1. Now after two days was the feast of the passover and the unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him with subtlety, and kill him: 2 for they said, Not during the feast, lest haply there shall be a tumult of the people. 3 And while he was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster cruse of ointment of pure nard very costly; and she brake the cruse, and poured it over his head. 4 But there were some that had indignation among themselves, saying, To what purpose hath this waste of the ointment been made? 5 For this ointment might have been sold for above three hundred shillings, and given to the poor. And they murmured against her. 6 But Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. 7 For ye have the poor always with you, and whensoever ye will ye can do them good: but me ye have not always. 8 She hath done what she could; she hath anointed my body beforehand for the burying. 9 And verily I say unto you, Wheresoever the gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, that also which this woman hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
Verses 1, 2. Read the parallel passage in Matt. 26:1-5. On what course did they decide? Whose weapon is that? 2 Cor. 11:3. Is "subtlety" the same as "wisdom"? (James 3:15, 17). What time had they decided not to kill Him? Did it turn out so?
Verse 3. Where was Jesus now? When had He arrived there? (John 12:1). How many days had passed before the time of this lesson? See v. 1. Who was the woman that brought the ointment? (John 12:3). Some have confused this incident with that of Luke 7:36-50--could they be the same?
Verse 4. Who really started that criticism? (John 12:4, 5). Did he really care so much for the poor? If we tried to raise money for the poor, would we get more from Mary or from Judas? Why did all the disciples fall in with Judas' view? (Cp. 1 Cor. 5:6).
Verse 5. How large as sum was 300 shillings? (See Matt. 20:2; John 6:7). How far did the disciples go in their disapproval of Mary's noble act?
Verses 6-8. How did Jesus vindicate her? Was this a rare and special opportunity to show personal love and gratitude to the Lord Jesus? How do we have to show our love to Him? (Matt. 25:40; John 21:15-17; Heb. 6:10). Will there ever be a time when we shall have no "poor" with us? What great testimony did Jesus bear to the woman? What deeper significance (which probably Mary herself did not realize) lay in this act of anointing? Is it not better to pour our fragrant ointment of love and appreciation upon our friends and loved ones while they are yet alive and with us?
Verse 9. What reward did Jesus promise for the woman? Did he seem to think that the news of His life and death would be proclaimed the wide world over? Was there much human respect of such a thing just then? But did it turn out that way? Will Jesus forget the service of love today, or shall they be forgotten who perform it? [222]
NOTES ON LESSON 9.
MARK 13: THE OLIVET SERMON.
The regular (international) lessons skip this chapter entirely. For those who desire to study all of the gospel of Mark in the course of these lessons, these notes and outlines are appended.
Mark 13:1, 2 give the occasion of the discourse. On the mount those disciples who were with Him (v. 3) asked Him more particularly. Matthew (24:3) gives their question in fullest form. It was threefold: (1) "When shall these things [the destruction of the temple] be?" (2) "What shall be the sign of thy coming" (3)--"and of the end of the world?" Matthew also gives the fullest report of the sermon, answering especially questions (3) and (2). The answer is to question (1) is found in clear, brief words in Luke 21:20-24.
We will divide Mark 13 now according to its natural paragraphs:
I. Verses 5-8.
A Warning against false Christs. (Vs. 5, 6).
A Reassurance regarding "wars and rumors of wars." These do not signify the End. (V. 7).
A Prediction of a World-War, attended by earthquakes and famines: this is the beginning of travail (V. 8.)
II. Verses 9-13.
Prediction of severe persecution of Christ's disciples. These precede the End. (V. 13). This paragraph runs parallel with Matt. 24:9-13, where it is seen that this period of persecution follows the World-War and come shortly before the End. In Luke 21:12-19 another spell of persecution is described. which precedes the World-War, and belongs to the early days of Christianity. (Luke 21:10-20).
III. Verses 14-23.
The Great Tribulation. It begins with the appearance of the sign predicted by Daniel (v. 14; comp. Matt. 24:15); it centers upon Jerusalem and Judea (v. 14); it is unequalled for all past and future (v. 19) and is immediately followed by celestial prodigies, culminating in the appearing of the Lord (Matt. 24:29, 30). During that terrific stress and danger of trusting in false Christs rises to an extreme. (vs. 21-23).
IV. Verses 24-27.
The Sequel to the Great Tribulation: heavenly portents, followed by the glorious coming of Jesus Christ.
V. Verses 28-32.
These then are the signs of His Coming--when He comes in glory to avenge and to judge. The "generation" spoken of in verse 30 is Israel. All lexicons of which I know give "race, stock, breed," as additional definitions of the word translated "generation." The Bible so uses the term. (Deut. 32:5). The Olivet prophecy concerns more directly the Jewish remnant of believers in that period. The faithful of the church as such has a more immediate hope (1 Thess. 4:16-18) and a promise of exemption from the terrible hour of world-wide trial. But (like the Sermon on the Mount, and Jesus' other sermons) while Jewish in coloring, this sermon is applicable in its lessons to the church also.
VI. Verses 33-37.
This is the practical lesson to them and to us--even to all (v. 37). Read also Luke 21:34-36.
JUDAS. Mark 14:10, 11.
The beautiful lesson of Mary's devotion (which no doubt was directly called forth by the work the Savior did in that home, John 11) is followed by a reference to Judas' treachery. What did this man think? His awful remorse might indicate that after all he had not expected such an outcome of his act. Rarely do sinners realize the full enormity and consequence of their deeds. Satan got hold of him by the "Love-of-Money" road (1 Tim. 6:10), and finding him responsive and susceptible, (John 12:6) he finally entered and took possession of him (John 13:27). Then Judas went the limit. His deed will come up again in the course of the next lesson. [223]
Source:
First Lord's Day Lesson of June.
Lesson 9. June 2, 1918. Jesus Gratefully Accepts Unselfish Service