the desire of ages-第97章

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the　palace　of　the　high　priest；　where　he　found　the　council　assembled；　and　he　offered　to　betray　Jesus　into　their　hands。

The　priests　were　greatly　rejoiced。　These　leaders　of　Israel　had　been　given　the　privilege　of　receiving　Christ　as　their　Saviour；　without　money　and　without　price。　But　they　refused　the　precious　gift　offered　them　in　the　most　tender　spirit　of　constraining　love。　They　refused　to　accept　that　salvation　which　is　of　more　value　than　gold；　and　bought　their　Lord　for　thirty　pieces　of　silver。

Judas　had　indulged　avarice　until　it　overpowered　every　good　trait　of　his　character。　He　grudged　the　offering　made　to　Jesus。　His　heart　burned　with　envy　that　the　Saviour　should　be　the　recipient　of　a　gift　suitable　for　the　monarchs　of　the　earth。　For　a　sum　far　less　than　the　box　of　ointment　cost；　he　betrayed　his　Lord。

The　disciples　were　not　like　Judas。　They　loved　the　Saviour。　But　they　did　not　rightly　appreciate　His　exalted　character。　Had　they　realized　what　He　had　done　for　them；　they　would　have　felt　that　nothing　bestowed　upon　Him　was　wasted。　The　wise　men　from　the　East；　who　knew　so　little　of　Jesus；　had　shown　a　truer　appreciation　of　the　honor　due　Him。　They　brought　precious　gifts　to　the　Saviour；　and　bowed　in　homage　before　Him　when　He　was　but　a　babe；　and　cradled　in　a　manger。

Christ　values　acts　of　heartfelt　courtesy。　When　anyone　did　Him　a　favor；　with　heavenly　politeness　He　blessed　the　actor。　He　did　not　refuse　the　simplest　flower　plucked　by　the　hand　of　a　child；　and　offered　to　Him　in　love。　He　accepted　the　offerings　of　children；　and　blessed　the　givers；　inscribing　their　names　in　the　book　of　life。　In　the　Scriptures；　Mary's　anointing　of　Jesus　is　mentioned　as　distinguishing　her　from　the　other　Marys。　Acts　of　love　and　reverence　for　Jesus　are　an　evidence　of　faith　in　Him　as　the　Son　of　God。　And　the　Holy　Spirit　mentions；　as　evidences　of　woman's　loyalty　to　Christ：　〃If　she　have　washed　the　saints'　feet；　if　she　have　relieved　the　afflicted；　if　she　have　diligently　followed　every　good　work。〃　1　Tim。　5：10。

Christ　delighted　in　the　earnest　desire　of　Mary　to　do　the　will　of　her　Lord。　He　accepted　the　wealth　of　pure　affection　which　His　disciples　did　not；　would　not；　understand。　The　desire　that　Mary　had　to　do　this　service　for　her　Lord　was　of　more　value　to　Christ　than　all　the　precious　ointment　in　the　world；　because　it　expressed　her　appreciation　of　the　world's　Redeemer。　It　was　the　love　of　Christ　that　constrained　her。　The　matchless　excellence　of　the　character　of　Christ　filled　her　soul。　That　ointment　was　a　symbol　of　the　heart　of　the　giver。　It　was　the　outward　demonstration　of　a　love　fed　by　heavenly　streams　until　it　overflowed。

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The　work　of　Mary　was　just　the　lesson　the　disciples　needed　to　show　them　that　the　expression　of　their　love　for　Him　would　be　pleasing　to　Christ。　He　had　been　everything　to　them；　and　they　did　not　realize　that　soon　they　would　be　deprived　of　His　presence；　that　soon　they　could　offer　Him　no　token　of　their　gratitude　for　His　great　love。　The　loneliness　of　Christ；　separated　from　the　heavenly　courts；　living　the　life　of　humanity；　was　never　understood　or　appreciated　by　the　disciples　as　it　should　have　been。　He　was　often　grieved　because　His　disciples　did　not　give　Him　that　which　He　should　have　received　from　them。　He　knew　that　if　they　were　under　the　influence　of　the　heavenly　angels　that　accompanied　Him；　they　too　would　think　no　offering　of　sufficient　value　to　declare　the　heart's　spiritual　affection。

Their　afterknowledge　gave　them　a　true　sense　of　the　many　things　they　might　have　done　for　Jesus　expressive　of　the　love　and　gratitude　of　their　hearts；　while　they　were　near　Him。　When　Jesus　was　no　longer　with　them；　and　they　felt　indeed　as　sheep　without　a　shepherd；　they　began　to　see　how　they　might　have　shown　Him　attentions　that　would　have　brought　gladness　to　His　heart。　They　no　longer　cast　blame　upon　Mary；　but　upon　themselves。　Oh；　if　they　could　have　taken　back　their　censuring；　their　presenting　the　poor　as　more　worthy　of　the　gift　than　was　Christ！　They　felt　the　reproof　keenly　as　they　took　from　the　cross　the　bruised　body　of　their　Lord。

