the desire of ages-第118部分

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ointing　Jesus。　The　Holy　Spirit　had　planned　for　her；　and　she　had　obeyed　His　promptings。　Inspiration　stoops　to　give　no　reason。　An　unseen　presence；　it　speaks　to　mind　and　soul；　and　moves　the　heart　to　action。　It　is　its　own　justification。

Christ　told　Mary　the　meaning　of　her　act；　and　in　this　He　gave　her

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more　than　He　had　received。　〃In　that　she　hath　poured　this　ointment　on　My　body；〃　He　said；　〃she　did　it　for　My　burial。〃　As　the　alabaster　box　was　broken；　and　filled　the　whole　house　with　its　fragrance；　so　Christ　was　to　die；　His　body　was　to　be　broken；　but　He　was　to　rise　from　the　tomb；　and　the　fragrance　of　His　life　was　to　fill　the　earth。　Christ　〃hath　loved　us；　and　hath　given　Himself　for　us　an　offering　and　a　sacrifice　to　God　for　a　sweet…smelling　savor。〃　Eph。　5：2。

〃Verily　I　say　unto　you；〃　Christ　declared；　〃Wheresoever　this　gospel　shall　be　preached　throughout　the　whole　world；　this　also　that　she　hath　done　shall　be　spoken　of　for　a　memorial　of　her。〃　Looking　into　the　future；　the　Saviour　spoke　with　certainty　concerning　His　gospel。　It　was　to　be　preached　throughout　the　world。　And　as　far　as　the　gospel　extended；　Mary's　gift　would　shed　its　fragrance；　and　hearts　would　be　blessed　through　her　unstudied　act。　Kingdoms　would　rise　and　fall；　the　names　of　monarchs　and　conquerors　would　be　forgotten；　but　this　woman's　deed　would　be　immortalized　upon　the　pages　of　sacred　history。　Until　time　should　be　no　more；　that　broken　alabaster　box　would　tell　the　story　of　the　abundant　love　of　God　for　a　fallen　race。

Mary's　act　was　in　marked　contrast　with　that　which　Judas　was　about　to　do。　What　a　sharp　lesson　Christ　might　have　given　him　who　had　dropped　the　seed　of　criticism　and　evil　thinking　into　the　minds　of　the　disciples！　How　justly　the　accuser　might　have　been　accused！　He　who　reads　the　motives　of　every　heart；　and　understands　every　action；　might　have　opened　before　those　at　the　feast　dark　chapters　in　the　experience　of　Judas。　The　hollow　pretense　on　which　the　traitor　based　his　words　might　have　been　laid　bare；　for；　instead　of　sympathizing　with　the　poor；　he　was　robbing　them　of　the　money　intended　for　their　relief。　Indignation　might　have　been　excited　against　him　for　his　oppression　of　the　widow；　the　orphan；　and　the　hireling。　But　had　Christ　unmasked　Judas；　this　would　have　been　urged　as　a　reason　for　the　betrayal。　And　though　charged　with　being　a　thief；　Judas　would　have　gained　sympathy；　even　among　the　disciples。　The　Saviour　reproached　him　not；　and　thus　avoided　giving　him　an　excuse　for　his　treachery。

But　the　look　which　Jesus　cast　upon　Judas　convinced　him　that　the　Saviour　penetrated　his　hypocrisy；　and　read　his　base；　contemptible　character。　And　in　commending　Mary's　action；　which　had　been　so　severely　condemned；　Christ　had　rebuked　Judas。　Prior　to　this；　the　Saviour　had　never　given　him　a　direct　rebuke。　Now　the　reproof　rankled　in　his　heart。　He　determined　to　be　revenged。　From　the　supper　he　went　directly　to

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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　sin