TWO DAYS BEFORE THE PASSOVER.

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There Martha and Mary had prepared for Him (and the Twelve) a supper. Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead, was there also, and was one of those who reclined at the table with Jesus.

Some have been led to believe that this supper took place "six days before the passover," because John has said (12: 1) that Jesus at this time came to Bethany; but there is no connection between the fact that Jesus came to Bethany six days before the passover and the supper. John does not say that the supper then took place, whereas Matthew and Mark do connect the supper with the "two days" before the passover, and also with the offence of Judas, and his betrayal to the council, which sat that very night in Ferusalem. We have before shown that this council sat this very night (Matt. 26: 3), and that they decided not then to apprehend Jesus, lest there be a riot among the people (4, 5); but a few hours later, Judas having taken offence at the supper at Bethany (14) went out, and to the council, and offering to betray Jesus into their hands (1.5), they changed their minds and consented to have Him delivered at the first opportunity, or at the earliest convenience of Judas (16).-Mark, ditto.

This order will be found conclusive as we proceed.

Jesus had announced His death, to take place after two days, as He proceeded with the four to Simon's house.

Who Simon was, or his relation to Lazarus, Martha, and Mary, is mere speculation. No one knows. Simon and Lazarus sat, reclined rather, at the triclinium with the Master; Martha and Mary served the meal.-John 12: 2.

While Jesus sat at the table, Mary came to Him bearing a flask of alabaster containing a delicate perfume-made from an oriental aromatic herb *-imported from Arabia or India (Smith). It doubtless was esteemed as a costly perfume, only within the means of the wealthy.-Cmb. Bible.

Mary broke the seal of this flask, and poured the contents upon the head of Jesus. John says John says "upon His feet, wiping them with the hair of her head." This is doubtless an error

* Nardo stachys jotamansi.

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MARY ANOINTS HER LORD.

of the copyist, who, like some modern writers, confound this Mary with the "sinner" at Nain (Luke 7). We have already explained why that former woman at Nain anointed Jesus' feet, viz., because she was so circumstanced that she could not enter the centre of the triclinium, and therefore could not reach His head, but approaching from “behind" (Luke 7: 38) could only anoint His feet.

Mary of Bethany, being on familiar terms with her Lord, as repeatedly shown, and being one who made the supper and served at table, could well approach from before, and so did, and anointed Jesus' head.*

And the rich fragrance filled the house.

It was conferring honor upon her guest.

"It was a tribute worthy of a king."—Maclear.

Amid great commotion and expressions of wonder at the expensive luxury among the disciples, one of them arose even to indignation, and forgetting the dignity belonging to Christ's disciple, forgetting the respect due his Master, forgetting who he himself was-only a thief as yet, soon to become a traitor -he madly exclaimed:

"Why was this ointment wasted thus? Why was it not sold for three hundred pence,† and the money given to the poor?"

"Three hundred pence" would be about forty-eight dollars. Judas Iscariot objected to the waste!

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'The wretch who is just going to sell the Son of God for thirty pence (or thirty pieces of silver), values at three hundred pence a paltry bottle of perfume!"-Quesnel.

Judas said this not that he cared a penny for the poor, but because, as the treasurer of the little company of disciples, and being a thief, he would have been able to appropriate a large percentage of this coveted three hundred pence could he have once got it into his cash-box.--John 12: 6.

Jesus knew this, yet His rebuke to the traitor-thief was not harsh:

*Luke 7:46. It will be seen that such was an honored custom. See Gen. 18: 18. A penny was a denarius-about 16 cents American.

THE NIGHT OF JUDAS.

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Why trouble you the woman? She hath wrought a good work upon me. For in that she poured this ointment upon my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. The poor you have always with you, and whensoever you will you may do them good, but me you have not always." And as for this

woman:

"Verily I say unto you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, this also which this woman has done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.”

While the lauded deeds and sounding titles of Egyptian kings and eastern potentates have long since been forgotten, the grateful act of this loving woman, Mary of Bethany, is known throughout the entire world, where it is preached in some two hundred and fifty languages, "as a memorial of her."

Disappointment sat heavily upon the soul of the covetous Judas, "because that the kingly entry of Jesus into Jerusalem was not followed by immediate victory."-Plumptre.

For all of this truth some would place this supper and Judas' second disappointment at the loss of this money before that entry! While Andrews places the supper four days earlier-and before the entry-he says (4: 22):

"It may readily be supposed that the severe language of the Lord had greatly enraged the rulers, who felt the necessity of taking immediate steps against Him. . . . Thus, it may be, at the same hour when Jesus was foretelling that He should suffer at the passover (two days before it took place, Matt. 26: 2), His enemies were resolving that they would not arrest Him during the feast. . . . Judas coming, then, offers to betray Him into their hands."

Now "the severe language," referred to by Mr. Andrews, was certainly "two days before the passover." 2. The convening of the council was certainly on the same night-" two days before the passover "-and, 3. The offence and offer of Judas was after the supper! How then does Mr. Andrews place the supper at Bethany six days before the passover (p. 399), and before the entry into Jerusalem, and Judas' first

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JUDAS SELLS HIS LORD.

disappointment; and, also, four days before the convening of the council, at which Judas came directly from that supper? Where did they hold this meeting?

In the court-room of the palace of Caiaphas.-Matt. 26: 3When did they hold this meeting?

Two days-nights rather-before the passover.-26: I.

By referring to John (12:9-11), we learn that many of the common Jews of Jerusalem came out to this supper to see Lazarus, who, risen from the dead, reclined at the table, quite as much as to see Jesus, who had raised him, while at the same hour the rulers (10) were holding the secret council, how they might kill Lazarus, with Jesus, because of the former many Jews believed on Jesus.

This meeting of the council was after Jesus had vanquished every faction of the Jews, on that very day, in the temple— according to Mr. Andrews.

How plainly Matthew (26: 15) lays it out.

1. After Jesus had finished all these words,

2. After two days more comes the Passover,

3. Then were the chief priests and elders convened, 4. For the avowed purpose of destroying Jesus,

5. But dared not for fear of a riot among the people.

Then came Judas, and knocked at the door of the councilchamber. Being a southern Jew, he may have been known to Caiaphas, or the others (John 18: 15, 16), and he was at once admitted.

Unblushingly he proceeded to the business

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What will you give me if I deliver into your hands my Master, Jesus of Nazareth?"-Matt.

They did not know that the price was fixed by prophecy; nevertheless they niggardly offered the sum of “thirty pieces of silver"--the price of a slave!

These pieces of silver were shekels, worth about 55 cents each, in all $16.50. This paltry sum had been set upon Jesus' head for a long time, probably, but to this moment no one in all Judea had been found despicable enough to accept it, till at last came this Judas Iscariot and took the prize! Barely

THE JEWS BUY THEIR SAVIOUR.

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enough to buy him a rope with which to hang himself; not enough to furnish him a respectable funeral!

"And they were glad."-Mark.

"And they weighed for Judas the money," on the spot. It was very heavy! It weighed terribly on his soul as he recrossed the Tyropean valley by a narrow foot-bridge; its weight increased as he stole through the dark valley of Kidron, up the mountain path, every tree and rock by the wayside a phantom of accusation to him, till he reached the little home in Bethany, where his betrayed Master was taking His last earthly repose.

Still its weight increased hour by hour, till he could bear it no longer, and he returned and threw it on the temple floor; and yet he could not get rid of its burden on his soul, so he went on again in the darkness-of the next night but oneand hanged himself over that dark valley, which, beginning there, terminates in Gehenna!

Judas soid what was not his own; the Jews bought what they might have had Free!