The　same　want　is　evident　in　our　world　today。　But　few　appreciate　all　that　Christ　is　to　them。　If　they　did；　the　great　love　of　Mary　would　be　expressed；　the　anointing　would　be　freely　bestowed。　The　expensive　ointment　would　not　be　called　a　waste。　Nothing　would　be　thought　too　costly　to　give　for　Christ；　no　self…denial　or　self…sacrifice　too　great　to　be　endured　for　His　sake。

The　words　spoken　in　indignation；　〃To　what　purpose　is　this　waste？〃　brought　vividly　before　Christ　the　greatest　sacrifice　ever　made；the　gift　of　Himself　as　the　propitiation　for　a　lost　world。　The　Lord　would　be　so　bountiful　to　His　human　family　that　it　could　not　be　said　of　Him　that　He　could　do　more。　In　the　gift　of　Jesus；　God　gave　all　heaven。　From　a　human　point　of　view；　such　a　sacrifice　was　a　wanton　waste。　To　human　reasoning　the　whole　plan　of　salvation　is　a　waste　of　mercies　and　resources。　Self…denial　and　wholehearted　sacrifice　meet　us　everywhere。　Well　may　the　heavenly　host　look　with　amazement　upon　the　human　family　who　refuse　to　be　uplifted　and　enriched　with　the　boundless　love　expressed　in　Christ。　Well　may　they　exclaim；　Why　this　great　waste？

But　the　atonement　for　a　lost　world　was　to　be　full；　abundant；　and

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complete。　Christ's　offering　was　exceedingly　abundant　to　reach　every　soul　that　God　had　created。　It　could　not　be　restricted　so　as　not　to　exceed　the　number　who　would　accept　the　great　Gift。　All　men　are　not　saved；　yet　the　plan　of　redemption　is　not　a　waste　because　it　does　not　accomplish　all　that　its　liberality　has　provided　for。　There　must　be　enough　and　to　spare。

Simon　the　host　had　been　influenced　by　the　criticism　of　Judas　upon　Mary's　gift；　and　he　was　surprised　at　the　conduct　of　Jesus。　His　Pharisaic　pride　was　offended。　He　knew　that　many　of　his　guests　were　looking　upon　Christ　with　distrust　and　displeasure。　Simon　said　in　his　heart；　〃This　Man；　if　He　were　a　prophet；　would　have　known　who　and　what　manner　of　woman　this　is　that　toucheth　Him：　for　she　is　a　sinner。〃

By　curing　Simon　of　leprosy；　Christ　had　saved　him　from　a　living　death。　But　now　Simon　questioned　whether　the　Saviour　were　a　prophet。　Because　Christ　allowed　this　woman　to　approach　Him；　because　He　did　not　indignantly　spurn　her　as　one　whose　sins　were　too　great　to　be　forgiven；　because　He　did　not　show　that　He　realized　she　had　fallen；　Simon　was　tempted　to　think　that　He　was　not　a　prophet。　Jesus　knows　nothing　of　this　woman　who　is　so　free　in　her　demonstrations；　he　thought；　or　He　would　not　allow　her　to　touch　Him。

But　it　was　Simon's　ignorance　of　God　and　of　Christ　that　led　him　to　think　as　he　did。　He　did　not　realize　that　God's　Son　must　act　in　God's　way；　with　compassion；　tenderness；　and　mercy。　Simon's　way　was　to　take　no　notice　of　Mary's　penitent　service。　Her　act　of　kissing　Christ's　feet　and　anointing　them　with　ointment　was　exasperating　to　his　hardheartedness。　He　thought　that　if　Christ　were　a　prophet；　He　would　recognize　sinners　and　rebuke　them。

To　this　unspoken　thought　the　Saviour　answered：　〃Simon；　I　have　somewhat　to　say　unto　thee。　。　。　。　There　was　a　certain　creditor　which　had　two　debtors：　the　one　owed　five　hundred　pence；　and　the　other　fifty。　And　when　they　had　nothing　to　pay；　he　frankly　forgave　them　both。　Tell　Me　therefore；　which　of　them　will　love　him　most？　Simon　answered　and　said；　I　suppose　that　he；　to　whom　he　forgave　most。　And　He　said　unto　him；　Thou　hast　rightly　judged。〃

