CHAPTER XII. Jesus is anointed at Bethany, enters Jerusalem in Triumph, and teaches the People. THEN Jesus, six days before the passover, came to Bethany, season of fear and sorrow even unto death. His heart thrilled with the satisfaction of doing good, and was torn by the hatred of crafty and cruel persecutors. And if any man is lonely in his life, unsympathized with in his schemes of philanthropy, he can look to one, who tasted this bitter cup to its dregs. If physical pain racks this sensitive frame, until each one of its thousand strings utters its shriek of agony, then lift up your eyes, oh sufferer, to the man of Calvary, whose life ebbed away through anguished hours by the slow and horrible torture of the cross. Jesus ran the circle of all experiences, of all feelings but that of remorse; and it is the absence of that, which makes him our perfect example. (3.) The miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead was attended by peculiarly striking and convincing accompaniments. The individual had died of disease, four days before, and was buried. Jesus performed the act with great deliberation, after solemnly invoking the aid of God, in open day, in the midst of both friends and enemies, with circumstances that. stamp the narrative with the very seal of truth. His foes confessed that he wrought the miracle, and were ready not only to murder him, but the innocent subject of it. Chap. xii. 10. The restoration to life was not a mere transient effect, but Lazarus continued to live, and is spoken of again, chap. xii. 2. Thus every particular combines to prove, that the power of God was here displayed, through the agency of Christ, in the most convincing and glorious man ner. (4.) The miracles of Christ were wrought expressly to convince the world, that he was a Teacher and Saviour come from God. They were also illustrative of his benevolence; but that was an incidental circumstance, not the prime object of their being worked. They might have been without direct benefit to men, or even destructive, like those of Moses, and like some of those wrought by the apostles, and yet they would have been none the less the tokens of the divine majesty and power, and evidences of a mission from God. It has been beautifully said of the miracles, by the author of the "Letters from Palmyra," that "they are like the massive subterranean arches and columns of a huge building. It is not on their account that we prize the building, but the building for its own sake. We do not think of the foundation, nor care about it, other than to know that it has one. We dwell above in the upper and fairer halls. The crowds go in and out, and rejoice in their comforts and splendors, without ever casting a thought on that upon which the whole so peacefully and securely reposes. Such are the miracles to the gospel. They support the edifice, and upon a divine foundation. They show us that if the superstructure is fair and beautiful to dwell in, and if its towers and endless flights of steps appear to reach even up to heaven, it is all just what it seems to be; for it rests upon the broad foundation of the Rock of Ages," CHAPTER XII. 1-8. Parallel to Mat. xxvi. 6-13, Mark xiv. 3-9, where the passage is illustrated in full. 1. Six days before the passover. The supper at Bethany was, accord where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from 2 the dead. There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. 3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: 4 and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment. Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which 5 should betray him, Why was not this ointment sold for three 6 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 7 bag, and bare what was put therein. Then said Jesus, Let her 8 alone against the day of my burying hath she kept this. For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always. ing to the best computation, on the first day of the week, corresponding to our Sabbath. The crucifixion occurred on Friday. 2. There. It is remarked by Palfrey, that John introduces the account of the anointing by the associations of place, not those of time. - Lazarus was one of them. A fact that indicated his perfect restoration. The supper was at the house of Simon the leper, probably a relative of the family, Mat. xxvi. 6, and apparently designed as a mark of respect and gratitude to Jesus, after his beneficent miracle. 3. Then took Mary, &c. The distinctive characteristics of Martha and Mary are preserved in this, as in the last chapter. Martha, with her active household habits, serves at the table, while Mary pours the costly unguent upon the feet of Jesus, feeling that nothing is too great to do for him, who had restored their brother from the dead. "See the grateful sister bending O'er her much-loved Saviour's form; While her thanks, to Heaven ascending, From her heart burst pure and warm. For his mercy, prompt to save, Doth she bless her heavenly Lord, For a brother from the grave To the light of life restored." 4,5. Should betray. Rather, would 25 VOL. II. betray.