THE KING’S BUSINESS
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16:1). How the lingering odor must have clung to the Lord’s heart, as His perfumed feet made, “the sorrowful way,” via dotoroso, redolent as they trod it! "Verily, I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall he preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her." Verily, that “ verily” is verified, ourselves being witness. Mary’s ointment was no waste! It has made the whole world sweeter. It has done more to bless the poor, and to enrich the world with all that stands for something higher than flesh and mammon. Lord’s death till he come. —1 Cor. 11:26. I. A rrangements for th e P assover ,— vs. 12-16. 1. Ready to be Offered. Still at Beth any Jesus, His body anointed with precious nard for burial, leaves that friendly shelter for Jerusalem and an anointing of precious blood; being “obedient (Deut. 16:16) unto death” (Phil. 2 :8 ). Shame on them who, not obedient unto life, ignore His dying commandment, “This do in remembrance of me.” God grant they may not be dis obedient unto death. 2. The Disciples’ Question and Jesusf Reply. The disciples asked, " Where wilt thou that we should prepare?’’ It was the legal day when the Passover “ must (Luke 22:7) be killed,’’ “ the first day of unleav ened bread’’ every vestige of leaven had been searched out with the help of a candle (so we fumigate after contagion), as, by the light of the Word, sin should be search ed, confessed, put away and cleansed (1 John 1 :9) if we are to partake of Christ. Assuming Jesus would keep the feast ac cording to law and custom they asked “ Where?" He had no spot of earth to call His own (Matt. 8:20). The temple was the house of His Father in heaven; the royal palace at Jerusalem was His father David’s; but He must eat in a- borrowed
V. J udas ' D efection ,— vs. 10, 11. “And Judas Iscariot (give us his full name, there was another Judas, and yet an other), one of the twelve (is it conceiv able?), went unto the chief priests (princes of this world, who did not know the qual ity of the blood they were dipping their hands in (1 Cor. 2 :8 ), God grant they may yet have dipped their hearts) to betray H IM unto them. And when they heard it they were GLAD, and promised to give him money (for his poor?). And he sought (the “ old serpent,” sneaking toward His heel, Gen. 3 :15) how he might conveniently (without danger to himself) betray him.” chamber and sent Peter and John (Luke 22:8) to find one. He could have named house and host (what a monument, could we identify the house where the last (real) Passover and the first Lord’s Supper took place!), but He chose to give signs. There were 13 particulars that must and did con verge, for they “found as H e had said." Our grounds of certainty by countless signs and predictions are invincible. He told* us before that when it comes to pass we might believe (John 13:19). 3. The Disciples Prepare the Passover. The room “ furnished," was spread with car pet, couches for reclining at table, the table and dishes. They, “ made ready," —-bought “ what they had need of against the feast” (John 13:29). They got a fruit salad for the dip (John 13:26), unleavened bread, bitter herbs, wine (red, mixed with water— John 19:34), a lamb, spotless, Slain by their own hands (a priest pouring out the blood at the altar), roasted, and “not a bone broken” (John 19:36), for it all meant a sinless Saviour, a whole Saviour tried by fire. Read Exodus 12-13. II. A rrival of J esus and th e T welve ,— v. 17. ¡1 The Time. It was “ in the evening”
LESSON II.—October 11.—T he . L ast S upper .—Mark 14:12-25. G olden T ext .— A s often as ye eat this bread, and drink the cup, ye proclaim the
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