he three at whom we have been looking, and
what a grouping we have--Jesus with His loved Mary, and John the most
beautiful illustration of human friendship, and Judas the _betrayer_.
Let imagination complete what no artist has attempted.

When John recalls the odors of Mary's ointment filling the house, he
seems to catch a refrain from Solomon's song, and addresses it to
her,--"Thine ointments have a goodly fragrance; thy name is as ointment
poured forth; therefore do the maidens love thee."

It is not the "maidens" alone, especially the Marys of Christendom,
that "love" her, but all to whom the gospel is preached, who join in
John's refrain, while thanking him for his "memorial of her."

_CHAPTER XX_

_John a Herald of the King_

PROPHECY:

"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of
Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: ... lowly, and riding
upon ... a colt."--_Zech._ ix. 9.

PROPHECY FULFILLED:

"He sent two of his disciples, saying, Go your way into the village
over against you; in the which as ye enter ye shall find a colt
tied: ... loose him, and bring him.... And they brought him to
Jesus: and they threw their garments upon the colt, and set Jesus
thereon."--_Luke_ xix. 30, 35.

PROPHECY UNDERSTOOD:

"These things understood not His disciples at the first: but when
Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were
written of Him, and that they had done these things unto
Him."--_John_ xii. 16.

"Daughter of Zion! Virgin Queen! Rejoice!
Clap the glad hand and lift th' exulting voice!
He comes,--but not in regal splendor drest,
The haughty diadem, the Tyrian vest;
Not arm'd in flame, all glorious from afar,
Of hosts the chieftain, and the lord of war:
Messiah comes!--let furious discord cease;
Be peace on earth before the Prince of Peace!"
--_Heber's Palestine_.

Zechariah foretold the coming of Christ five hundred years before the
angels over Bethlehem heralded His birth. The prophets saw Him as the
Messiah-king, but not such a ruler as most of the Jews of Christ's day
expected. Even the disciples, believing Him to be the Messiah, had
mistaken views of His kingdom. Yet He was the King foretold by the
prophets; the Son of David who sang of Him as the "King" and as the
"Lord's anointed"; the Messiah or Christ; the king o