the desire of ages-第132章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


her。　Martha　served　at　the　table；　but　Mary　was　earnestly　listening　to　every　word　from　the　lips　of

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　559

Jesus。　In　His　mercy；　Jesus　had　pardoned　her　sins；　He　had　called　forth　her　beloved　brother　from　the　grave；　and　Mary's　heart　was　filled　with　gratitude。　She　had　heard　Jesus　speak　of　His　approaching　death；　and　in　her　deep　love　and　sorrow　she　had　longed　to　show　Him　honor。　At　great　personal　sacrifice　she　had　purchased　an　alabaster　box　of　〃ointment　of　spikenard；　very　costly；〃　with　which　to　anoint　His　body。　But　now　many　were　declaring　that　He　was　about　to　be　crowned　king。　Her　grief　was　turned　to　joy；　and　she　was　eager　to　be　first　in　honoring　her　Lord。　Breaking　her　box　of　ointment；　she　poured　its　contents　upon　the　head　and　feet　of　Jesus；　then；　as　she　knelt　weeping；　moistening　them　with　her　tears；　she　wiped　His　feet　with　her　long；　flowing　hair。

She　had　sought　to　avoid　observation；　and　her　movements　might　have　passed　unnoticed；　but　the　ointment　filled　the　room　with　its　fragrance；　and　published　her　act　to　all　present。　Judas　looked　upon　this　act　with　great　displeasure。　Instead　of　waiting　to　hear　what　Christ　would　say　of　the　matter；　he　began　to　whisper　his　complaints　to　those　near　him；　throwing　reproach　upon　Christ　for　suffering　such　waste。　Craftily　he　made　suggestions　that　would　be　likely　to　cause　disaffection。

Judas　was　treasurer　for　the　disciples；　and　from　their　little　store　he　had　secretly　drawn　for　his　own　use；　thus　narrowing　down　their　resources　to　a　meager　pittance。　He　was　eager　to　put　into　the　bag　all　that　he　could　obtain。　The　treasure　in　the　bag　was　often　drawn　upon　to　relieve　the　poor；　and　when　something　that　Judas　did　not　think　essential　was　bought；　he　would　say；　Why　is　this　waste？　why　was　not　the　cost　of　this　put　into　the　bag　that　I　carry　for　the　poor？　Now　the　act　of　Mary　was　in　such　marked　contrast　to　his　selfishness　that　he　was　put　to　shame；　and　according　to　his　custom；　he　sought　to　assign　a　worthy　motive　for　his　objection　to　her　gift。　Turning　to　the　disciples；　he　asked；　〃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。〃　Judas　had　no　heart　for　the　poor。　Had　Mary's　ointment　been　sold；　and　the　proceeds　fallen　into　his　possession；　the　poor　would　have　received　no　benefit。

Judas　had　a　high　opinion　of　his　own　executive　ability。　As　a　financier　he　thought　himself　greatly　superior　to　his　fellow　disciples；　and　he　had　led　them　to　regard　him　in　the　same　light。　He　had　gained　their　confidence；　and　had　a　strong　influence　over　them。　His　professed　sympathy　for　the　poor　deceived　them；　and　his　artful　insinuation　caused　them　to　look

560

distrustfully　upon　Mary's　devotion。　The　murmur　passed　round　the　table；　〃To　what　purpose　is　this　waste？　For　this　ointment　might　have　been　sold　for　much；　and　given　to　the　poor。〃

Mary　heard　the　words　of　criticism。　Her　heart　trembled　within　her。　She　feared　that　her　sister　would　reproach　her　for　extravagance。　The　Master；　too；　might　think　her　improvident。　Without　apology　or　excuse　she　was　about　to　shrink　away；　when　the　voice　of　her　Lord　was　heard；　〃Let　her　alone；　why　trouble　ye　her？〃　He　saw　that　she　was　embarrassed　and　distressed。　He　knew　that　in　this　act　of　service　she　had　expressed　her　gratitude　for　the　forgiveness　of　her　sins；　and　He　brought　relief　to　her　mind。　Lifting　His　voice　above　the　murmur　of　criticism；　He　said；　〃She　hath　wrought　a　good　work　on　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：　she　is　come　aforehand　to　anoint　My　body　to　the　burying。〃

The　fragrant　gift　which　Mary　had　thought　to　lavish　upon　the　dead　body　of　the　Saviour　she　poured　upon　His　living　form。　At　the　burial　its　sweetness　could　only　have　pervaded　the　tomb；　now　it　gladdened　His　heart　with　the　assurance　of　her　faith　and　love。　Joseph　of　Arimathaea　and　Nicodemus　offered　not　their　gift　of　love　to　Jesus　in　His　life。　With　bitter　tears　they　brought　their　costly　spices　for　His　cold；　unconscious　form。　The　women　who　bore　spices　to　the　tomb　found　their　errand　in　vain；　for　He　had　risen。　But　Mary；　pouring　out　her　love　upon　the　Saviour　while　He　was　conscious　of　her　devotion；　was　anointing　Him　for　the　burial。　And　as　He　went　down　into　the　darkness　of　His　great　trial；　He　carried　with　Him　the　memory　of　that　deed；　an　earnest　of　the　love　that　would　be　His　from　His　redeemed　ones　forever。

