Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/648



Jesus loved  Martha  and  Mary,  and  yet  He  put off helping  them,  and  let  their  brother  die! He did  this  to  prove their faith  and  their  resignation  to  God’s  will,  and  also  because their trial  would  tend  to  the  glory  of  God  and  to  their  own  salvation. Be sure  that  Almighty  God’s  motive  is  one  of  love  when He visits  us  with  trials. Do not  murmur,  but  use  the  trial  for your salvation  by  bearing  it  patiently,  because  God  wills  it,  and for so  long  as  He  wills  it.

HE Paschal  feast  of  the  Jews  was  approaching,  and  Jesus set out  for  Jerusalem. At the  beginning  of  this  His  last journey to  the  holy  city,  He  said  to  the  twelve: “Behold,  we  go to  Jerusalem,  and  the  Son  of  man  shall  be  betrayed  to  the  Chief Priests and  to  the  Scribes  and  Ancients,  and  they  shall  condemn Him to  death  and  shall  deliver  Him  to  the  gentiles,  and  they shall mock  Him  and  spit  on  Him  and  scourge  Him  and  kill  Him; and the  third  day  He  shall  rise  again.”  But  the  apostles  understood none  of  these  things.

On his  way  He  passed  by  Jericho,  where  He  cured  a blind man sitting  by  the  wayside,  and  entered  into  the  house  of  Zacheus, the chief  of  the  publicans  [Luke  19,  1 — 10].

Six days  before  Easter  He  came  to  Bethania,  the  home  of Lazarus,  Mary  and  Martha. There a supper  was  prepared  for  Him in the  house  of  Simon  the  Leper,  and  Lazarus  was  one  of  those who sat  at  table  with  Him. Martha waited  upon  the  Lord,  but Mary brought  an  alabaster  box, a pound  of  most  precious