lifted up the truth above human traditions, and above the self-seeking policy of men. V. Christian Work must be done in Love. Love to God is the true principle of Christian action. Love to God is the great ground work of true worship. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. Mark xii. 30. Love to God is abiding. Philosophy may deceive you, friends may die, riches may fly away from you, your health may fail, and all your relatives depart, but God will not depart from you, or deceive you. His promise is sure: 'I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.' Hebrews xiii. 5. 'What power shall dim its ray, God is the life of Love. And when its source of life is o'er, And only then, 'twill shine no more.' October 1. THE ANOINTING IN BETHANY. Mark xiv. 1-11. GOLDEN TEXT. Mark xiv. 8. She hath done what she could; she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. PREFATORY NOTE.-There are two anointings named by the Apostles. The one at Bethany was at the house of Simon, who had been a leper, by Mary the sister of Lazarus. The other, which took place in the house of a Pharisee, whose name also was Simon, in Galilee, by a woman which was in the city, a sinner. There is no proof that this anointing (Luke vii. 36) was performed either by Mary Magdalene, or by Mary the sister of Lazarus. Mary Magdalene was evidently a respectable woman. The expression 'out of whom went seven devils' must not be taken to indicate that she was a bad woman. She was the victim of Satanic malignity, so was Job, and so are many good men. The anointing in Luke vii. 36, was performed by a woman whom Christ had saved from a vile and wretched life; her name is not given. Mary, who anointed Christ's feet at Bethany, was the sister of Lazarus, and resided at Bethany, which was near to Jerusalem; but Mary Magdalene was of Magdala a place between Tiberias and Capernaum, at least sixty miles north of Jerusalem; but the other woman, who was a sinner, that anointed the Saviour's feet, was of the city of Nain. Some have thought that Simon and Lazarus lived in the same house. Grotius concludes that Martha was Simon's widow. Bloomfield thinks that Simon was a widower, and that Martha being a relation, superintended the entertainment. One thing is certain, the supper was at Simon's house, and Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were present. EXEGETICAL NOTES.-We notice here I. This Woman's love to Christ. Mark does not give the name. John distinctly states that it was Mary. She is first represented as sitting at the feet of Jesus, while her sister Martha was busily engaged with her household duties. Luke x. 39. The Saviour approved of her conduct and said, Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.' We have her next represented as being deeply affected by the death of her brother Lazarus. Martha went to meet Jesus, but Mary remained in retirement till Jesus sent for her. She was full of trouble, and when she saw Jesus she cast herself at His feet and wept, and said, 'Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.' And then we have her taking the alabaster box of ointment and quietly anointing the feet of Christ, in token of her deep and reverential affection for Him. These instances show her pious and devoted character, and her love to Christ. The place of this anointing was at Simon's house in Bethany. This place is now described as a poor village of about twenty families, on the south-eastern declivity of the Mount of Olives, in a little valley, and about one mile and a half south-east from Jerusalem. 3. There came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spiknard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. A heavy head of hair was esteemed a great ornament. 2 Samuel xiv. 26. The hair was combed and set in order. Precious ointment put on the head was a great favour. Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Psalm xxiii. 5. Jahn says, 'The ointment used was very precious oil of olives, mixed with spices, particularly spiknard, which was brought from India, but was commonly adulterated.' The ointment used by Mary was pure spikenard. It was common for a servant to wash the feet of a guest with tepid water, and distinguished guests were sometimes favoured by the master of the house washing their feet and anointing them. At least costly oil for anointing the feet is named in the Talmud. II. This Woman's conduct was not approved of by some of the disciples. The ointment was not only costly, worth about nine pounds, but it was freely used. The woman used nearly a pound of spikenard. 