LESSON NINETEENTH. JOHN XII. 1—13. THEN Je-sus, six days be-fore the pass-o-ver, came to Beth-a-ny where Laz-a-rus was which had been dead, whom he rais-ed from the dead. There they made him a sup-per; and Mar-tha serv-ed: but Laz-a-rus was one of them that sat at the ta-ble with him. Then took Ma-ry a pound of oint-ment of spike-nard, ve-ry cost-ly, and a-noint-ed the feet of Je-sus, and wip-ed his feet with her hair and the house was fill-ed with the o-dour of the oint-ment. Then said one of his dis-ci-ples, Ju-das Is-car-i-ot, Si-mon's son, which should be-tray him, "Why was not this oint-ment sold for three hundred pence, and giv-en to the poor?" This he said, not that he car-ed for the poor, but be-cause he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put there-in. When Je-sus un-der-stood it, he said un-to them, "Why trou-ble ye the wo-man ? for she hath wrought a good work up-on me. For ye have the poor al-ways with you : but me ye have not al-ways. For in that she hath pour-ed this oint-ment on my bo-dy, she did it for my bur-i-al. Ver-i-ly I say un-to you, where-so-ev-er this gos-pel shall be preach-ed in the whole world, there shall al-so this, that this wo-man hath done, be told for a me-mo-ri-al of her." Much peo-ple of the Jews knew that he was there, and they came not for Je-sus' sake only, but that they might see Laz-a-rus al-so, whom he had rais-ed from the dead. But the chief priests con-sult-ed that they might put Laz-a-rus al-so to death, be-cause that by rea-son of him ma-ny of the Jews went a-way and be-liev-ed on Je-sus. Then one of the twelve, call-ed Ju-das Is-car-i-ot, went un-to the chief priests: and they cov-en-ant-ed with him for thir-ty piec-es of sil-ver, and from that time he sought op-por-tu-ni-ty to be-tray him. QUESTIONS. Where did Jesus go six days before the passover? To Bethany. Who waited Martha. upon him at supper? Who was one of those who sat at table with him? Lazarus. What did Mary do? She anointed the feet of Jesus with costly ointment, and wiped them with her hair. What did Judas Iscariot say? "Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor ?" What was the value of three hundred pence? About nine pounds, seven shillings, and sixpence, of our money. Did Judas Iscariot care for the poor? No: but he was a thief, and had the bag which contained the money for the poor. Did Jesus suffer Judas Iscariot to interrupt her? No. He said, "Why trouble ye the woman? for shehath wrought a good work upon me." What did he say about the poor ? That the poor were always with them, therefore they could do good to them at any time, but that he was not always with them. What did he mean by saying she had anointed him for his burial? It was customary to anoint with perfume a body before it was buried; he meant that his burial was near at hand, and that Mary had performed this office. What did he say about this act of Mary's ? That wherever the gospel should be preached, this should be told as a memorial of her. Has not this come true? Yes. As we cannot anoint Christ's feet, who are we to help for his sake? The poor. Have we not the poor always with us? What did the chief priests consult to do? Why? Because by reason of him many of the Jews believed on Jesus. What did Judas Iscariot do? He agreed with the chief priests to deliver up Jesus to them for thirty pieces of silver. Who was Judas Iscariot? We have in this chapter an account of our Lord's farewell visit to Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, at Bethany; this was his last tranquil sabbath on earth, for the week after he was delivered up to his enemies, and suffered death for us. Mary resolved to |