The Anointment of Jesus by Mary of Bethany [pp. 484-511]

THE AN,)INTMfEN' OF JE US
objection they had made, by saying, "for ye have the poor
always with you, and whensoever ye will ye mnly do them
goo i." He thien goes o i to point out why her act was right, by
stating what she meant by it-that she had kept this ointment
against the day of his buaial; that when she poured it on his
body, she di I it to prepare him for burial, and that she did this
"aforehand." As the vdilue of this thrice-told inspired statement depends on a correct understanding of these explanations,
we shall consider them particularly hereafter.
After explaining whoo Mary was right, Jesus goes on in the
most solemn and emphatic manner to make this exfraordinary announcement: "Verily, I say unto you, wheresoever this
gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, there
shall this also that this woman hath done be told for a memorial
of her."
No other merely human being was ever ordered by direct divine comninand* (or divine prediction, here equivalent to command) to be thus formally and publicly honored. There has been
no other saint so holy that his memory was commanded to be
celebrated, not even Enoch, or Noahl, or Abraham, or David.
God hid the grave of Moses P probably to prevent undue honor
to his remains. Christ's ministers are not to be called Rabbi.q
The whole spirit of the Christian religion is opposed to elevating
the creature-to honor from men in connection with religion.
True, the virgin Mlary expected all generations to call her
blessed, but this was not on account of her goodness, but of
her relationship. True, many saints are in fact honored the
world over, but this only arises incidentally from circumstances,
not from direct divine appointment. But for this act (or rather
for what it implied) Mary of Bethany was to be universally and
perpetually honored, everywhere and always-" throughout the
whole world" and to the end of time. Wherever the gospel is
preached her act is to be "told for a memorial of her."
Why was Mary thus distinguished above every other human
being that ever lived? Why did Jesus in this one instance depart from his otherwise invariable course?
* It is immaterial whethi r we understand it as primarily a command, or as a prediction with evident approbation. Either showed it to be as Jesus intended, and
therefore a command in fact if not in form.
P Dentt, 34: G. q Matt. 23: 8. r Lulke 1: 48.
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