-Three hundred pence. About forty dollars. And given to the poor. Judas is not alone in selfish complaints and false professions. Men often murmur at the bequests of generosity and benevolence, when the presumption is, that they would appropriate such sums, if brought within their own control, only to the basest purposes. 6-8. He was a thief, and had the bag, &c. The same love of money, which disposed Judas to be the treasurer of the little fraternity, led him, by its unchecked indulgence, to petty frauds in his office, and finally to the awful step of selling his Master for a paltry sum of silver.- Let her alone, &c. Jesus would not suffer a spontaneous act of generosity and reverence to be blamed. He would not have the poor neglected,and they were always ready at hand to be assisted, but the opportunity of honoring him was rapidly passing away, never to return.But me ye have not always. In the words of Furness, "How naturally is the state of his mind revealed to us! How clearly do we see that he was fully possessed with a knowledge of his impending death! Impressed with the conviction. of his awful fate, so soon to be consummated, he received Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there. 9 and they came, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. But the chief- 10 priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; be- 11 cause that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus. On the next day, much people that were come to the feast, 12 when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took 13 branches of palm-trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, that expression of Mary's respect, the outpouring of the costly ointment, as a funeral office. To him it had the odor of death and of the tomb." 9. Therefore. Rather, now. That they might see Lazarus also. The evangelist here introduces the circumstance which led him to menon the name of Lazarus above, viz. the intense curiosity of the people to see Jesus, which had been excited by his having raised Lazarus from the grave. In the other Gospels, the unusual enthusiasm of the Jews, at this time, is not accounted for; but we here learn, that their interest in the resurrection of Lazarus, prepared them to join in the peaceful pomp of our Lord's entry into Jerusalem. 10, 11. Consulted. Determined. Put Lazarus also to death. Their hostility stops at no bounds. They resolve to destroy not only the agent, but the subject of the miracle, indulging the vain hope of thus effacing it from the memory of man. -Many of the Jews went away. Or, according to Campbell, many Jews forsook them, the scribes and Pharisees, and believed on Jesus. 12-19. See an explanation in the parallel passages, Mat. xxi. 1-11; Mark xi. 1-11; Luke xix. 29-40. 13. Palm-trees. The palm is a lofty and beautiful tree of tropical regions, sometimes rising to the height of one hundred feet, and surmounted by a rich tuft of branches, and leaves of great size, while the trunk below is clear of boughs. The fruit is called "the date," and grows in clusters below the leaves. The palm is used for a great variety of purposes. The camel feeds upon the stones of the date. Medicinal efficacy is attributed to the fruit. The branches are made into fences and cages; the leaves are formed into mattresses, baskets, brushes, bags, and in our own country, into hats, to a large extent; and the fibres make thread and ropes. The trunk is converted into fuel, the sap into a spirituous liquor, and from one variety, meal is obtained, suitable for food. Jericho was called "the city of palmtrees," from the great number growing around it. On the coins of Vespasian, Judea is represented as a mourning female, sitting under a palm-tree. The palm has ever been regarded as an emblem of joy and victory, and hence our word palmy, meaning prosperous, or flourishing. In conjunction with a sheaf of wheat, and a bunch of grapes, the Jews employed it as the symbol of their country. The leaves and boughs, being broad and flat, would not impede the progress of Jesus and his disciples, when cast upon the ground before them, but would form a carpet of green. As the entry into Jerusalem took place on the first day of the week, before the passover, the Sunday before Easter is termed, in the ecclesiastical calendar, Palm-Sunday, in reference to the palm branches Hosanna; Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name 14 of the Lord. And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat 15 thereon; as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy 16 King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt. These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that 17 they had done these things unto him. The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and 18 raised him from the dead, bare record. For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle. 19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him. 20 And there were certain Greeks among them, that came up to 21 worship at the feast. The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we being spread in the way on that occasion. The King of Israel. It was under this title that Jesus was most warmly greeted and cheered, for the Messiah was associated in their minds with all the splendors and prerogatives of royalty. 