The Anointing at Bethany

“Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the ieet of Jesus.” John xii. 3.

X7E shall never really grasp the significance of Mary’s act unless we go back to the beginning of Mary’s discipleship, and then come down with the story to this, its end. Have you ever noticed that you never see Mary apart from her sister Martha? Three times these sisters come before us in the Gospel story. This means that something is to be taught by contrast.

It is the vivid Bible way. Two men went up to the temple to pray.” Not two theories, nor two diverse principles, nor two types of doctrine, but two men. And how, by contrast, they bring each other into

Luke X.
38.42.

Teaching
by contrast,

Luke xviii.
10.

6o

yo 3iom in tfie Knn

Luke xvi.
19.

Mary commended,

Luke X. 38,
39.

Luke X. 40,
41.

Luke X. 39.

relief! Jesus might have lectured that day on ‘’ the two basal theories of religion,” and we should have forgotten or misunderstood Him. But we shall not misunderstand Him now. Forever for us those two men stand in the temple; the one unctuously thanking God that he is not as other men are; the other smiting upon his guilty heart, and crying for mercy — and we do not forget.

And again, There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: and there was a certain beggar named Lazarus.’^ Yes; and by means of Lazarus I shall find out the truth about Dives.

Now here are two sisters. Begin with the first mention of them; Martha was ‘’ cumbered,” *’ careful “and ‘’ troubled “; ‘’ Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.” And some preacher will tell you anti (Jitter Snterpretationsj that we have here two desirable types of Christian character, practical Martha and meditative Mary, and that the church needs both types. But Jesus, when He was presently appealed to, did not say that.

And another preacher will tell you that here are two different temperaments, that Martha and Mary were “made that way,” and could be, and do, no otherwise. But Jesus did not say that, either; Jesus did say that “But one thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her.” Mary chose to put acquaintanceship with Jesus and His word first in her Christian life; Martha chose to fussily serve Him first. Service has the third, not the first, place in the divine order: To know, in order to be, in order to do.

The next time these sisters come

Luke X. 42.
Col. i. 9.

yo iioom m tfje 3nn

Mary the
soul-winner.

John XI. before us, we discover that Mary, because she began right, did more for Jesus than Martha, for ‘’ Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.”

Each of these sisters had, naturally, her own circle of friends, who, when the news of Lazarus’ death went abroad, gathered to comfort them. Then came Jesus, and the resurrection of Lazarus, and then it became manifest that something in the bearing and testimony of Mary under her affliction, had impressed her circle of sympathizers, and when the mighty work was wrought, “many... which came to Mary... believed on him.” And so it was ‘’ dreamy, unpractical Mary,” as many people call her, who was the real servant, the soul-winner.

And now we can enter into the anti 0t)tt interpretations beautiful and touching scene of the anointing at Bethany.

What was the heart of Mary’s thought? To show that she loved Jesus, that nothing short of the offering of her costliest, most cherished possession could satisfy her heart? Yes, doubtless that too was in her lovely act, and may suffice to rebuke us, who give our least valued things to Him; but not this fathoms the depth of Mary’s thought.

Was it her silent way of saying that, since Israel had not anointed Him King, one Jewish maiden would do her poor best to repair that insolent omission? No, her thoughts, we may be sure, were not greatly upon His titles just then. Was it, as some will have it, just a touching effort to show her gratitude for the resurrection of her brother Lazarus? Again no.

Happily we cannot miss the heart of the interpretation here,

Mary th$
consoler.

John xii.
1-9.

Mark xiv.
3-9.

Matt xxvi.
6-13.

io 3lom in tfje Mn

John xii. 7.

Mark xiv.
8.

Phil. iii.
10.

for Jesus Himself betrayed her secret, ‘* Against the day of my burying hath she kept this,” or as Mark renders it ‘’ She is come beforehand to anoint my body to the burying.” In other words, Mary alone, of the entire circle of disciples, had really comprehended the truth of His thrice announced death and resurrection.

Mary alone knew that it would be a futile thing to go “very early on the first day morning,” with costly ointments to pour upon a body which would already be risen. Mary alone, therefore, who began by learning at Jesus’ feet, could at the last enter into ‘’ the fellowship of his sufferings.” And of Mary Christ spoke the highest words of approval in the Bible, ‘’ She hath done what she could.”

It was her silent way of saying, ‘’ I have understood that thou shalt suffer many things of the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, anb 0titt interpretations; and be killed, and be raised again the third day.”

And so Mary was not only more for Christ in the conversion of her friends, but she was more to Christ the fellowship of silent symin

pathy, than any of His disciples, — and all this because she began right.