Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-09-30
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson Fourth Quarter. For
Oct. a, 1914.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text Of the Lesson, Mark xiv, Iii.
Memory Verses, 8, Golden Text,
( Mark xiv, documentary Prepared
( by Rev. D. NJ. Stearns.


by Rev. q. NJ. stearns.
This lesson consists of two parts. the
amounting at Bethany and the agree
ment of Judas Iscariot with the chief
priests to betray Him. The amounting
is recorded by Matthew, Mark and
John; the mention Of the passover and
of the sin Of Judas by Matthew, Mark
and Luke According to Matt XVI.
l, 2, it was after Jesus had finished
the sayings Of chapters XIV and XIV
and two days before the passover that
He spoke of His approaching betrayal
and crucifxion, and we would con-
clude from Matthew and Mark that
the supper and amounting took place at
that time
From the account In John xii il
would seem that it was six days be-
fore the passover and preceding the so
called triumphal entry that they had
the supper and amounting. 1t seems
impossible to arrange clearly some
times the sequence Of all the events in
our Lords life, but the gospels We're
written that we might know Himself
rather than the order of events In His
life.
1t is to some confusing that, while
Luke does not record this amounting,
he does mention an amounting in chap
ter vii, $3.50, which was also In the
house of man called Simon But
that was an altogether different event
much earlier in His ministry and by
whose sins He foryave. The event Of
our lesson was in the home of Martha
and Mary in Bethany, whose brother.
Lazarus, had been raised from the
dead John XII, /, .. Matthew and
Mark say that it was tn the house Of
Simon the leper, but what relation he
was to Martha and Mary we are not
told and therefore do not need TO
know. If we think of 1t, and 1t seems
wise to do so, we can ask them when
We see them. John says that Lazarus
sat at the table with Him. What
suggestive sayingl The man who had
been four days In the spirit world back
on earth alive and well-a man whom
the chief priests consulted to put to
death because that by reason Of him
many of the Jews went away and be-
neved in Jesus John XII, GID
At this supper Martha served, but
there is no record OF her being cum
bered as in Luke X, 40, so we may
hope that she had grown spiritually
since that incident
In view of such words as Phil. iv,
G. Z; Pet v, Z. we Should never be
They made Him supper" make Us
think Of His post ascension words in
Rev. lii, 20, and OF the blessed assur-
ance that II any one VIII open the door
He will come In and sup with them.
As He sat at meat Mary came with
Of ointment OF spikenard, very costly,
and she broke the box and poured II
on His head and anc4nted His feet and
wiped HIS feet with her hair fvsFse 8;
Matt. XVI Z, John XII, 81. Not only
was the house filed with the odor Of
the ointment but ALSO the whole world,
for He said In verse 8 that wherever
In all the world the gospel should be
preached, this that she hath done shall
be spoken of for a memorial OF her.
This was real worship ON the part Of
Mary, heart alteration, and It was very
costly on her part and very precious
to His heart. We are reminded OF
saying of David In II Sam XIV, "a,
Neither win / offer burnt offerings
unto the Lord my God Of that which
doth cest me nothing" Some one has
said that in Martha, Mary and Laza-
rus we have sample of a well round
ed Christian hfe-in Martha restful
service, In Mary real worship and in
Lazarus the power of a risen life
There viii always be some indignant
ones when more than ordinary (which
Is ordinarily very little) is given to
Him. 1t will be called waste and by
other names, while all spent upon our
selves viii seem all right Judas
Iscariot is called thief IN John xii, 6,
but what about the thieves of Nal.
Ill, s? II His love TO us does not con-
strain us to spend more for Him than
on ourselves then 1t is evident that
we love ourselves most
How comforting His word Let her
alone. she hath wrought
good work on me" (verse 81. Would
that some other faultfinding meddlers
might hear His Let aloner' If we
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