Notes, Critical and Explanatory, on the Holy Scriptures

Many suppose that by prolepsis the anointing which a few days af- terwards, ch. xii. 3, took place, is here referred to, as if already per- formed ; but others take the reference to be to the other evangelists, Matthew and Luke, who relate the fact. Matt. xxvL Mark xiv. Mary appears to be a different person from the sinful woman who, as St. Luke relates, vii. 37, on another occasion did a like action. She enjoyed the general respect of the Jews, who shrunk with horror from females of lost character. The intimacy and affection of our Lord for her show that she was pure, and of unblemished fame : for although He pardoned the penitent, He could not, without provoking censure, avow affection for her and treat her on terms of intimacy. Yet St. Augustin, although with some hesitation, speaks of her as the same : " behold the sister of Lazarus herself (if however she be the same that anointed the feet of our Lord, and wiped them with her hair, after she had washed them with her tears) was raised from death more wonderfully than her brother."

Christ declares that it is He who is to raise the dead, and give them everlasting life. Supra vi. 40. The effect is put for efficient cause.

Although dead in sin, the believer receives life in Christ, on detesting and abandoning sin. The dead, who in life believed, and lived accor- dingly, shall live for ever.

f tj tbv atwrtt. It is hard to express the force of this phrase in English.

The verb in the past tense expresses the conviction which she has hitherto entertained, and still entertains.

She plainly recognised Him as more than a prophet, since she con- sidered Him to be the Son of God in such a sense as to be the cause of resurrection and life.

Our Lord repressed His feelings within Himself, avoiding the ex- pression of them.

They suppose that should the nation generally believe in Christ, they would rally round Him as a civil leader, or prince, and thus provoke the wrath of the Romans.

The office was originally for life. Bloomfield suggests that the text be rendered : "at that time." It is certain, uowever, that great irregu- larities had occurred, and that it was then enjoyed only for a year.

This was a harsh reproach, only, however, implying that they did not know what the case demanded.

It does not appear that the gift of prophecy was attached to the high-priesthood : but God was pleased in this instance to proclaim a prophecy by the lips of the high-priest. " Here we are instructed," says St. Augustin, " that the spirit of prophecy foretells future events even by means of bad men ; which, however, the evangelist ascribes to a divine mystery, because he was high-priest."

The Jews divided daylight and night respectively into twelve hours, which were of unequal duration, according to the seasons.