15, 16. As it is written. Zech. ix. 9.-But when Jesus was glorified, &c. i. e. after his resurrection and ascension. All was done at the time spontaneously, without reference to the fulfilment of any prophecy; but after the descent of the Holy Spirit, which was sent to "teach them all things, and to bring all things to their remembrance," they perceived the agreement of these events with prophecy. 17, 18. Two multitudes of people are spoken of in these verses; one consisting of those who came from Bethany, who had witnessed the raising of Lazarus; the other, of those who came from Jerusalem through curiosity to see Jesus on account of the fame of the miracle, and who met him before he entered the city, and joined those who were already with him. Bare record. A solemn declaration of the truth of the miracle; as when, among us, the word attest is subscribed to a paper, declaring its genuineness and authenticity. 19. Behold, the world, &c. A popular phrase to describe the general enthusiasm in his behalf; corresponding to tout le monde in French, and every body in English. 20. Certain Greeks. Whether these were Jews, residing in foreign parts, or Gentiles, proselytes to Judaism, or Gentile idolaters, cannot now be determined with perfect certainty. Milman regards the term of as wide a signification in the Jewish language, as that of barbarians in the Greek, and including under it all who were not of Jewish descent. Cappe and Norton, with many other critics, consider the Greeks spoken of in the text, as Gentile converts to Judaism, technically called proselytes of the gate. The last clause of the verse favors this idea by intimating, that worship was the object for which they came to the holy city. 21, 22. Came therefore to Philip, &c. It has been conjectured, that the reason why they applied to him in particular was, that being a na would see Jesus. Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again, 22 Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. And Jesus answered them, say- 23 ing, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into 24 the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that 25 hateth his life in this world, shall keep it unto life eternal. If 26 any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honor. Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? 27 tive of Bethsaida, on the borders of Syria, he was previously acquainted with them in some degree. The enthusiastic admiration of the Jews for Jesus led the Greeks to wish to see and converse with one who was so distinguished, who taught the way of eternal life, and raised the dead. Philip cometh, &c. The particularity with which names, dates, and places, are stated on every page of the Gospels, conveys the liveliest impression that we are reading the narratives of eye and ear-witnesses. The disciples on this occasion manifest some reluctance, natural to a Jewish mind, in regard to introducing these Greeks to their Master. 23. The hour is come, &c. The application of the Greeks to see him, suggests the joyful thought, that by his death and resurrection, the blessings of his religion would be diffused throughout the world, among Gentiles as well as Jews. His mind rose at once above the dark circumstances by which he was surrounded, and hailed the day when his religion would spread from nation to nation. 24. Except a corn of wheat fall, &c. i. e. a kernel of wheat. 1 Cor. xv. 38. As it is necessary that a seed should be buried in the bosom of the earth, and to all human appearance die, in order that it may become a fruitful plant, and multiply itself a hundred fold, so was it es sential that Jesus should die, that his religion might triumph, and its saving influences be disseminated far and wide to bless mankind, that "Millions of souls might feel its power, And bear it down to millions more." It abideth alone. It remaineth a single grain, without increase. 25. He that loveth his life shall lose it. Spoken in reference to the high and ambitious hopes of his followers, who thought of nothing so much as of the riches and honors of a temporal kingdom. My disciples, he virtually said, must be of a far different and more self-denying temper, like their Master; not loving life with a spirit of selfish indulgence and timidity, but willing to sacrifice it for the good of others, in the hope of life everlasting. 26. If any man serve me, let him follow me. Let him who professes to be my disciple, follow my example, and be prepared to meet danger and death, as I am about to do. For the rewards of my faithful followers will be great; they shall be received into my future society, and honored by my Father in heaven. 27. Now is my soul troubled. The prospect of death darkens around him. The cross rises to his view, and casts its shadow across his path. Similar feelings agitate his mind, as afterwards overwhelmed him in the garden of Gethsemane. A short |