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LESSON I.—SABBATH, OCTOBER 7, 1899

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 20, 1899

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 25, No. 38.

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LESSON I.—SABBATH, OCTOBER 7, 1899.

ANOINTING OF JESUS IN THE HOUSE OF SIMON.

Bethany, beginning of A.D. 31.
Lesson Scripture, Matt. 26:6-16; Mark 14:3-11; John 12:1-11, R.V.
6 "Now WHEN JESUS was in Bethany, in the house of Simon 7 the leper, there came unto Him a woman having an alabaster cruse of exceeding precious ointment, and she poured it upon His head, as He sat at meat." 14 "Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, 15 went unto the chief priests, and said, What are ye willing to give me, and I will deliver Him unto you? And they weighed 16 unto him thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to deliver Him unto them."
3 "And while He was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster cruse of ointment of spikenard very costly; and she 4 brake the cruse, and poured it over His head. But there were some that had indignation among themselves, saying, To what 5 purpose hath this waste of the ointment been made? For this ointment might have been sold for above three hundred pence, 6 and given to the poor. And they murmured against her. But Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath 7 wrought a good work on Me. For ye have the poor always 8 with you, and whensoever ye will ye can do them good; but 9 Me ye have not always. She hath done what she could; she hath anointed My body aforehand for the burying. And verily I say unto you, Wheresoever the Gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, that also which this woman hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. 10 "And Judas Iscariot, he that was one of the twelve, went away unto the chief priests, that he might deliver Him unto 11 them. And they, when they heard it, were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently deliver Him unto them."
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." 4 "But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, which should be 5 betray Him, saith, Why was not this ointment sold for three 6 hundred pence, and given to the poor? 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." 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 10 dead. But the chief priests took counsel that they might put 11 Lazarus also to death; because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus."
NOTE.—The texts inclosed in marks of parentheses, while not essential to the lesson study, will be found to throw much light upon the lesson, and are suggested for those who wish to study further.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

  1. After leaving Jericho where do we next find Jesus? Matt. 26:6. (Matt. 21:17.)
  2. What was Jesus doing at that place? Mark 14:3. (Luke 7:36.)
  3. At what season did this visit to Bethany take place? John 12:1.
  4. In whose honor was this supper served? John 12:2.
  5. While Jesus reclined at meat, what did Mary do? Matt. 26:7. Note 1.
  6. Upon seeing Mary's act what did Judas say? John 12:4, 5. Note 2.
  7. What effect did his words seem to have upon some of the other disciples? Mark 14:4, 5.
  8. What caused Judas to talk in this way? John 12:6.
  9. What did Jesus say of Mary's act? Mark 14:6, 8.
  10. What did He say concerning the poor?
  11. When may we bestow gifts on them? V. 7. (Deut. 15:11.)
  12. How did Jesus say this gracious act should be kept in remembrance? Verse 9.
  13. When the Jews learned that Jesus was at Bethany what did they do? For what purpose? John 12:9.
  14. How did this curiosity about Lazarus make the chief priests feel? Verse 10. (Luke 16:31.)
  15. For what reason did they feel thus? V. 11. (Verses 17-19.)
  16. After receiving his rebuke for calling the anointing of Jesus a waste, what did Judas do? Matt. 26:14, 15. (Zech. 11:12.)
  17. How did the priests feel when Judas made known his errand? Mark 14:11.
  18. Altho still professing to be a disciple of Jesus, what did Judas do from that time forward? Matt. 26:16.
Side Lights.—"Desire of Ages," chapter 62; "Spirit of Prophecy," vol. 2, chapter 32.

NOTES.

1. Came unto Him a woman.—Some have concluded that the anointing of Jesus recorded in Luke 7:36-50, and the one described in Matt. 26:6-16, are the same, because in "Desire of Ages" and in "Spirit of Prophecy," vol. 2, the two accounts are blended in one. This is not a necessary conclusion, because we find similar events spoken of in the same connection in the Scriptures, as tho they were one and the same, and yet they were far removed from each other in point of time. The prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem and the second coming of Christ, as recorded in Matthew 24, is an example.
2. Precious ointment.—This was the costliest anointing oil known. It was made from an Indian plant, and sold throughout the Roman Empire at fabulous prices. It was a common thing to anoint the heads of rabbis, and special guests at marriage feasts, with fragrant oil, but this surpassed anything in that line then known. Her great sacrifice revealed the depth of Mary's love for her Master. Reckoning according to the standard of that day, this was more than £10, or about $50.