Many　there　are　who　bring　their　precious　gifts　for　the　dead。　As　they　stand　about　the　cold；　silent　form；　words　of　love　are　freely　spoken。　Tenderness；　appreciation；　devotion；　all　are　lavished　upon　one　who　sees　not　nor　hears。　Had　these　words　been　spoken　when　the　weary　spirit　needed　them　so　much；　when　the　ear　could　hear　and　the　heart　could　feel；　how　precious　would　have　been　their　fragrance！

Mary　knew　not　the　full　significance　of　her　deed　of　love。　She　could　not　answer　her　accusers。　She　could　not　explain　why　she　had　chosen　that　occasion　for　anointing　Jesus。　The　Holy　Spirit　had　planned　for　her；　and　she　had　obeyed　His　promptings。　Inspiration　stoops　to　give　no　reason。　An　unseen　presence；　it　speaks　to　mind　and　soul；　and　moves　the　heart　to　action。　It　is　its　own　justification。

Christ　told　Mary　the　meaning　of　her　act；　and　in　this　He　gave　her

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　563

more　than　He　had　received。　〃In　that　she　hath　poured　this　ointment　on　My　body；〃　He　said；　〃she　did　it　for　My　burial。〃　As　the　alabaster　box　was　broken；　and　filled　the　whole　house　with　its　fragrance；　so　Christ　was　to　die；　His　body　was　to　be　broken；　but　He　was　to　rise　from　the　tomb；　and　the　fragrance　of　His　life　was　to　fill　the　earth。　Christ　〃hath　loved　us；　and　hath　given　Himself　for　us　an　offering　and　a　sacrifice　to　God　for　a　sweet…smelling　savor。〃　Eph。　5：2。

〃Verily　I　say　unto　you；〃　Christ　declared；　〃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。〃　Looking　into　the　future；　the　Saviour　spoke　with　certainty　concerning　His　gospel。　It　was　to　be　preached　throughout　the　world。　And　as　far　as　the　gospel　extended；　Mary's　gift　would　shed　its　fragrance；　and　hearts　would　be　blessed　through　her　unstudied　act。　Kingdoms　would　rise　and　fall；　the　names　of　monarchs　and　conquerors　would　be　forgotten；　but　this　woman's　deed　would　be　immortalized　upon　the　pages　of　sacred　history。　Until　time　should　be　no　more；　that　broken　alabaster　box　would　tell　the　story　of　the　abundant　love　of　God　for　a　fallen　race。

Mary's　act　was　in　marked　contrast　with　that　which　Judas　was　about　to　do。　What　a　sharp　lesson　Christ　might　have　given　him　who　had　dropped　the　seed　of　criticism　and　evil　thinking　into　the　minds　of　the　disciples！　How　justly　the　accuser　might　have　been　accused！　He　who　reads　the　motives　of　every　heart；　and　understands　every　action；　might　have　opened　before　those　at　the　feast　dark　chapters　in　the　experience　of　Judas。　The　hollow　pretense　on　which　the　traitor　based　his　words　might　have　been　laid　bare；　for；　instead　of　sympathizing　with　the　poor；　he　was　robbing　them　of　the　money　intended　for　their　relief。　Indignation　might　have　been　excited　against　him　for　his　oppression　of　the　widow；　the　orphan；　and　the　hireling。　But　had　Christ　unmasked　Judas；　this　would　have　been　urged　as　a　reason　for　the　betrayal。　And　though　charged　with　being　a　thief；　Judas　would　have　gained　sympathy；　even　among　the　disciples。　The　Saviour　reproached　him　not；　and　thus　avoided　giving　him　an　excuse　for　his　treachery。

But　the　look　which　Jesus　cast　upon　Judas　convinced　him　that　the　Saviour　penetrated　his　hypocrisy；　and　read　his　base；　contemptible　character。　And　in　commending　Mary's　action；　which　had　been　so　severely　condemned；　Christ　had　rebuked　Judas。　Prior　to　this；　the　Saviour　had　never　given　him　a　direct　rebuke。　Now　the　reproof　rankled　in　his　heart。　He　determined　to　be　revenged。　From　the　supper　he　went　directly　to

564

the　palace　of　the　high　priest；　where　he　found　the　council　assembled；　and　he　offered　to　betray　Jesus　into　their　hands。

The　priests　were　greatly　rejoiced。　These　leaders　of　Israel　had　been　g