Matt. xxvi. 7. of very precious ointment, John xii. 3. a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, Mark xiv. 3 and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. Matt. xxvi. 7. as he sat at meat. John xii. 3. Matt. xxvi. 8. and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet But when his disciples saw it, Mark xiv. 4. there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? Mark xiv. 5. * Bethany. For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. See Matt. And they murmured against her. Matt. xxvi. 8. To what purpose is this waste? John xii. 4. John xii, 5. John xii. 6. Mark xiv. 6. Mark xiv. 7. Mark xiv. 8. John xii. 7. Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Why was not this ointment sold for three hun- xviii. 29. This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, b Ch. xiii. 29. and bare what was put therein. And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? 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: : Let her alone against the day of my burying version extant; and the latter derives the word from the name of Pista, a Persian city, mentioned by Æschylus, Τάδε μὲν Περσῶν τῶν οἰχομένων Ελλάδ ̓ ἐς alav Iliorà kadɛiraι, Persæ, line 1, 2. on which the Scholiast observes, ȧyνοοῦσι δ ̓ ὅτι πόλις ἐστι Περσῶν ἔσωθεν Πιστεῖρα καλουμένη, ἣν συνκόψας ὁ ποιητὴς Πιστὰ ἔφη—the only objection to this opinion is, that nard does not grow in Persia. It might, however, be imported from India, and manufactured there for the use of the merchants. Abulfeda is quoted both by Lampe and Pfeiffer, to prove that Pista was the metropolis of Caramania, a large and flourishing city on the river Indus. Pfeiffer, after reviewing these various opinions, comes to the same conclusion as Luther and Kuinoel (Com. in Hist. lib. N. T. in Mark xiv. 3.) that it signifies unadulterated, or pure, and is derived from rioriç. He quotes Casaubon's observation, that σTIKòç signifies that which can be depended upon, or which deserves confidence. Eusebius (Demons. Evang. lib. viii.) calls the wine of the Eucharist, κράμα πιστικὸν τῆς καινῆς διαθήκης. Bethany. c Mark xiv. 3. John xi. 1. d Deut. xv.11. For in that she hath poured this ointment on Matt.xxvi.12. my body, she did it for my burial. say unto you, Wheresoever this Gos- Mark xiv. 9, she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the Mark xiv. 8. Much people of the Jews therefore knew that John xii. 9. But the Chief Priests consulted that they John xii, 10. might put Lazarus also to death; Because that by reason of him many of the John xii. 11. Jews went away and believed on Jesus. MATT. xxvi. ver. 6. part of ver. 7, 8. and ver. 9, 10, 11, 13. 6 ¢ Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, 7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box-and poured it on his head 9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. 10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. 11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. 13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her. 7 Then said Jesus JOHN xii. part of ver. 7, and ver. 8. 8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always. SECTION LIII. Near Jerusalem. prepares to enter Jerusalem. MARK Xi. 18. Christ MATT. xxi. 1—8. And it came to pass, LUKE XIX. 29-36. Luke xix. 29. John xii. 12. when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were Matt. xxi. 1. come, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Beth- Luke xix. 29. any, at the mount called the mount of Olives, much people that were come to the feast, when John xii. 12 they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, Took branches of palm-trees, and went forth to John xii. 13. meet him, and cried, Hosanna; Blessed is the King Near Jerusa of Israel, that cometh in the name of the Lord : Matt. xxi. 1. then sent Jesus forth two of his disciples, And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you and as soon as ye be entered into it, straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt tied with her, Luke xix. 30. whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring Matt. xxi. 2. Luke xix. 31. Mark xi. 3. Matt. xxi. 4. John xli. 14. him hither. unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, and straightway he will send him hither. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled, e Fear not, daughter of Sion": lem. Zech. ix. 9. 39 ON ZECHARIAH IX. 9. This prediction of Zechariah, four hundred years before the event, announced to the people of Israel, that the king of Jerusalem, contrary to the universal custom of his own, and of every other nation, should enter into his royal city, without any outward pomp and splendour; that he should ride upon the humblest of animals; himself the meekest and lowliest of men, yet the Saviour of his people, and, as such, be received by them with the loudest rejoicings and acclamations. We are assured, by the Prophet Malachi also, that the Messiah should certainly visit the second temple at Jerusalem. Let me now, then, appeal to the Jew who receives the Old Testament, and entreat him to search the records of the history of his fathers, and there find if any Prophet, Priest, or King, or Ruler of Israel, before the destruction of the second temple, ever entered into Jerusalem, as Jesus of Nazareth is here represented to have done; and which of all these rulers of Israel united so many of their ancient prophecies in his own person. Of all the long train of Persian, Grecian, Roman, or Jewish rulers, to whom can we apply the prophecy of Zechariah, and assert that he rode into Jerusalem humble, royal, and a Saviour, visiting and appearing in their temple? Ezra was in their city when the prophecy was delivered (a). The successor of the Persian conqueror was reposing in his palace. Nehemiah went up to Jerusalem, attended by the captains and cavalry of the king of Persia, (Nehem. ii. 9.) When he arose privately in the night, he was accompanied by few only of his train, and though he (a) Vide on the date of this prophecy, &c. &c. Arrangement of the Old Testament, vol. ii. p. 857, and the references in the note. Near Jerusa lem. Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King Matt, xxi. 5. f Isa. Ixii. 11. cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. Zech. ix. 9. rode, it was not in the manner described by the prophet (b); and of this his Did the governors of Syria, under the Persian sovereigns of Judæa, visit Jeru- Let us turn our attention to another dynasty, and search among them also for this meek and humble Saviour, and King of Israel. Did Antiochus the great protect the people? It is true that they welcomed, with acclamations, his army -Nehem. ii. 12, whereas the pre אין עמי כי אם הבהמה אשר אני רכב בה (6) .רכב על חמור ועל עיר בן אתנות,dicted King of Zechariah was to enter the city (c) Vide Arrangement of the Old Testament, vol. ii. p. 893. (d) Sub præ- phus Ant. b. xi. ch. viii. (f) Jose John xii. 16. These things understood not his disciples at the Near Jerusafirst but when Jesus was glorified, then remem lem. and their elephants; but where do we read that this king entered Jerusalem on Brethren of Israel, you acknowledge the miracles of Christ, although you im |