The Supper at Bethany; the Triumphal Entry

Notes

1. "Driven from Bethlehem by a jealous king, rejected by His own people at Nazareth, condemned without cause at Jerusalem, Jesus, with his few faithful followers, finds a temporary asylum in a strange city."

2. "All who according to the Levitical law were unclean, were obliged before the Passover to purify themselves (Num. 9:6, 10) through the observance of a number of rites appointed for the purpose."

3. In spite of all their efforts to apprehend Jesus and bring Him to Jerusalem, He comes of His own accord. "That was not allowed to come to pass which His enemies were planning to effect, that they should bring Him by force to Jerusalem; instead of that He was to enter in triumph."

4. Jesus spent His last Sabbath at Bethany. "Before the next He would be crucified. And He knew it." "Simon of Bethany, whom Jesus had healed of leprosy, wishing to show his Master special honor, made a supper and invited Him and His friends as guests. The Saviour sat at the table, with Simon, whom He had cured of a loathsome disease, on one side, and Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead, on the other. Martha served at the table, but Mary was earnestly listening to every word that fell from the lips of Jesus. . . . At great personal sacrifice she had purchased an alabaster box of precious ointment with which to anoint the body of Jesus at His death. But she now heard many express an opinion that He would be elevated to kingly authority when He went to Jerusalem, and she was only too ready to believe that it would be so. She rejoiced that her Saviour would no longer be despised and rejected, and obliged to flee for His life. In her love and gratitude she wished to be the first to do Him honor, and, seeking to avoid observation, anointed His head and feet with the precious ointment." "This alabaster box of ointment had cost as much as would keep a laboring man's family for a year." "Judas boldly expressed his disapprobation at such a wasteful extravagance. . . . He had been appointed treasurer of the united funds of the disciples, and had dishonestly appropriated to himself the means which were designed for the service of God. He longed to have the avails of the expensive ointment in his own hands to apply to his own selfish purposes."—Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 2, pp. 375, 376. "The very man who objected to this present expenditure was making up his mind to sell Him [Jesus] for a small part of the sum." "How often will a man adopt sanctimonious phraseology to hide his real self, and will talk of the poor, and Christ, and religion, not that he cares for any of these things, but because he desires to add to his own estate or position!"

5. Judas talks of the poor, but "the poor of Bethany would probably appeal to Mary much more hopefully than to Judas, and they would appeal all the more successfully because her heart had been allowed to utter itself thus to Jesus." "Kingdoms would rise, and fall; the names of monarchs and conquerors would be forgotten; but the memory of this woman's deed would be immortalized upon the pages of sacred history." Mark 14:9. The heart of Judas "burned with envy that Jesus should be the recipient of an offering suitable to the monarchs of earth. He went directly from that supper to the chief priests and agreed to betray Him into their hands."

6. "Jesus will remember every good work done by His children. The self-sacrificing and benevolent will live in His memory and be rewarded. No act of devotion to His cause will be forgotten by Him. There is no sacrifice too costly to be offered on the altar of our faith."—Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 2, p. 383. "Truly comforting for souls which are honest towards God is the word, 'She hath done what she could.' . . . Mary had done what she could; but in fact, she had done more than she knew."

7. In raising Lazarus to life, Jesus exposed both Himself and Lazarus to the murderous hate of the Pharisees. It would not do to put Jesus to death and leave Lazarus alive. "The very fact that a man existed who had been four days in the grave, and whose body had begun to decay, yet had been called to life and health by a word from Jesus, would sooner or later create a reaction and bring disaster upon themselves for sacrificing the life of Him who could perform such a miracle for the benefit of humanity." "But the chief priests plotted to murder Lazarus as well; because, on account of him, many left the Judeans and believed on Jesus."

8. "The world had never before seen such a triumphal procession. It was not like that of the earth's famous conquerors. No train of mourning captives, as trophies of kingly valor, made a feature of that imposing pageant. But about the Saviour were the glorious trophies of His labors of love for sinful man. There were the captives whom He had rescued from Satan's cruel power, praising God for their deliverance. The blind to whom He had restored sight pressed on, leading the way. The dumb whose tongues He had loosed, shouted the loudest hosannas. The cripples whom He had healed, bounded freely on, the most active in breaking the palm branches and in waving them before the Saviour. Widows and orphans were among the multitude, exalting the name of Jesus for His works of mercy to them. The lepers who had been cleansed by a word from Him, and rescued from a living death, spread their untainted garments in His path and hailed Him as the King of Glory. Those who had been awakened by His magic voice from the sleep of death were in that throng. Lazarus, whose body had seen corruption in the grave, now restored to the full strength of glorious manhood, guided the humble beast upon which his Liberator rode."—Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 2, pp. 388, 389.

Suggestions for Further Study.

1. What led the people to inquire after Jesus and to question whether He would come to the Passover?

2. Why is the wrath of Satan stirred so deeply against a truly converted person (one who has been raised from spiritual death) who becomes a witness for Christ?

3. It seems a wonderful thing to sit at the table with one who has been raised from the dead, but how will it be at the marriage supper of the Lamb?

4. Jesus had hitherto prevented any movement looking toward proclaiming Him as king. John 6:15. Why does He now accept the title?

5. What is the typical meaning of the palm branch?

6. To what did the disciples look forward as the result of this public demonstration? To what did Jesus look forward?

7. How is life only in Christ brought to our attention again in this lesson?