"He has gone to visit at the house of a man who is a sinner!"

For they took for granted because many of the tax gatherers were wicked men and robbed the people, that all of them were bad.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Jesus called out to Zaccheus in the tree: "Make haste and come down, for I must stop at your house today!"]

Zaccheus knew how they were feeling and what they were saying; so he came forward, and stood before Jesus and said:

"Hear me, Master! I will give half of all that I own to help the poor; and if I have robbed or cheated anyone, I will pay him back four times as much as he has lost!"

"Today," said Jesus, "in this house a man has been saved from his sins; since even Zaccheus here is a true son of Abraham our father. For the Son of Man has come to look after the lost ones and to save them."

As the people were listening, he went on and spoke a parable to them; for he knew that as he was going up to Jerusalem, they were looking for the kingdom of G.o.d to be set up at once. This was "The Parable of the Pounds."

"A certain prince," said Jesus, "was going to a city far away, to be made a king, and then to come back and rule over his own land. Before leaving, he called ten of his servants, and gave to each one five hundred dollars, and said to him, 'Trade with this until I come back.'

Then he went away.

"But the people of his land hated him, and sent messengers to follow him to the distant city and to say, 'We will not have this man as our king.'

"However, the prince was made king and came home to reign over his land.

Then he sent for his servants to whom he had given the money, so that he might learn how much each one had made by buying and selling. The first servant came and said:

"'My lord, the five hundred dollars which you gave me has gained five thousand dollars.'

"'Well done, you good servant,' said the king, 'because you have been so wise and faithful with a small amount, I will make you the governor over ten cities in my kingdom.'

"Then came another servant, who said, 'My lord, your five hundred dollars has made five times as much as you gave me. Here are twenty-five hundred dollars.'

"'Very well,' answered the king, 'you may be the ruler over five cities.'

"Soon one of the servants came, saying, 'My lord, here is your five hundred dollars, just as you gave it to me. I have kept it safe for you, wrapped up in a napkin. For I was afraid of you; you are such a hard, selfish man. You pick up what you never put down; and you reap what you do not sow.'

"'You worthless servant!' answered the king, 'out of your own words will I pa.s.s judgment upon you. You knew, did you, that I was a hard man, picking up what I never put down, and reaping what I did not sow! If you knew this, why then did you not put my money into the bank? Then when I came home I could have gotten interest upon it, the money gained by lending it.'

"Then he said to those standing by, 'Take away from him the five hundred dollars, and give it to the one who has five thousand dollars!'

"'My lord,' they said, 'why, he has five thousand dollars already! Why give it to him?'

"'That is the very reason why he should have it,' said the king. 'I tell you, that to him who has, more shall be given; and as for him who has not, even the little that he has shall be taken away from him.'"

"'And now, for these enemies of mine,' the king went on, 'those men who sent word that they would not have me for their king, seize them, and bind them in chains and bring them here. Let them be slain in my sight!'"

With these words Jesus went onward up the mountain road leading to Jerusalem.

The Alabaster Jar

CHAPTER 72

FROM JERICHO to Jerusalem was a journey of fifteen miles up the mountains by a very steep road; a road often dangerous on account of the robbers who were hidden among the rocks by the wayside. But at the time of the Pa.s.sover when thousands of people were going up to the feast, it was safe, through the crowds traveling together. Up this road Jesus walked with his disciples and a great throng of people, all on their way to the Pa.s.sover. He did not, however, go directly to Jerusalem, but turned aside when near the city, and stopped at the village of Bethany for a visit with his friends, Martha and Mary and Lazarus. They were very, very glad to see Jesus now, for you remember that on his last visit, some months before, he had called Lazarus out of his tomb to live again.

It was on Friday, just six days before the Pa.s.sover was to be held, that Jesus came to Bethany. There, at the house of a man named Simon, a supper was given in honor of Jesus. This Simon had been a leper, but had been cured by Jesus, so that he had his own reason for showing love and honor to Jesus. At the supper, the guests sat leaning on couches, with their heads toward the table and their feet away from it; and those who waited at the tables pa.s.sed the food and drink around to the guests.

Among those who were serving at the table was Martha, the sister of Lazarus.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mary anointing Jesus' feet with fragrant oil from the alabaster jar]

On the couch standing at the head of the table was leaning in the middle Simon, who gave the feast. On his right hand, in the place of honor, was Jesus; and on his left was Lazarus. On the side tables were lying the disciples of Jesus and other guests.

Suddenly, into the room came Mary, the sister of Lazarus. She carried in her arms a jar made of marble, of the kind called alabaster. Its cover was sealed; but Mary broke the seal, and at once a rich perfume arose in the air and floated not only through the dining hall, but the whole house, for the jar was filled with a very fragrant and costly oil. Mary walked up the aisle between the tables and the couches whereon the guests were lying. She came opposite to Jesus, and poured some of the oil upon his head; then walked around the couch, poured the rest of it upon his feet and wiped them with her long hair, hanging loose upon her shoulders.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Judas secretly bargaining with the chief priests for the betrayal of Jesus into their hands]

Everybody in the room was surprised at Mary's act; and one of the disciples of Jesus said aloud:

"What a waste this is? Why, that jar of perfume was worth at least fifty dollars! It might have been sold and the money given to the poor!"

The one who said this was Judas Iscariot, the wicked disciple who was already planning to give up his Lord to his enemies, the chief priests and rulers. Judas was the treasurer for Jesus and his twelve disciples.

They all lived as one family, kept their money in one purse, and in addition whatever money was given to Jesus by his friends. Judas kept this purse; but he was a thief, and stole some of the money, that he might use it for himself. When Judas saw all the precious oil poured upon the head and feet of Jesus, he was angry, for he looked upon it as so much money that he might have kept.

"Why do you find fault with this woman?" said Jesus. "It is a beautiful thing that she has done to me. You will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. As she poured this perfume on my body, she did it for my burial, which is soon to take place. I tell you, wherever in the whole world my gospel shall be preached, the act of this woman will be told, and she will be remembered on account of it."

All the friends of Jesus were expecting him soon to go to Jerusalem and set up his kingdom and rule. They did not understand his words about dying and rising from the dead. But Mary, among them all, knew that Jesus was soon to die, and it was not only to show her love toward him for bringing her brother to life, but in a very tender way to put into an act what she would not say in words, that her Lord would soon die and be buried.

After this supper, Judas Iscariot, the disciple who had spoken against Mary and her gift, quietly made up his mind to give Jesus over to his enemies. He saw that Jesus would not be such a king as he wished him to be, and he had begun to fear that his stealings were known, or at least suspected. He went secretly to the chief priests and the rulers and said to them:

"What will you pay me if I will give Jesus into your hands?"

They were glad to hear this, and said to him, "We will give you thirty pieces of silver."

This was a little less than twenty dollars in our money, and it was the price paid for a slave. Think of it, for the value of a slave, the Lord of all the earth was sold by one of his own chosen followers!

Judas was sharp in his dealing with the priests. He was afraid that, after he had given Jesus up to them, he might be cheated out of his money. So he said:

"Pay me the money now; and when the right time comes, I will show you how to make Jesus of Nazareth your prisoner."

They gave Judas the thirty pieces of silver; and from that moment Judas was looking for the chance to put Jesus into the hands of his enemies.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Jewish shekel]

Palm Sunday

CHAPTER 73