Mary’s Offering
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A hasty council of the priests and Pharisees was called to determine
how to proceed with regard to Jesus, in view of the excitement and
enthusiasm of the people on his account. They decided that it would
be dangerous to seize upon him openly on any pretext, for since the
raising of Lazarus the sympathies of the people were greatly in favor of
Jesus. So they determined to use craft and take him secretly, avoiding
all uproar or interference, carry on the mockery of a trial as quietly
as possible, and trust to the fickle tide of public opinion to set in their
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favor when it was known that Jesus was condemned to death.
But another consideration came up: If they should execute Jesus,
and Lazarus should remain as a witness of his miraculous power to
raise from the dead, the very fact that a man existed who had been four
days in the grave, and whose body had begun to decay, yet had been
called to life and health by a word from Jesus, would sooner or later
create a reaction and bring disaster upon themselves for sacrificing
the life of Him who could perform such a miracle for the benefit of
humanity. They therefore decided that Lazarus must also die. They felt
that if the people were to lose confidence in their rulers, the national
power would be destroyed.
To such lengths do envy and bitter prejudice lead their slaves.
In rejecting Christ, the Pharisees placed themselves where darkness
and superstition closed around them, until, continually increasing in
hatred and unbelief, they were ready to imbrue their hands in blood
to accomplish their unholy ends, and would even take the life of
one whom Infinite power had rescued from the grave. They placed
themselves where no power, human or divine, could reach them; they
sinned against the Holy Spirit, and God had no reserve power to meet
their case. Their rebellion against Christ was settled and determined;
he was a stumbling-block and a rock of offense to them; they would
not have this man Jesus to reign over them. While all this plotting
was going on at Jerusalem, Jesus was quietly resting from his labors
at the house of Lazarus. Simon of Bethany, whom Jesus had healed
of leprosy, wishing to show his Master special honor, made a supper
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and invited him and his friends as guests. The Saviour sat at the table,
with Simon, whom he had cured of a loathsome disease, on one side,
and Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead, on the other. Martha
served at the table, but Mary was earnestly listening to every word that
fell from the lips of Jesus. She saw that he was sad; she knew that