Martha served, but Lazarus was
one Of them that sat at the table with
Him.
This supper given TO Jesus and His
disciples took place on saturday even
ing, after the Jewish Sabbath had
ended at sunset. at the house OF simon
the lepcr: Lange says that probably
Simon was one of those who had been
cured by our saviour. He also says
that according to tradition he was the
father of Lazarus; according to others
he was the husband of MARTHA or
Martha was his widow. One thing is
certain. Martha was great worker,
and whether or not this was her own
home. this verse tells US that she
served, but Lazarus was one OF them
that sat at the table,"
stThen took Mary pound of ONT
ment of spikenard. very costly and an
ointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped
His feet with her hair.
While Martha was assisting in the
necessary service OF serving, we see
Mary in a service of love amounting her
Masters feet and wiping them with
the hairs OF her head. The Century
Dictionary says that this ointment
was pure nard. like altar of roses, I'M
adulterated, in full strength. Its
costliness made IL peculiarly liable TO
| adulteration 1t is estimated that the
value of this ointment at that time
was about 5000. which, in compare
! son with values to-day would he be-
] tween $500 and $500, but the altar Tor
| otto OF roses made in Hindustan, &C
cording to the American Cyclopedia,
requires 100000 full-grown roses TO
produce one ounce, which sells, when
pure in the English warehouses as
| high as 500 an ounce, or $1,000 for as
| much as Mary used to anoint the feet
of Jesus.
"Then saith one of His disciples,
! Judas Iscoriot. Simon's son. which
should betray Him, why was not this
ointment sold for three hundred
pence and given TO the poorT"
Peloubet says that this is an Illus
tration Of how one man can influence
another for evil. Judas looked upon
this as waste, and his mntterings
caused Others tMatlhew and Mark tc
join him in his condemnation.
+ This ne said, not that he cared fol
the poor; but because he was thief
and had the bag, and bare what was
! put therein
| Some have thought that Judas want
ed the money, or wished that Ii had
been given to him, so that he might
carry il around. because he bare"
| what was put in the bag, but the re-
vised version says he said what he
! did, Because, being thief, and hav-
ing the bag, took away what was put
| therein
! On this incident DR.. Schaff writes.
Mark the striking contrast between
the money bag of Judas and the ala
/ baster box of Mary, his thirty pieces
of silver and her three hundred de-
narii, his love of money and her liber-
ality, his hypocritical profession of
concern for the poor and her noble
| deed for the Lord his wretched end
and her noble memory forever"
Then said Jesus, Let her alone;
against the day of my burying hath
she kept this"
| Mary had no idea how soon our Lord
would end His ministry, and after
wards it mast have given her a great
deal of joy to remember that she
anointed Him while He was with
| them-"against the day of His bury
| ing" Some one has said, BURY me in
a pine board box if you will, but let
me have some of the sunshine of love
while ! am alive
For the poor We always have with
you, but Me We have not always"
Jesus did not want them to stop
giving to the poor: He meant it was all
right for Mary to do what she did, for
while they could always give to the
poor, He would not be with them al
ways.
Much people of the Jews therefore
knew that He was there; and they
came not for Jesus sake only, but
that they might see Lazarus also,
whom He had raised from the dead"
The revised version says: ''rhe
common people of the Jews therefore
learned that He was there" No doubt
the use Of the very costly ointment by
Mary also had an effect of causing a
discussion among the people and at
tention to the fact that Jesus was