Evening star., 1921-03-05
Sunday School Lesson

Galilee one who had trod the path
way of sin broke an alabaster box of
ointment when Jesus was a guest in
the house of Simon. the Pharisee. who
had neglected to treat as gentle
man the Master. who was the first
one to proclaim a message of sym
pathy for the woman who had failed.
Now. in the closing hours. Mary. the
mystic, whose spiritual intuition
probably enabled her to grasp the
significance of the crucial hour,
anointed Him. She had perceived as
she sat at His feet. while h-r sister
was busy with her cares as hostess.
that Christ was seeking to impress
upon her and the apostles the reality
of His approaching death. With the
ingenuity of a pure and true wom-
ans love, she determined that. al
though men might destroy His body
upon the cross and bring dishonor
upon Him. she would defeat their
plan by performing an act of love.
Passing to the rear of the Masters
couch. carrying an alabaster vase Of
costly ointment. she poured upon His
feet part Of its contents. according
to John. and then poured some upon
His head, according to the synoptic
accounts. BY this lavish gift of love
she expressed not only her gratitude
for the many blessings that her fam
ily as well as herself. had received
from Christ. but also her love and
loyalty. Her act was d self-denying
and sacriffci8 gift that anointed the
form of her dear Lord for a burial
equal to that given TO royalty.
The perfume Of her devotion brought
criticism from Judas, whose judg-
ment ranked high with the apostles.
He filled them with Indignation so
that they commenced to ask among
themselves. ITO what purpose is this
waste" The sinister. sordid and
60. Il IT,, -
might have been sold and given to the
poor is the most vulgar remark on
record" His plea for charity and
economy influenced his fellows. who
did not know his dishonesty. greed
and love for money. 1t shows that
he was without the ranks Of Christ's
followers. for the hypocrite did not
care for the poor. 1t was his love of
money. for he held the bag that caused
him to criticise when he saw Mary
use at least $50 worth of perfumery
TO reveal her sympathy for the Lord
in His hour of crisis. When Jesus
rebuked him and commended Mary's
act Judas was so displeased with the
Masters appreciation of her motive
and act that he deliberately went
with the odor of the perfume upon
his clothes and bargained with the
chief priests to deliver the body of
Christ to them for the measly pittance
Of s2370
The Lords defense of Mary's devo-
tlon and love pointed out that what
they called waste had been wrought
Upon Himself. implying that nothing
was too precious to be used in His
service. for God is entitled to the
best. He championed the rights of
an individual to give an expression
OF their soul and to share their love
with others. In the statement of the
Golden text there is implied that, in
Eis opinion. Mary had done all that
she could and that no one could have
done more. His acceptance and ap-
probation of her gift and act reveals
that the hearts need may be the
greatest where men think there is
the least. 1t was source of help
and strength to the Savior to know
that Mary understood Him. when the
whole world appeared to misinter-
pret and misjudge His sayings and
services. With prophetic insight she
had prepared His body for burial
II. out Of our love for the Lord Jesus
we would emulate the example Of
Mary by life Of self-denial. sacri-
tice and service, we would win the
world for the Master. BY carrying
out His program the presence of Door
among men would disappear. for His
gospel removes the conditions that
make men unfit and transforms the
unfit into the At. We will enter the
new age then, for the world will be
changed when il witnesses the infiu-
ence Of the love of Christ for men,
Transforming the lives of His fol-
lowers.