The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 174

doubtless the loader, and the others readily chimed in. As it has been so.iii," Censure inf('('ts like a plRgue." Nor must we look only at the positive /auU-.find,ing. H no fault bad been found, still there would hn.ve been lack of appreciation. The absence or blame is not the presenoe of prnise. It was peculiarly a woman's wl\y of showing gratit.ude. It took a Being like Jesus, who un<lerstands all the movements of the heart, in woman as in man, to appr<.'ciate the gift and act of grateful Mary. Even Mn.rtha would bar<lly understand Mary, though it was not an occasion for her to say anything. ill. MARY FINDS A '.MIGHTY DEFENDER IN JEsus. "The Lord God is e. Sun and Shield." Jesu~ had risen, a true Sun of qurnchless light,on the dark,dark night of Ml\ry's sorrow-a night that seemed without a single star; and now he comes as I\ Shield, to f'helt~r her from the darts of an avaricious foe. Mary did her best, n11cording to know- ledge and opportunity. Jasus ea.red very little for the fragrant spikenard in itself; the perfume from a thousand gardens is his. The fragrance was not in the gift, but in the giving. And who ca.n tell but what Mary was really helping the poor? If she "pent three hundred pence and more with the growers and makers of spikenard, that would help to prevent them getting poor. It is better to do this than help the poor when they are poor. But Mary was also doing more than she knew. The deep impulse of love was also an impulse from above. Jesus indicates how we are to show our grati~ tude. Judas helped him to the hint. We can do nothing for Jesus according to the flesh. Gratitude to Jesus is now to be service to men. The Ono that could be anointed went from the earth long ago; but the One that can be served and pleased in a thousand ways is here stilL-Y. Vers. 12-15.-The triumphal, entry. L WHAT PBEOEDED THIS TRIUMPHAL ENTRY. All the Galilllll\n and other ministries outside of Jerusalem must have contributed to this enthusiastic demonstration. It is often taken as an illustration of popular fickle- ness that the multitude said "Hosanna!" one day, and the next day, "Crucify him I" But it is very doubtful if the component elements of the multitude were the same. Those who cried "Hosanna!" were people who had seen Jesus do wonderful works in their own cities and villages. Some of them, doubtless, had known in their own persons his healing power. More still would have occasion to be thankful and happy for mercies vouchsafed to their relatives. Those whom Jesus blessed directly and indirectly during his ministry of flesh and hlood must have been indeed a multitude. To them the kingdom of God had indeed come in power, and they had the best right to expect still greater and deeper manifestations when things were ripe for them. II. THE EXPECT.ATION:s OF THE PEOPLE. They had been blessed individually. Now they wanted to be blessed as a people, nationally, collectively. Praise and prayer would be combined in their" Hosanna!" 'l'hey would welcome Jesus as already a royal Victor, and at the same time signify their belief that he had greater victories yet in store. Ill. JESUS .ACCEPTING THE HONOUR. Jesus was now doing what he had declined to do in eh. vii. 6. His time had fully come-the time of crisis and publicity. The time had come for Jesus to take to him his great power and reign. Therefore, though he knew well how deluded the people were as to the true nature of his mission, yet he accepted their homage and jubilation as directed toward the right Person, and offered a~ the right time. Not, of course, that Jesus cared for this exhibition in itself. His. true joy and satisfaction were clearly from purer sources than the applause of the multi- tudes. But this triumphal procession was symbolical of that glad, triumphant attitude which the trne people of Jesus are ever able to maintain. The kingdom of God in Christ is ever coming; and the multitudes who watch and acclaim its growth are ever swellinu in numbers, and uttering louder and heartier shouts of welcome. What JesUll ha., doie, truly measured, may well make us confident of his resources for the mighty wr,rk that has yet to be done.-Y. • Ver. 24.-ThefrulifulmJSs of the dying Jes1J,11, These words come very abruptly into tb.e narra.tive. But looking carefully into all the circumstances, the fitness of the words is soon seen. If these Greeks had come earlier, and come into Galilee in the thick of the Gali.uean ministry, Jeaus would have said, "Let them come and welcome. They 11hall see the works of the Christ in gre11,t abunda.nce." J3-qt they have come just toq bit. nr. 1-liO.] 'l'Ht GOSPEL ACCORDUl'G TO ST. JOHN. 181