The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1906-10-27
OCT 2s. 1906
JESUS AMOUNTED AT BETH
ANY.

Read also Matt. Sb:l-b: Mdrh
Ia Hi; Luke 22:1-6 and John
IL :2-s.
Time, two days before the pass
over feast. Mark 14:1. Very
probably Tuesday evening as Je-
5us spent his nights in Bethany.
According to Jewish reckoning, it
would be Wednesday, if it were af-
ter sunset.
Place, Bethany, in tie home of
Simon who had been leper, and
in Jerusalem.
Persons, Jesus and his disciples
as guests. Simon, man of some
wealth and prominence who was
known as stthe Ieper." Not that he
then had leprosy, but he had had
it and had been healed, most prob
ably by Jesus. From Johns Cos
mel we learn that Lazarus was also
one of the guests, that Martha
waited upon the table and that
Mary of Bethany was the woman"
spoken of by Matthew as amounting
Jesus. In the latter part of the
lesson Judas Iscariot figures prom
inentlv with the chief priests in
Jerusalem.
was given in the midst of the dis
course of Matt. "A and 25 on the
Nt. of Olives, on Tuesday evening
on the way out to Bethany Je-
sus after foreteIling about his re-
turn and picturing the final judg-
ment predicts again his death.
Matt 2G:1-2. Meanwhile the
chief priests and elders Of the PEG
pIe are having a council in the
CITY in the court of Caiaphas the
HIGH priest, plotting how they may
take Jesus bv deception and kill
him. But they fear the people.
Probabl vat the very time that the
ruIers are plotting his death his
friends in Bethany are giving him
a supper. And Jesus knowing
what was in the minds of the rulers
and that his death was very near,
gave himself to their enjoyment at
the feast. The burden of the cross
is heavy upon him, though, and in
all the account until his crucltix-
ion. we have the successive steps
bv which he prepared himself for
his coming death and the disciples
for the separation, and for after
wards carving on his work.
The Lesson. Notice l. The
occasion. VS.. 6. Think again over
what was said above, about Simon
and this supper. 1t was probably
Given in honor of Jesus and out OF
gratitude to him for the healing OF
his Ieprosy. Lazarus also was an
honored guest. They we're all,
save one. the friends of Jesus and
they were lavishing their love up
on him. How precious this feast
must have been to the heart of the
Master!
?. Mary's extravaganza, vs. z.
Among all those who were lavish
ING their love upon Jesus Mary
stands first. In the abandonment
of love. simple, pure, uncaIcula-
ting. this incident is unexcelled.
This is the finest bit of sentImenS
that literature affords. Pure and
ardent love is sentimental, must be
so. and Jesus did not disapprove
it but some did. See the picture
now. Mary enters, see that beau
tifu' little alabaster cruise or Jar,
itself costly. IN her hand. She
crushes its frail sides above the
head of Jesus and behold the cost
" ointment flows down over his
head and then she pours some on
his feet. See the astonishment IN
the faces of the other guests and
then the disgust as the fragrance
begins to reveal to them the Vaiue
that had been poured out.
8. The indignant disciples. one
of them. Judas, who had no love
for Jesus. could see nothing but
tha waste of the ointment, and how
quickly he calculates its value.
The rest Immediately fall in with
his suggestion 1t is an a% stt
waste! 1t was worth about fifty
dollars. a full years wages, some
thing like six hundred dollars now
Of orr money. Judas also suggests
how the value might have been
snant much more practically-"lt
might have been given to the poor;
This came by way of deceit, to
shield himself, as John says, Nor
because he cared for the poor any
uore Than for Jesus, but because
he carried the purse and took away
for himself what was put therein
How shall we account for all the
rest following the lead OF Judas