The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1917-04-19
INTERNATIONAL.
.SUNl6YSQlO0L
LESSON
LESSON FOR APRIL %
JESUS AMOUNTED AT BETHANY.

| Sn6 COulU.-plk. ITO.
This is lesson Of Jesus in the
home. IT, 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
have my windows Clean" Too much
we are looking through the eyes OF
Selfishness. Out Of this lesson let us
learn to look through unseltish eyes.
|. Unjust Criticism wv. 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 Ju-
das, who came to his determination to
sell his Master after the reprimand
given him on this occasion.
CD 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 killdled in the
hearts of all by the res Correction Of
r SVpc% hn nfI1vS md To FQn
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.
(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 upon 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 a safer guide of con-
duct than the calculating prudence of
Judas and the other disciples (See
Matt. 26:8). 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, but |
good deeds are unconscious, for we |
read that 1.-THE house was filled with
odor."
~ A Standard Of Good Deeds
Mark 1873; "She did what she
could" and we have also the record
of good deeds, a memorial to her
MARK IA :9). 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.
~. Gracious Commentator wv.
I-1D. Jesus praised where his disci-
1leS and Judas criticized. The poor
hey always had with them mark
AID. This must have been a chal-
enge that evidently they had not at
ended TO the poor as they should.
Tesus also tells them frankly that {
whatever they do for him they must |
10 speedily. Jesus judgment upon
Judas is a rebuke of the disciples; his I
exposure of the Sophistry Of the crit t
cs and of their subtlety is suggestive. o
Upon Mary's act he bestowed the u
highest possible praise. "She hath ?
one what she could" That is all that L
) asked Of anyone Oh Cor. S:12). Such p
as Jesus bestowed upon Il
fairy he bestowed upon no other, and
Is wonderful predictions concerning v
er (Matt. 28:13) have been literally Ia
UTILIZED. Jesus judgment upon Mary n
! also suggestive. He shielded her,
let her alone;" He approved her o
'Orks as being good, and he inter- n
reted her innermost purpose in the OF
ct which she had performed. This 81
inward act was literally the pouring pl
nth of her hearts alteration and wor-
nip. Martha was In part taken up pl
18th her household service. Lazarus b;
as In part taken up with his enjoy IL
ent of the presence of Jesus, but b
AIRY was wholly taken up with Jesus br
mself. Does the record surprise us:
Yheresoever this gospel shall be OF
cached throughout the whole world, ]
is also which she hath done shall be b
oxen Of for a memorial Of herr kr
ldas, under the judgment Of Jesus. be
as stung Matt. 26:1D and hurries CT
once to the enemies Of Jesus TO or
rike bargain with them for the be- ID
lyal Of his Lord though he did not DR.
cure from these enemies the equiva- IL