August 1930
383
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
Seed Thoughts From St. Mark B y R ev . W ilfred M. H opkins C hapter X I V —V erses 1-24.
HE PASSOVER AND UNLEAVENED BREAD (cf. Ex. 12:13, 14)—The Passover was a type o f the sacrifice o f Christ (in His death) for man’s salva tion; the unleavened bread was a type of the new life of the believer (cf. 1 Cor. 5:7, 8). WERE SEEKING HOW; W ITH CRAFT, etc.—They had
7— THE POOR YE HAVE ALWAYS . . . BUT ME YE HAVE NOT ALWAYS—There is here at least a hint that the reference to the poor was a mere idle excuse. We learn that poverty will never wholly cease during this dispensation. Our devotion is to be well balanced; we are to minister to men for Christ’s sake, to Him for His own. 8— SHE HATH DONE WHAT SHE COULD—Gabriel himself could do no more. No higher commendation were pos sible. COME BEFOREHAND TO ANOINT, etc. Probably she may have so anointed Lazarus when he died. She, at any rate, had believed His testimony as to the fact and the manner of His death. She could not hope to obtain the body from the Roman soldiers, so she would do it honor while she could. 9— WHERESOEVER THIS G O S P E L SHALL BE PREACHED—Note His confidence as to the future of His Gos pel in spite o f His approaching condemnation and death. Whence t is confidence, if it were not egoism of the most blatant kind? THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE WORLD—Again, what a claim for a humble rabbi o f Nazareth! Was there, humanly speaking, any possibility o f its fulfillment? Yet it is being ful filled; can skepticism or unbelief account for the fact, apart from the divinity of the Claimant? SPOKEN OF FOR A MEMORIAL—Yet again, how could He guarantee that this small incident should not be allowed to fall into oblivion? Who is this marvelous Prophet? For lo, once more His word is ful filled: more than nineteen centuries. have elapsed since the alabastron was broken, but we smell the fragrance o f the spike nard still. 10— JUDAS ISCARIOT—That is, Ish-Kerioth, a man of Kerioth, a town in the inheritance o f Judah. It was Judah who proposed to sell Joseph, the type of Christ (cf. Gen. 37:26, 27) ; it was Judas (i.e., Judah) a member o f the tribe o f Judah, who sold Christ Himself. Was this a mere coincidence? ONE OF THE TWELVE—A solemn and momentous statement. Then we may be disciples, nay, Apostles—messengers of Christ—and yet fall into deadly sin (cf. Matt. 7:22, 23). IN ORDER THAT HE MIGHT BETRAY HIM—We rightly hold his act to be worthy of the strongest possible condemnation, but do we take care that we never betray Christ ourselves (sometimes for less than thirty pieces of silver) by our unfaithfulness or our moral cowardice ? 11— PROMISED TO GIVE HIM MONEY (literally, “sil ver” )—.Thirty shekels, the price of a slave (cf. Ex. 21:32) ; equal to about eighteen dollars. He took upon Him the form of a bondslave (cf. Phil. 2:7 in the Greek) and was valued accord ingly; nay, has been so valued by many a man and woman since. Note the literal fulfillment o f the acted prophecy in Zech. 11:12. HE WAS SEEKING HOW HE MIGHT, etc.—The visit to the chief priests was probably on the impulse of the moment, but having committed himself, he was impelled to go on with the nefarious work. 12— THE FIRST DAY OF UNLEAVENED BREAD— The actual day was the 14th of Nisan, which began at sunset on the 13th. It was at this beginning that these events took place. Christ did not actually eat the Passover, since He was being sac rificed as our Passover (cf. 1 Cor. 5 :7) at the very time (on the next day) when the Passover lamb was being slain. That the
failed in all their public and open attempts to ensnare Him; they saw His growing popularity; and to all their other hatred was now added jealousy, the worst and most cruel of all the debased passions of the fallen heart (cf. Song Sol. 8:6); AND PUT HIM TO DEATH—There was no pretense o f justice; He -was condemned before He was tried; yet these were the rulers who were bound to deal justly in their judgments (cf. Deut. 16:18-20). 2— NOT DURING THE FEAST, etc.—They were afraid of the multitude because o f His popularity. Again we see their moral cowardice. 3— SIMON THE LEPER—Not a leper at that time, or he could not have been entertaining guests; probably a leper healed by Christ; by no means all the works which our Lord per formed are recorded by the Evangelists (cf. Jno. 21:25). [Note. —The incidents here and in Luke 7 :36-48 were certainly differ ent. One was two days before His betrayal and the other in the midst o f His ministry (see Luke 8:1). Moreover, it were an insult to suggest that the term hamartolos, the technical Jewish name for a woman of the street, could be applied to Mary of Bethany.] THERE CAME A WOMAN—St. John alone tells us that it was Mary of Bethany. AN ALABASTRON OF PISTIC SPIKENARD—That is, a vase of alabaster filled with pure oil o f spikenard. VERY PRECIOUS—Worth, probably, about one hundred and fifty dollars; it was the costliest anoint ing oil o f antiquity and the vase contained twelve ounces (cf. Jno. 12:3. The pound of twelve ounces is meant). HAVING CRUSHED THE ALABASTRON—It is from crushed lives and broken hearts that the sweetest perfumes oftenest come. POURED IT UPON HIS HEAD—St. John says “his feet” (cf. Jno. 12:3). This was the much more unusual act. The wiping them as she did was a sign of the utmost self-devotion, since to unbraid the hair in public was a disgrace for a Jewish woman. 4— SOME FELT IRRITATION AMONG THEMSELVES —That is, the disciples, led on by Judas Iscariot. WHY THIS WASTE?—The utilitarian mind can see no purpose in the lavish sacrifices o f devotion; it is the heart of love which realizes their true value. 5— GIVEN TO THE POOR—The suggestion was that of Judas. How often do the covetous and miserly seek to cloak their unwillingness to give to one object by professing to be deeply interested in another. It is a form o f hypocrisy very common to man. LOUDLY INDIGNANT AGAINST HER— First there were smothered murmurs, now there are open pro tests, so rapidly the fever of evil will spreads and increases. 6— LET HER ALONE—Christ always comes, sooner or later, to the defense of those ministering to Him in love. WHY DO YE MAKE TROUBLE FOR HER?—How easy it is for us to make trouble for our fellow disciples; the enemies trouble us enough without our troubling each other. WROUGHT A BEAUTIFUL WORK—A noble deed, serving a good purpose; for that is the root meaning of the word here translated “good.”
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker