The Tupelo journal., 1905-04-14
Fl SUPPER
AT BETHANY
Sunday School Lesson for Apr. H. 1905
Specially Prepared for This Paper.
Specially Prepared for This Paper.

| Af.o-O
GOLDEN TEXT.-"She hath lone whai
she ould."-Mark 14:S.
TIME.-Jesus arrived at Bethany on Fri
day, six days before the Passover. lie
rested on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath,
which ended at sunset and the supper was
Saturday evening.
PLACE.-The house of Simon, the Leper
In Bethany, on the Mount of Olives.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
v. 1. Bethany Lazarus
+. . raised from the dead" See Les.
son 2.
V. 2. MADE Him a supper" Jesus
friends gave a supper in His honor.
Martha served" She was n of those
who prepared and served the food,
sat at table, Guests reclined on
couches around the table.
v. 3. Continent of %spikenard.'
Oils, extracted from various plants,
were commonly used by eastern peo-
pies. Among the most costly was the
pure nard, or %spienard, from a plant
which grows in India. Such oils, or
ointments, were kept in small jars
knowns as alabasters. The jar was
frail. and Mary crushed it with her
hands. that the Oil might flow out.
Amounted the feet" 1t was custom
airy to honor a guest by amounting him.
V. A. Saith one" All the disciples
were shocked by this wasteful expendi-
ture. Judas spoke for the company.
v. 5. Three Hundred pence" See
note on verse three.
.
V. 6. "A thief, and had the bag"
Judas was treasurer of Jesus little
company of apostles, and often took
from the common fund for himself.
V. Z. Let her alone" Jesus, who
did care for the poor and longed to
help them, nevertheless reproved those
who found fault with Mary, for He un-
derStood her act vas from love to
Himself. Against the day Of my bury
ing" Mary's act was prophetic. She
had some idea that trouble lay before
her loved Lord. She was the only
Mary who was in time to anoint Him
MARK 1871, g..
V. s. The poor always ye have .
I. but Me not always" Only for a
little time was opportunity given the
friends of Jesus to express loving de-
votion to His person, as was then pos
sible, but His friends of all succeeding
days have opportunity OF ministering
to Him by helping the poor and show
ing kindness to His brethren" Matt.
25: 31-46).
V. 9. Much people," Many Jews
49, $La;, 30 Tor,ro1o~, fAa tho
feast, stopped at Bethany to see Lana.
rus and Jesus.
V. 10. Put Lazarus to DEATH" He
was such a convincing witness of Je.
sus' divine power that the enemies OF
Jesus felt it important to get him out
of the way. We do not know that they
ever succeeded in killing him.
v. II. Gwen away and believed
Left Bethany believing that Jesus was
the Messiah, and had wrought this
wondrous miracle of raising Lazarus.
The mention of Martha's serving
throws our thought back to the rec
ord of Luke 10: 3S-42. DR.. G. Camp
bell Morgan fancies that although en-
gagged in the same work as formerly
Martha's spirit has quite changed. He
says:
Martha does her work, now, smil.
busy than before, but she is restful
and peaceful in her work. She is not
numbered with her business, nor angry
with Mary, nor casting reflections on
Jesus. She has learned something in
the day of sorrow and darkness.
We do Martha less than justice ii
we do not honor her, and recognize
that her lind of service is true service
She has many successors among
Christ's true followers, who cannot
rise to the heights of His lofty teach.
ing, but who have taken Him for theil
Lord, and can, at any rate, 90 humble
practical service in kitchen or work
shop.-Maclaren.
For a moment n of our race was
like the Master. Through all time, he
had been flooding the world with gifts
The sun gives more light than 100,
600, 900 worlds could absorb. The flow
ers are a million times more abundant
than men ever gather, or even see. HI
seeks every possible occasion to poul
out into our bosoms spiritual gifts
good measure, shaken together, press
ed down and running over. How glaG
he must have been to find one givel
whose love made her as wasteful a:
Himself! They are scarce.-Bishop H
w. Warren.
Only for a little time was opportuni
ty given the friends of Jesus to express!
loving devotion to His person, as wa:
then possible, but His friends, of al
succeeding days have opportunity o
ministering to Him by helping tn,
poor and showing kindness to Hi
brethren" (Matt. %: 31-46). Only fol
a few short years will any of us hav'
opportunity of ministering to Jesu'
and suffering with Him here on earth
let us improve this precious time tt
the utmost, and count it not waste tt
spend much in simply. loving Him ant
telling Him our love.
Practical Points.
v. 2. Each, according to the dispo
sition God has given. can find oppor
tunity to serve Jesus.-1 Cor. 1874.
v. 2. God calls us from the dealt
of sin to arise and sit with Jesus
Eph. 2:6.
v. 8. How can we hesitate to yiel'
our best to Him who gave His bes
for us?-1 John 3:16.
v. Z. Let us lavish our love upol
our dear ones now, and not hoard |
to pour upon their cofins.-Rom