As　did　Nathan　with　David；　Christ　concealed　His　home　thrust　under　the　veil　of　a　parable。　He　threw　upon　His　host　the　burden　of　pronouncing　sentence　upon　himself。　Simon　had　led　into　sin　the　woman　he　now　despised。　She　had　been　deeply　wronged　by　him。　By　the　two　debtors　of　the　parable；　Simon　and　the　woman　were　represented。　Jesus　did　not　design　to　teach　that　different　degrees　of　obligation　should　be　felt　by　the

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two　persons；　for　each　owed　a　debt　of　gratitude　that　never　could　be　repaid。　But　Simon　felt　himself　more　righteous　than　Mary；　and　Jesus　desired　him　to　see　how　great　his　guilt　really　was。　He　would　show　him　that　his　sin　was　greater　than　hers；　as　much　greater　as　a　debt　of　five　hundred　pence　exceeds　a　debt　of　fifty　pence。

Simon　now　began　to　see　himself　in　a　new　light。　He　saw　how　Mary　was　regarded　by　One　who　was　more　than　a　prophet。　He　saw　that　with　keen　prophetic　eye　Christ　read　her　heart　of　love　and　devotion。　Shame　seized　upon　him；　and　he　realized　that　he　was　in　the　presence　of　One　superior　to　himself。

〃I　entered　into　thine　house；〃　Christ　continued；　〃thou　gavest　Me　no　water　for　My　feet；〃　but　with　tears　of　repentance；　prompted　by　love；　Mary　hath　washed　My　feet；　and　wiped　them　with　the　hair　of　her　head。　〃Thou　gavest　Me　no　kiss：　but　this　woman；〃　whom　you　despise；　〃since　the　time　I　came　in　hath　not　ceased　to　kiss　My　feet。〃　Christ　recounted　the　opportunities　Simon　had　had　to　show　his　love　for　his　Lord；　and　his　appreciation　of　what　had　been　done　for　him。　Plainly；　yet　with　delicate　politeness；　the　Saviour　assured　His　disciples　that　His　heart　is　grieved　when　His　children　neglect　to　show　their　gratitude　to　Him　by　words　and　deeds　of　love。

The　Heart　Searcher　read　the　motive　that　led　to　Mary's　action；　and　He　saw　also　the　spirit　that　prompted　Simon's　words。　〃Seest　thou　this　woman？〃　He　said　to　him。　She　is　a　sinner。　〃I　say　unto　thee；　Her　sins；　which　are　many；　are　forgiven；　for　she　loved　much：　but　to　whom　little　is　forgiven；　the　same　loveth　little。〃

Simon's　coldness　and　neglect　toward　the　Saviour　showed　how　little　he　appreciated　the　mercy　he　had　received。　He　had　thought　he　honored　Jesus　by　inviting　Him　to　his　house。　But　he　now　saw　himself　as　he　really　was。　While　he　thought　himself　reading　his　Guest；　his　Guest　had　been　reading　him。　He　saw　how　true　Christ's　judgment　of　him　was。　His　religion　had　been　a　robe　of　Pharisaism。　He　had　despised　the　compassion　of　Jesus。　He　had　not　recognized　Him　as　the　representative　of　God。　While　Mary　was　a　sinner　pardoned；　he　was　a　sinner　unpardoned。　The　rigid　rule　of　justice　he　had　desired　to　enforce　against　her　condemned　him。

Simon　was　touched　by　the　kindness　of　Jesus　in　not　openly　rebuking　him　before　the　guests。　He　had　not　been　treated　as　he　desired　Mary　to　be　treated。　He　saw　that　Jesus　did　not　wish　to　expose　his　guilt　to　others；　but　sought　by　a　true　statement　of　the　case　to　convince　his　mind；　and　by　pitying　kindness　to　subdue　his　heart。　Stern　denunciation　would　have　hardened　Simon　against　repentance；　but　patient　admonition　convinced

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him　of　his　error。　He　saw　the　magnitude　of　the　debt　which　he　owed　his　Lord。　His　pride　was　humbled；　he　repented；　and　the　proud　Pharisee　became　a　lowly；　self…sacrificing　disciple。

Mary　had　been　looked　upon　as　a　great　sinner；　but　Christ　knew　the　circumstances　that　had　shaped　her　life。　He　might　have　extinguished　every　spark　of　hope　in　her　soul；　but　He　did　not。　It　was　He　who　had　lifted　her　from　despair　and　ruin。　Seven　times　she　had　heard　His　rebuke　of　the　demons　that　controlled　her　heart　and　mind。　She　had　heard　His　strong　cries　to　the　Father　in　her　behalf。　She　knew　how　offensive　is　sin　to　His　unsullied　purity；　and　in　His　strength　she　had　overcome。

When　to　human　eyes　her　case　appeared　hopeless；　Christ　saw　in　Mary　capabilities　for　good。　He　saw　the　better　traits　of