T HE K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S help at this time I am ruined in the business world." His friend said, “Draw on me for that which you need.” He did and his check was $10,000.00. He was a friend indeed. Golden Text Illustration.—Years ago when a church in Germantown was di vided because of some personal slight, four women set aside all the spare time to pray for the membership and met onice a week to pray for a revival. In the midst of this church quarrel a re vival broke out in the Sunday School and spread into the church and welded the faction and about 200 were saved. These four women did what they could. After the great Chicago Fire, in which D. L. Moody, the famous evangelist, was said to have lost everything', some one said, “Mr. Moody, I suppose you have lost all.” “No, no,” replied the evangelist cheerfully, “I have Christ left.” If one has Christ left they will find everything in Him. v. 2. After two days. The first five verses tell what occurred two days be fore the Passover, but the anointing which is recorded in verses 6 to 13 oc curred six days COMMENTS FROM before the Pass- MANY SOURCES over. The Jewish Keith L. Brooks plot to arrest and kill Jesus, and the anointing of Jesus, which oc curred four days earlier, are put to gether in Matthew’s account because the anger of Judas at Mary and at our Lord was the incident that led imme diately to the betrayal, v. 14-16; Jn. 12:4, 5 ).—Torrey. v. 6. Simon the leper. Probably not an actual leper but one who had been so, perhaps one who had been healed by our Lord.—Mansel,* The evangelist calls Simon the leper though now whole. When our past infirmities may glorify Christ it is no shame to bear the memorials thereof.—-Dickson. v. 7. Precious ointment. Spikenard. (Mk. 14:3). The ointment of nard was highly esteemed in antiquity as a precious aromatic and a costly luxury. It was brought chiefly from Asia Minor in alabaster flasks and the best were to be had in Tarsus.—-Winer.
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v. 8. Disciples saw it. 1 In Christ’s company it is possible to have the ex tremes of character and disposition. The self-denying, loving woman and the selfish and avaricious professing disciple.—Hargraves. They had indig nation. The disciples objected, not be cause they were superior in prudence but inferior in consecration.—Maclaren. This is the only indication in the Gos pels of intrigue among the twelve which even indirectly struck at their Master’s honor.—-Chadwick. John says it was Judas who gave utterance to the resent ment because the loss of the costly ointment meant the loss of money which he might have stolen.—Plump- tre. This waste. Mary’s uncalculating love proved a safer guide of conduct than the calculating prudence of the rest of the disciples. The disciples re garded the use of this precious oint ment as a waste. That speaks very poorly for their love of Jesus and their estimation of Him.—Torrey. No one will doubt there is a law of utility, a law of economy which man must ob serve, but we must also learn that there are spheres -of motive and duty where the rigid laws of utility will not apply and where economy is niggards—Jack- son. All is not waste that looks like waste.—Wood. v. 9. Given to the poor. Some peo ple who are generous with other peo ple’s money are famous for refusing themselves nothing.—Hunt. Judas the spokesman was no friend to the poor. He who- begrudges to the church of Christ generally begrudges also to the poor. History proves that the best friends to the poor have ever been the religious. Non religious philanthropy is a feeble thing.—Horn. Com. v. 10. Jesus understood. God is not satisfied with governing men. He cannot rest until He possesses their heart. That heart must not be cap tured. It must be won over. Thus the Creator beseeches His creatures to un derstand Him, is enriched by their in telligence, impoverished by their dull ness, is joyful in their affection, sad dened by their refusal. Where is this better witnessed than at the supper table at Bethany?—Alford. Why trou ble th§ woman? Go very slow in con demning another’s devotion. There are many seemingly useless things which in Heaven’s estimate are more valuable than a great many apparently more practical ones.—Maclaren. A good work. Good deeds ring clear through Heaven like a bell.—Richter.
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