54
Daughters of God
Simon [
Simon was the one who had led Mary into sin. He was her
uncle. See Appendix A.
] had been healed of the leprosy, and it was
this that had drawn him to Jesus. He desired to show his gratitude, and
at Christ’s last visit to Bethany he made a feast for the Saviour and
His disciples.... At the table the Saviour sat with Simon ... on one side
and Lazarus ... on the other. Martha served at the table, but Mary was
earnestly listening to every word from the lips of Jesus. In His mercy,
Jesus had pardoned her sins, He had called forth her beloved brother
from the grave, and Mary’s heart was filled with gratitude. She had
heard Jesus speak of His approaching death, and in her deep love and
sorrow she had longed to show Him honor. At great personal sacrifice
she had purchased an alabaster box of “ointment of spikenard, very
costly,” with which to anoint His body. But now many were declaring
that He was about to be crowned king. Her grief was turned to joy,
and she was eager to be first in honoring her Lord. Breaking her box
of ointment, she poured its contents upon the head and feet of Jesus;
then, as she knelt weeping, moistening them with her tears, she wiped
[61]
His feet with her long, flowing hair....
Judas looked upon this act with great displeasure.... He asked,
“Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to
the poor?” ... The murmur passed round the table, “To what purpose
is this waste”? ... Mary heard the words of criticism.... She was
about to shrink away, when the voice of her Lord was heard, “Let her
alone; why trouble ye her?” ... Lifting His voice above the murmur of
criticism, He said, “She hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have
the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them
good: but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: she
is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.”—
The Desire of
Ages, 557-560 (1898)
.
The Samaritan Woman
This chapter is based on
John 4:5-42
.
The Jews and the Samaritans despised each other. One would
never ask a favor of the other even if the need were great. And they
would never address a woman unless she spoke first. When Jesus, a