y and other events, from
which some have drawn the inference that these two writers place the
supper two days before the Passover. This inference lacks confirmation.
In this matter the chronological order given by John appears to be the
true one.

6. The Family Home at Bethany.--The home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus
appears to have been the usual abiding place of Jesus when He was in
Bethany. Undoubtedly He was on terms of very close and affectionate
acquaintanceship with all members of the family, even before the
miraculous raising of Lazarus from the dead, and, this supremely blessed
occurrence must have intensified into worshipful reverence the esteem in
which our Lord had been held in that household. As to whether this home
was identical with the house of Simon the leper, the scriptural record
does not state. John, who gives a fairly detailed account of the supper
served by Martha, makes no mention of Simon or his house. It is
noticeable that the synoptic writers say very little about this home in
Bethany. Farrar has aptly remarked (p. 483): "We seem to trace in the
Synoptists a special reticence about the family at Bethany. The house in
which they take a prominent position is called 'the house of Simon the
leper'; Mary is called simply 'a woman' by St. Matthew and St. Mark
(Matt. 26:6, 7; Mark 14:3); and St. Luke contents himself with calling
Bethany 'a certain village' (Luke 10:38), although he was perfectly
aware of the name (Luke 19:29)."

7. Spikenard Ointment.--This was among the most highly prized of
oriental unguents. That with which Mary anointed Jesus is described by
Matthew and Mark as "very precious," and by John as "very costly." In
the original the adjective "pistic" appears; this is translated by some
as meaning "liquid," but by others as signifying "genuine." There were
many inferior imitations of the real spikenard, or nard; and we are left
without a doubt that Mary's precious gift was of the best. The plant
from which the fragrant extract is obtained is a species of bearded
grass indigenous in India. Spikenard is mentioned in Song of Solomon
1:12; 4:13, 14.

8. Hosanna!--"Hosanna" is a Greek form of the Hebrew expression for
"Save us now," or "Save, we pray," which occurs in the original of Psalm
118:25. It occurs nowhere in the English Bible except in the
acclamations of the people at Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem,
and in the joyous shouts of children in the temple (Matt. 21:9, 15).