4. And there was some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? Judas expressed his displeasure, and he might have influenced the others. Matthew says that the disciples were indignant on account of the waste, and Mark says, 5. And they murmured against her. This shows that the conduct of this woman was not usual. Mary was open-handed and open-hearted. She poured the value of more than three hundred pence upon Christ. Pliny says that a pound of spikenard cost four hundred pence. The penny of that period was equal to sevenpence half-penny of English money. Therefore according to Pliny, the ointment was worth £11 13s. There are disciples in the church to-day, who in all probability, would have joined Judas and the other disciples in denouncing such a costly anointing as waste. Others would murmur within themselves. Yet money and ointment what are they after all? What is the value of money in the face of eternity? What is the value of money when compared with moral work? The material is not equal with the spiritual. Money will perish and pass away for ever, but noble deeds will remain in their effects for ever. 6. And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. The deed was of more value than the pence. Christ had raised her dead brother to life again. Her heart was full of gratitude to Him. Three hundred pence indeed, why all the wealth of Bethany was too small to express the feelings of her noble soul. Men like Judas, poor narrow souls, with one eye on the earth, and the other eye upon their purse, what are they after all, but sordid men. They are not capable of appreciating the moral character of a woman like Mary. 8. She hath done what she could. What can any one do more than that? III. Jesus commended the conduct of that Woman. She had done a good work, and done it with all her ability. All she could do she did with all her heart. 8. She is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. She had anointed His body for burial. She had commenced the work of embalming before the body was dead. Yes, on that head, and body, and feet every drop of the costly spikenard shall be poured. 9. This also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. Jesus looked into the future. He saw the abiding power of His gospel. He saw its wide-spread power-throughout the whole world.' And with the abiding power, and widening influence of the gospel, the fame of that woman's deed shall spread. Her own work stands as an abiding memorial of her goodness. HOMILETICAL REMARKS.-I. Religious work must be done heartily. She broke the box and poured out the ointment. Her soul was filled with a good purpose. Our actions should have soul in them. II. Religious work should be marked by originality. All earnest thinkers have something original about them. That woman thought of the box of ointment, and how to use it. New methods of work will open before earnest souls. III. Religious work should be done for Christ's sake. Judas would have put the poor people before Christ. It is good to help the needy, but Christ must be first. The crucifixion was at hand. The anointing must be done now, the poor fed afterwards. The chapel must be built, and the worship of God attended to first, then relieve the poor. Love to God first, and that will work out into the life in blessings among men. ILLUSTRATIONS. Feast of Unleavened Bread.-As it is the custom of the Jews, previously to the Passover, to search their houses in the most diligent manner for the old leaven, and throw it out, sweeping every part clean; so observant were they, that if they saw a mouse running across the floor with a piece of bread in its mouth, they considered the whole house as polluted, and began their purifications afresh; so, understanding leaven as a type of sin in general, we should purge our hearts from all manner of malice and wickedness. Yet it was at one of their holy seasons that the hearts of these religious leaders of the people were full of envy and malicious designs against Christ, under the plea of righteous zeal. Doing what we can.-' Children, I want each of you to bring a new scholar to the school with you, next Sunday,' said a superintendent of a Sundayschool to his scholars, one day. 'I can't get any new scholars,' said several of the children to themselves. I'll try what I can do,' was the whispered response of a few others. One of the latter class went home to his father, and said, 'Father, will you go to the Sunday-school with me?' 