ally meant it. They thought they were doing the right thing.
They were afraid of what Jesus would do. The Pharisees even called in
some of their enemies to ask their advice about the best way to get
rid of Jesus.

Meanwhile Jesus had gone out of the city to be alone again. On a
lonely mountain, under the moon-light, he prayed to his Father all
night long. Back in the city men were planning to take his life. And
out on the mountain Jesus prayed for power to do good to men.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

7. Slow to Understand

Not all the Pharisees treated Jesus as an enemy. There was one of
them, named Simon, who decided to have Jesus come to his house for
dinner.

Perhaps Simon thought that the other Pharisees were too hard on Jesus.
Perhaps he thought that he might show Jesus where he was wrong. Or
perhaps he was just curious. Jesus had become very well known, and
many people called him "Rabbi" or "Teacher." It would be interesting
to talk with the famous rabbi all afternoon.

Whatever the reason was, Simon asked Jesus to come and have a meal
with him and his friends.

While they were eating their dinner, a woman stole in quietly through
the open door. She had not been invited. Simon would never have
dreamed of inviting her into his house, for everyone in town gave her
a bad name. "She's not a good woman--not a nice woman at all," people
said. They turned their eyes away when they met her on the street.

At any other time the woman would not have wanted to come to Simon's
home, for no one likes to be stared at coldly and be put out of the
house. But today was different. Jesus was there.

She brought with her a box of ointment. Ointment was the gift that
Jewish people brought, when they wanted to honor an important person
or some dear friend.

Clutching her box of ointment, the woman crept across the room to
where Jesus was sitting. She began to cry. The tears rolled down her
cheeks and dropped on Jesus' hot, dusty feet. Then she wiped his feet
with her hair and kissed them. She opened her precious box and began
to rub his feet with the soft white salve.

No one spoke or moved. Simon was angry and disappointed with Jesus.
The other Pharisees were right after all!

_So this is the great new prophet, sent from God!_ he thought to
himself. _If Jesus were a prophet, we shouldn't be looking at a scene
like this. He would know what kind of woman that is who is touching
him. Why, everybody knows how