The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1917-04-19
LESSON FOR APRIL %
JESUS ANoINTED AT BETHANY.


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 |
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.
!. 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 TINS
feast after telling of the conspiracy OF
the chief priests and elders with Ju-
das, who came to his determination to
sell his Master after the reprimand
given him on this occasion.
% 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 oil 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 q real man; therefore he en-
legged the pleasures of home as much
as other men, and the joys of kinshlp
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 its 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
1t aside to use it uaon him at the
proper time. We do not think that she
stopped to calculate the cost OF this
ointment. Love never estimates value.
Her deed proved safer guide Of con-
duct than the calculating prudence of
Judas and the other disciples (see
Matt. 26:S). Such deeds are always
looked upon with suspicion. The Isca-
riots usually are the leaders in criti-
Ching the actions of others. Envy lay
at the bottom of their criticism, but
good deeds are unconscious, for we
read that 1.-THE house was filled with
odor." The comment was Mark
1870, "She hath done good work
upon me" Matt. % :40). On doer
and recipient love did good deed.
Her act has also become
(3) A Standard of Good Deeds
MARK 1873; "She did what she
could" and we have also the record
of good deeds, memorial to her
MARK IA ~. A large number of peo-
pie who never give of their own to the
poor nor to the kingdom of God are
willing to criticize others who do give
out of the gratitude Of their loving
hearts.
II. Gracious Commentator wv.
IT'D. Jesus praised where his disci-
pies and Judas criticized. The poor
they always had with them Mark
14:7. This must have been chal-
lenge that evidently they had not at
tended to the poor as they should.
Jesus also tells them frankly that
whatever they do for him they must
do speedily. Jesus judgment upon
Judas is rebuke of the disciples; his
exposure Of the sophistry of the crit
les and of their subtlety is suggestive.
Upon Mary's act he bestowed the
highest possible praise "She hath
done what she could" That is all that
is asked of anyone (II Cor. S:12). Such
commentator as Jesus bestowed upon
Mary he bestowed upon no other, and
his wonderful predictions concerning
her Matt. 26:13) have been literally
fulfilled. Jesus judgment upon Mary
is also suggestive. He shielded her,
'let her alone;" He approved her
works as being good, and he inter-
preted her innermost purpose in the
act which she had performed. This.
outward act was literally the pouring
forth Of her hearts alteration and wOr-
ship. Martha was in part taken up
with her household service. Lazarus
was in part taken up with his enjoy
ment of the presence Of Jesus, but
Mary was wholly taken up with Jesus
himself. Does the record surprise us:
'Wheresoever this gospel shall be
preached throughout the whole world,
this also which she hath done shall be
spoken of for a memorial of herr"
Judas, under the judgment of Jesus,
was stung (Matt. 26:14) and hurries
at once to the enemies Of Jesus to
strike q bargain with them for the be-
trayal of his Lord though he did not
secure from these enemies the equiva-
lent of what she had poured upon him.
Christ will b, no mans debtor. He
takes the poor offerings we lay before
him. and crowns them with the rich
est reward. Mary's gift of ointment
received words of commentator Of
which she never dreamed, and a re-
ward far beyond her fondest hope, and