Sinners in derision crowned Him, Mocking thus the Saviour's claim; Saints and angels crowd around Him, Own His t.i.tle, praise His Name: Crown Him, crown Him; Spread abroad the Victor's fame.

Hark, those bursts of acclamation!

Hark, those loud triumphant chords!

Jesus takes the highest station: O what joy the sight affords!

Crown Him, crown Him; "King of kings, and Lord of lords."

--_Thomas Kelly_.

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How the Lord Jesus spent His last days in Jerusalem, how He loved His friends unto the end, how He fell into the hands of His enemies, and how he crowned a life of service with a heroic death.

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PERSONS OF THE STORY.

_The LORD JESUS_.

_The Disciples_.

_Lazarus_.

_Mary_.

_Martha_.

_Judas_.

_Annas_.

_Caiaphas_.

_Herod_.

_Pilate, the Roman Governor_.

_Joseph of Arimathaea_.

_The people of Jerusalem, Pharisees, priests, soldiers, the two thieves_.

_Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary Magdalene and other women_.

PLACES OF THE STORY.

_Jerusalem_.

_Bethany_.

_An upper chamber in the city_.

_Gethsemane_.

_Palace of the high priest_.

_The Hall of Judgment_.

_Pilate's palace_.

_The palace of Herod_.

_Pilate's Judgment Hall_.

_Calvary_.

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I

THE SUPPER AT BETHANY

_How the Lord Jesus Was Bid to a Feast of Loving Tribute_.

The pa.s.sover of the Jews was at hand: and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the pa.s.sover, to purify themselves. They sought therefore for Jesus, and spoke one with another, as they stood in the temple, "What think ye? That he will not come to the feast?"

Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given commandment, that, if any man knew where he was, he should show it, that they might take him.

Jesus therefore six days before the pa.s.sover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus raised from the dead. So they made him a supper there: and Martha served; and Lazarus was one of them that sat at meat with him. Mary therefore took a pound of ointment of spikenard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, who was about to betray him, saith, "Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?"

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But Jesus said, "Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor always with you, and whensoever ye will ye can do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: she hath anointed my body beforehand for the burying.

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."

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[Ill.u.s.tration]

THE TRIUMPHANT ENTRY OF JESUS INTO JERUSALEM.

[End ill.u.s.tration]

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II

THE ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM.

_How the Lord Jesus Rode for Once in Triumph_.

(THE WEEK OF THE CRUCIFIXION--SUNDAY.)

The next morning he went to Jerusalem, and when he drew near Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, saying, "Go your way into the village over against you; in which as ye enter ye shall find a colt tied, whereon no man ever yet sat: loose him, and bring him. And if any one ask you, 'Why do ye loose him?' thus shall ye say, 'The Lord hath need of him.'"

And they that were sent went away, and found even as he had said unto them. And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, "Why loose ye the colt?"

And they said, "The Lord hath need of him."

And they brought him to Jesus: and they threw their garments upon the colt, and set Jesus thereon. And as he went, they spread their garments in the way. And as he was now drawing nigh, at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole mult.i.tude of the disciples began to rejoice {234} and praise G.o.d with a loud voice for all the mighty works which they had seen; saying,--

"Blessed is the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest!"

And some of the Pharisees from the mult.i.tude said unto him, "Master, rebuke thy disciples."

And he answered and said, "I tell you that, if these shall hold their peace, the stones will cry out."

And when he drew nigh, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, "If thou hadst known in this day, even thou, the things which belong unto peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, when thine enemies shall besiege thee, and keep thee in on every side, and shall dash thee to the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation."

And he entered into Jerusalem, into the temple; and when he had looked round about upon all things, it being now eventide, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.

And every day he was teaching in the temple; and every night he went out, and lodged in the Mount of Olives. And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, to hear him.