'I can't read, my son,' replied the father with a look of shame. Our teachers will teach you dear father,' answered the boy, with respect and feeling in his tones. Well, I'll go,' said the father. He went, learned to read, sought and found the Savi our, and at length became a colporteur. Years passed on, and that man had established four hundred Sunday-schools, into which thirty-five thousand children were gathered! Thus you see what trying did. That boy's efforts were like a tiny rill, which soon swells into a brook, and at length becomes a river. His efforts by God's grace, saved his father; and his father, being saved, led thirty-five thousand children to the Sunday-school!' TALK WITH THE LITTLE ONES. When Jesus came up to Jerusalem for the last time, about a week before He died on the cross, one day He went with His disciples to a supper in Bethany at the house of a man named Simon. He was leaning on a couch at the table, as the people used to do while eating, when a woman came into a room, bringing a box of very costly ointment. The woman was Mary, the sister of Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead a few weeks before. She opened the box and poured the ointment on the head of Jesus; and the fragrance of it filled the whole house. One of the disciples who was called Judas, said it was a great waste; that the ointment might have been sold for a great deal of money and given to the poor. But Jesus said, Do not find fault with her. She has done well, the poor are always with you, and you can help them when you wish. But I shall not be with you long, and this anointing is for my burial. How can we show our love to Jesus? 1. By giving to His cause. 2. By working for Him. 3. By loving His friends. 4. By doing His will. Here is a TINY TEXT for you to learn-She loved much.' Luke vii. 47. CATECHISM ON THE LESSON. What was the wicked purpose of the chief priests? To put Christ to death. How did a woman show her love for Christ? By anointing Him at supper. Who was this woman? Mary the sister of Lazarus. What did Jesus say of Her? She hath done what she could. Which of the disciples bargained with the chief priests to betray Jesus? Judas Iscariot. She loved her Saviour, and to Him Her costliest present brought; To crown His head, or grace His name, So let the Saviour be adored, And not the poor despised; Give to the hungry from your board, But give to Christ alone thy heart, October 8. THE PASSOVER. Mark xiv. 12-21. 1 Corinthians v. 7. a new lump, as ye GOLDEN TEXT. Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us. PREFATORY NOTE.-The passover was instituted for the purpose of preserving among the Jews, or Hebrews, the memory of their liberation from Egyptian bondage, and of the safety of their first-born during the fatal night when the first-born of the Egyptians perished. The feast lasted for seven days; from the fifteenth day of Nisan to the twenty-first of the month During the whole of that time the people ate unleavened bread. On this account the festival was termed, the feast of unleavened bread. The lamb was set apart from the flock for several days before the feast commenced. On the fourteenth day of the month, in the evening, when of course, the fifteenth day commenced, the lamb was slain. The leaven had also been removed, so that nothing might be seen of it through the week. See 1 Cor. v. 7. The Jews are still very particular on that point, so that the scriptures are confirmed by the conduct of the Jews in the present day. With respect to the statement (Deuteronomy xvi.) of only six days of unleavened bread, and the opposite statement by Josephus of eight days being required for the feast, there is no difficulty. The six days were clear days, and sometimes the day preceding and the day succeeding the feast were reckoned, because work was done on those days belonging to the passover. The ram was roasted whole, and it was served up with a salad of wild and bitter herbs. See Deut. xvi. 2-6; 1 Cor. xi. 26; Matt. xxvi. 26. One writer says, 'Not fewer than ten, nor more than twenty persons, were admitted to these sacred feasts, which were first eaten in Egypt with loins girt about, with shoes upon the feet, and with all the preparation for an immediate journey, but this was not the case at any subsequent period.' Not a bone of the sacred ram was broken. EXEGETICAL NOTES.-12. And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover. This was on the fourteenth day of Nisan, and was in the spring of the year, when the leaven was removed, the lamb was slain, and preparation made for the feast which commenced after the sun had set, for then the fifteenth day of Nisan commenced. Notice I. The Lamb slain for the Passover. This young ram was carefully selected. In killing it they were not allowed to break any of its bones. It was a lamb without blemish. The two spits which were put through the lamb for the purpose of roasting it, crossed each other near the fore legs, literally forming a cross, so that the animal was in a manner crucified. This ram was slain before the altar on the 14th day of the month between the two evenings. The blood of the lamb was sprinkled on the posts of the door in Egypt, but afterwards it was sprinkled upon the bottom of the altar. The Jews in England only celebrate a memorative passover, not a sacrificial one: but a memorative passover was never celebrated by the Jews until after the destruction of Jerusalem. The last supper which Christ held with His disciples was sacrificial and not a memorative passover. They killed the passover, the lamb was called the passover, as Christ is called our passover |