The Sabbath School

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 21, 1897

The Sabbath School

International Series.

LESSON VI.—SABBATH, FEBRUARY 6, 1897.

THE SUPPER AT BETHANY; THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY.

Lesson Scripture, John 11:54 to 12:19, R. V.

54 “Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews, but departed thence into the country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim; and there he tarried with the disciples. 55 And the Passover of the Jews was at hand: and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover, to purify themselves. 56 They sought therefore for Jesus, and spake one with another, as they stood in the temple, What think ye? That he will not come to the feast? Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given commandment, that, if any man knew where he was, he should show it, that they might take him.”

1 “Jesus therefore six days before the Passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus raised from the dead. 2 So they made him a supper there; and Martha served; but Lazarus was one of them that sat at meat with him. 3 Mary therefore took a pound of ointment of spikenard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, which should betray him, saith, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 6 Now this he said, not because he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and having the bag took away what was put therein. 7 Suffer her to keep it against the day of my burying. For the poor ye have always with you; but me ye have not always. 9 The common people therefore of the Jews learned that he was there: and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 But the chief priests took counsel that they might put Lazarus also to death; 11 because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus. 12 On the morrow a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took the branches of the palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried out, Hosanna: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel. 14 And Jesus, having found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, 15 Fear not, daughter of Zion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt. 16 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 they had done these things unto him. 17 The multitude therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb, and raised him from the dead, bare witness. 18 For this cause also the multitude went and met him, for that they heard that he had done this sign. 19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Behold how ye prevail nothing; lo, the world is gone after him.”

QUESTIONS.

1. What precaution did Jesus now take on account of the plot against his life?

2. To what place did he retire? Who were with him?

3. What annual gathering was soon to be held?

4. What brought many to Jerusalem before the time of this gathering?

5. What did these people do? What did they say?

6. What announcement had been made by the authorities with a view to the arrest of Jesus?

7. Where did Jesus go about a week before the Passover? Who was there?

8. What mark of respect was paid to Jesus? Who assisted in serving? Who was one of the guests?

9. What prophetic deed of love was done to Jesus? What made the act known to all the guests?

10. How was this act criticized? Who made the criticism?

11. What was the real ground of this complaint?

12. In what answer did Jesus approve the deed?

13. What reason did he give for his approval?

14. What now became known to many of the people?

15. What special reason did they have for visiting the place?

16. What did the authorities now plan to do?

17. What was the reason for planning this deliberate murder?

18. As soon as it was known that Jesus was really coming to Jerusalem, what did the people do?

19. What cry was raised?

20. Upon what was Jesus riding?

21. What prophecy was thus fulfilled?

22. When was the full meaning of this occurrence understood?

23. Who were present to bear witness of Jesus at the resurrection and the life?

24. What influence did his last miracle have upon this occurrence?

25. What effect did these things have upon the Pharisees?

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. 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 men adopt sanctimonious phraseology to hide their 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!”

4. 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.”

5. “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.”

6. “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 multitudes, 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?