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Parable of the Pounds.

And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem'.

2 Luke xix. 2-28.

END OF PART III.

PART IV.

Christ arrives at Bethany six Days before the Passover. Mary anoints his Feet with Oint

ment.

AND the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves. Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast? Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him. Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. There they made him a supper, in the house of Simon the leper, and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. Then came Mary unto him, having an alabaster box with a pound of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat,

212

Mary anoints his Feet.

and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. And there were some disciples that had indignation within themselves, and said, To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. And they murmured against her. When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Let her alone, why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: for in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for

Christ proceeds to Jerusalem.

213

Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus'.

Christ proceeds to Jerusalem amidst the acclamations of the Disciples and the Multitude. Certain Greeks desire to see Him.

ON the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. And it came to pass, when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, Jesus sendeth forth two of his disciples, saying unto them, Go your way into the village over against you and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her, whereon yet never man sat: loose them, and bring them hither unto me. And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? thus shall ye say unto him, The Lord hath need of them; and

1 Matt. xxvi. 6-13. Mark xiv. 3-9. John xi. 55-xii. 11.

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Christ rideth into Jerusalem.

straightway he will send them hither. And they that were sent went their way, and found the colt, even as he had said unto them, tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him. And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof that stood there said unto them, Why loose ye the colt? And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go. And they brought the ass and the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon; and he sat upon him. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him. And as he went, a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had