The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1914-10-02

Event crowds fast upon event dur
ing this the worlds most tragic week.
Two days before the passover oc-
CURED, the chief priests and other
leaders entered a conspiracy how to
rid themselves OF this troublesome
Nazarene. This plot mentioned in the
first two verses of the lesson prob
ably occurred four days later than the
amounting. Note the separating para
graph mark; also look up carefully q
good harmony OF the Gospels Follow
ing the Olivet discourse Jesus said to
his disciples, I'm two days the pass
over" At that very time Judas was
scheming with the rulers for his ar
rest. John, in his Gospel, tells US that
the feast was six days before, and that
it was in connection with this that
Judas had left the company to go to
the priests.
Judas lscariOt was angry at our
Lord and this incident led immediate
ly to the betrayal. Nowhere else in
all history is there a blacker picture
of the human heart or the length of
iniquity to which it will go. Every
thing at this hour is electric and
strange. Events rapidly converge to-
wards the cross. For that, grace has
been planning and sin is plotting.
Amazed the Disciples.
| |. Mary Criticized, w. 3-5. Jesus
had his inner circle of friends and his
| fayorite places of abode and none was
evidently more precious than that
home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus.
In this supreme hour Jesus came to
this home to bring it confirmation of
faith and some further spiritual gift.
From that time of Peters confession,
several months previous, the Lord has
constantly reaffirmed his statement
then made, that he must go to Jel IL
salem, die, and be raised the third day.
This teaching amazed the disciples
and filed them with fear. Jesus did
not, however, awaken faith and then
quench it with fear. or allow it to Ian
guish and die, John 4:46, 81. Now as
the darkest hour approaches there ap-
peared this one touch of appreciative
sympathy. Bethany was of but little
dignity but there lived there man
who had been raised from the dead
Lazarus. There also resided one who
brought comfort to the heart of Jesus
Mary. She had listened to him, she
understood him, believed and loved.
With a woman's keen intuition she
seems to have realized that he was
really going to his death. What that
meant to the hopes and aspirations
she seems to have OWNED, and re-
allied, more than all others, his view
point. How to tell him was her desire.
Out of that love she purchased a box of
ointment representing in value about
fifty dollars, an immense sum and
the full extent Of her treasure. Ordi-
nary action will not suffice. The hour
and occasion demanded the extraor-
binary. To it she yielded herself, Law
ishly pouring upon him the wealth and
fragrance Of that sacred ointment In
tended for kings. She had sat at his
feet, Luke 1879, and was ready for |
this the proper hour for amounting,
John 1877. 1t was her all, hut love
does not have the calculating cunning
and prudence of Judas
Memorial Of Her."
II. Mary Commended, w. SO. The
story is beautiful in the record We
have OF our Lords words. Mary's
compensation for the criticism called
for by her conduct was the commenda-
tion of her Lord. We do not censure
the disciples who did not understand
but we are thankful for the words of
the Master which their criticism called
forth. Jesus realized the true mean
ing of the act and he named it when
he said, she hath done what she
could, she hath anointed my body
aforehand for burying" Notice that
Jesus received the true meaning of her
act as for himself, still it was for the
world, for he said this that she hath
done shall BIZ spoken of for a mem
orial of her." This was not merely
a reward for Mary, 1t was that her act
should be an inspiration to incite his
followers to like activities and atti-
.udes throughout all the ages. This
Is all that ia asked of any disciple (II
Cor. 8:12). Love forgets self, sur
'oundings, cost or criticism. Love
1ours out itself to the uttermost and
Is fragrance fills not alone the house
out the whole Of creation.
III. Judas conspires, w. 10, II. This
ender story ends with the terrible ac-
count of Judas. He had no sympathy
or Mary, primarily because he was
lot in sympathetic relations with
Tesus.
Jesus had revealed, called forth, the ,
eepest love of Mary's heart. In the /
ase of Judas he revealed heart of !
reachery. Accepting the adoring
mounting Of Mary and also perpetv
ting it, he at the same time calls ,
orth a revelation Of that compelling ,
Motive of selfishness in the heart CT
udas that led to his own self-destruc- /
Ion Contrast these two pictures. We 5
ecall the crushed heart of Mary at the D
cath OF Lazarus which brought Mary
ito the closest fellowship with Jesus. i
q her shadow and sorrow she learned =
, pour out her love In sacrifcial /
nointing.