Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-04-20
LESSON FOR APRIL 22
JESUS AMOUNTED AT BETHANY

JESUS AMOUNTED AT BETHANY.
LESSON TEXT-John Pill.
GOLDEN TEXT-She hath done what
she could.-Mk. 14:S.
This is a lesson of Jesus in the
hOEIe. 1t occurred at the beginning of
passion week. We have before US the
master; the worker, Martha; the wOr-
shipper, Mary; the witness, Lazarus;
the traitor, Judas, and the people with
out. An unconscious bit of wisdom
fell from the lips of that good house
wife who exclaimed, "How much bet
ter my neighbors' houses look when l
have my windows Clean" Too much
we are looking through the eyes OF
selfiShness. Out of this lesson let us
learn to look through unselfish eyes.
I. Unjust Criticism (vv. 1-6). 1t is
six days before Jesus last Passover.
The accounts of Matthew and Mark
suggest it to have been within two
| days, because they mentioned this
| feast after telling of the conspiracy OF
| the chief priests and elders with Iu-
das, who came to his determination to
sell his Master after the reprimand
given him on this occasion.
(1) The Value of Good Deeds. Je-
sus did not forget, in the supreme
hour of his life, the friends whom he
loved. To bring them some further
spiritual gifts, he had come to their
home in Bethany. Doubtless he also
had in mind the desire to nourish the
faith which had been kindled in the
hearts of all by the resurrection of
Lazarus, just as he returned to Cana
after having performed his first mir
acle (John 4 :54). Jesus was Very
God of Very God, yet he was very
much of a real man; therefore he en-
joyed the pleasures of home as much
as other men, and the joys of kinship
and brotherhood. To none of the
hearts in this home did he bring
greater joy than to that of Mary. She,
more than all others, listened to him,
understood him, believed in him,
loved him, and we read ". 81 that
her ministration was of ointment
Every precious" This suggests self
sacrifice, that love gives of it's best,
that the results of love are always
to be manifest not upon self but upon
others.
(2) The Wealth of Good Deeds. Out
of her. love Mary expended $51, prob
ably her whole treasure, in the pur-
chase of this alabaster box, and put
it aside to use it upon him at the
proper time. We do not think that she
stopped 10 calculate the cost of this
ointment. Love never estimates value
Her deed proved a safer guide of con.
duct than the calculating prudence OF
Judas and the other disciples (see
Matt. 26:9). Such deeds are always
looked upon with suspicion. The Isca
riots usually are the leaders in criti
cizing the actions of others. Envy lay
at the bottom of their criticism, bu1
good deeds are unconscious, for we
read that "the house was filed will
odor." The comment was (Marl
IA :6), "She hath done a good worl
upon me-" (Matt. % :40). On doe
and recipient love did a good deed
Her act has also become
Mark 14:S); "She did what sht
could" and we have also the record
of good deeds, a memorial to hel
mark II :9). A large number of peo
pie who never give of their own to thu
poor nor to the kingdom of God ar,
| willing to criticize others who do Civ
out of the gratitude of their lovin.
g hearts.
= II. Gracious Commentator wv
I 7-11). Jesus praised where his disci
y pies and Judas criticized. The poo
" they always had with them (Marl
I 14:O. This must have been a chal
8 lenge that evidently they had not al
l. tended to the poor as they should
IL Jesus also tells them frankly tina
n whatever they do for him they mus
do speedily. Jesus judgment upo
e Judas is a rebuke of the disciples; hi
e exposure of the sophistry of the crit
u les and Of their subtlety is suggestive
Upon Mary's act he bestowed tn
/ highest possible praise. 'She hat
e done what she could" That is all tha
g is asked of anyone (II Cor. s :12). Sue
r commentator as Jesus bestowed upo
/ Mary he bestowed upon no other, an
{ his wonderful predictions concernin
q her (Matt 26: :13) have been LITERAL
i fulfilled. Jesus judgment upon Mar
y is also suggestive. He shielded he
Ii "let her alone;" He approved he
= works as being good, and he intel
II preted her innermost purpose in tn
~ act which she had performed. Thi
,e outward act was literally the pourin
forth of her hearts alteration and wo
y. ship. Martha was in part taken u
u with her household service. Lazaru
was in part taken up with his enjo,
~ ment of the presence of Jesus, bI
Mary5w wholly taken up with JEST
H. himself. Does the record surprise us
re ''Wheresoever this gospel shall
IN preached throughout the whole worl
of this also which she hath done shall |
id spoken of for a memorial of her.
H. Judas, under the judgment of Jesu
IN was stung (Matt. 26:14) and nurrit
IN ut once to the enemies of Jesus
strike a bargain with them for the b
trayal of his Lord though he did n,
secure from these enemies the equiv
m lent of what she had poured upon hir
=, Christ will b. no mans debtor. E
~ takes the poor offerings we lay befo
- him, and crowns them with the ric
~ est reward. Mary's gift of ointme
- received words of commendation
- which she never dreamed, and a r
- ward far beyond her fondest hope, al
- has been the fount of countless dee,
rich with love. Many people had gat
cred, not only for Jesus sake, b
that they might see Lazarus also. Z
'ili drew people because of what Jesus h;
~ done for him, yet he drew them
lSS Jesus. This brought him also und
CO. condemnation, for we must share Il
Ia bitterness of the foes of Jesus.
lAS they hate him, they will hate us ". 1C
Really Man of Wisdom.
~ There's a gospel for the soul, f
49, fha mind for thn hodv for tbo HON