hich seemed to place
something above Jesus, dissatisfied him. He liked to be honored, for
honors served his aim and established his title of Son of David.
Therefore, when they spoke to him of the poor, he replied rather
sharply: "Ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not
always." And, exalting himself, he promised immortality to the woman
who in this critical moment gave him a token of love.[7]

[Footnote 1: John xi. 56.]

[Footnote 2: The Passover was celebrated on the 14th of Nisan. Now in
the year 33, the 1st of Nisan corresponded with Saturday, 21st of
March.]

[Footnote 3: Matt. xxvi. 6; Mark xiv. 3. Cf. Luke vii. 40, 43, 44.]

[Footnote 4: It is customary, in the East, for a person who is
attached to any one by a tie of affection or of domesticity, to attend
upon him when he goes to eat at the house of another.]

[Footnote 5: I have seen this custom still practised at Sour (Zoar.)]

[Footnote 6: We must remember that the feet of the guests were not, as
amongst us, concealed under the table, but extended on a level with
the body on the divan, or _triclinium_.]

[Footnote 7: Matt. xxvi. 6, and following; Mark xiv. 3, and following;
John xi. 2, xii. 2, and following. Compare Luke vii. 36, and
following.]

The next day (Sunday, 9th of Nisan), Jesus descended from Bethany to
Jerusalem.[1] When, at a bend of the road, upon the summit of the
Mount of Olives, he saw the city spread before him, it is said he wept
over it, and addressed to it a last appeal.[2] At the base of the
mountain, at some steps from the gate, on entering the neighboring
portion of the eastern wall of the city, which was called _Bethphage_,
no doubt on account of the fig-trees with which it was planted,[3] he
had experienced a momentary pleasure.[4] His arrival was noised
abroad. The Galileans who had come to the feast were highly elated,
and prepared a little triumph for him. An ass was brought to him,
followed, according to custom, by its colt. The Galileans spread their
finest garments upon the back of this humble animal as saddle-cloths,
and seated him thereon. Others, however, spread their garments upon
the road, and strewed it with green branches. The multitude which
preceded and followed him, carrying palms, cried: "Hosanna to the son
of David! Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord!" Some
persons even gave him the title of king of Israel.[5] "Master, rebuke
thy disciples," said the Pharisees to him. "If these s