Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-10-28

from Matthew account II WouIu dP-
pear that the amounting of Jesus at
Bethany took place on Tuesday evening
or Wednesday of the last week. John
tells us distinctly that 1t was six days
before the feast of the Passover, or on
Friday evening of the week preceding;
then John tells us that next day the
triumphal entry occurred. The conflict
is not real, but only apparent Mat
thew's account has reached the place
where after the complete victory of
Jesus over the rulers on Tuesday, they
take counsel to see how they can get
him out of the way. They have decided
that He must be seized, but they have
agreed that it will be wisest not to try
to arrest Him during the feast while
the more than two million Jews are In
the city. It would be too easy to pro-
duce a riot, and as the people considered
Him prophet, they would certainly re-
sist any open attempt to arrest Him.
Just at this point Judas came in and
solved the di :flculty for them. He agreed,
for the price of a slave, to deliver His
Master into their hands at a time and
place such as not to arouse the opposi-
ton of the people. Once in their hands
they would take care of the balance.
AS the reason for Judas action, Mat
thew gives the rebuke at that supper,
which had occurred four days earlier.
Judas was a thief; he coveted the (for
that time) large sum of money that
would have come into his hands as the
proceeds of the sale of that alabaster
box Of nard; he had been disappointed in
Jesus during these last few months any
way and this rebuke ranlxled in his
heart for four days, until now when he
saw how things were going after the
events of that Tuesday, he decided he'd
be on the winning side and feather his
nest; and so went to the Sanhedrim with
his proposition.
This is the reason for the place Mat
thew gives the record, and intensifies
the story of John, rather than conflicts
with it.
LOVES SACRIFICE.
1t was in the house Of Simon, the
leper, that the supper occurred. Simon
must have been one of those whom
Jesus had healed Of leprosy, otherwise
he would not have been allowed to as
sociate with anyone else. 1t was GER
tainly then out of gratitude for what
| Jesus had done for him that he wishes
to show in some way his love for Kim.
From the fact that Martha served, anC
Mary had so much freedom, as well as
from the presence of Lazarus, and at
Bethany, it had been supposed that
Simon was Martha's husband. / do not
know, of course, whether this be true.
like to think of 1t that way, however,
since there is no good reason why 1T
should not be true. If true, how deeply
grateful Martha must have been: He
had raised her brother from the dead,
and had restored her husband to her,
healed of that dreadful disease.
She and Mary had always loved Jesus;
but how much more during these last
few weeks since He had restored LaZa-
rus to them. They had no doubt told
Him often how grateful they felt But
that did not satisfy them. Their love
was so great 1t must have an outlet; 1t
could not be kept back, damned up.
Love must find some means of express
sion. Martha, with her practical turn
of mind. showed hers by serving at
this supper She spared no pains to
make it the best in her power. She no
doubt used the best linen she had, the
daintiest dishes; / shouldn't be surprised
if she had not gathered some of Jesus
favorite flowers to place about the room;
and if in the past He had shown a pref
erence for any particular food, 1 am
sure she had that, and served ii in the
most tempting manner she could. This
was her way of showing her love for
her Friend.
Mary's was different; but not greater,
believe. Her love was quieter, more
dreamy. if we may describe IL that way
She had been wondering what would be
the outcome Of the growing opposi-
ton of the rulers to her dear Friend
She appreciated that this new teaching
of His was calculated to arouse their
antagonism: she wondered why He per-
sisted in it;>but she could not but adj
mire His fearlessness and be convinced
by His earnestness and holiness. She
had long accepted Him as the looked
for Messiah: but she couldn't under
stand why He kept on talking about His
suffering and His death, His resur-
rection and His coming again. These
were strange words to her. and did not
tally with any of the ideas she had
entertained as to the Messiah! She felt
that a critical time had now come in
His life. possibly His death might not
be far off: and she could not bear 10
have ii come until she had shown Him
in some tangible way how much she
loved Him, and trusted Him, and be-
lieved Him.
She thought. no doubt over many