(Col. l:18, New Trans.)
That Jesus was the Prophet spoken of in Deut. 18:15, there can be no doubt. That He too was the Priest who should bear the glory and be the counsel of peace (Zech. 6:13) is evident. And it is indisputable that He is the King of Psalm 2.
It is cause for thanksgiving that so many believe this and adore Him for it. Still with many of us there may be cause for adjustment, for, without least suspecting it, we may believe in the doctrine and not in the practice; so we will take an example from Mary in Luke 10:39; John 11:32 and 12:3.
MARY’S PROPHET
Mary "sat at Jesus' feet, and heard His word." Undoubtedly, she would be pleased to hear what others said and to read what they wrote; but she "sat at" His feet only.
Hero worship is very common and we all are prone to it. Saul of Tarsus was one of these (he sat at the feet of a great teacher) till he met the Prophet of whom we write. Other voices had charm for him till he "heard the voice of His mouth" (Acts 22:13; Isa. 30:30). The Spirit has taught us to say "His mouth is most sweet" (Song of Sol. S:16). How very sweet to Mary was His mouth! He was the Prophet to her.
MARY’S PRIEST
Sympathy is a precious thing, and we feel-O, how much!-the need of human sympathy, especially when the heart is torn by some loved one being taken from us. Some of us know the distress of watching, from behind the rostrum curtains, the mourners assemble in the Church house; knowing their sorrow, also their expectation of comfort, has often made us groan out to the Lord.
Mary would be glad of those sympathizing Jews, but it was the face and voice of Him Who was the Priest to bear the glory and speak the peace (Zech. 6:13; John 11:4, 25) that gave her the true sympathy. "She fell down at His feet" and then walked with Him to the grave. He was the chief Mourner in that graveyard.
Beloved reader, have you not felt His hand in yours and been conscious of His tears mingling with yours? His is the true human sympathy, for He is the glorified Man; the resurrection and the life, Who said, "I will not leave you comfortless:I will come to you" (John 14:18).
MARY’S KING
Pilate said, "Shall I crucify your king?" The answer was, "We have no king but Caesar." God says, "Yet have I anointed My King" (John 19; Ps. 2). Mary discerned the Lords Anointed and the people's vain thing. She is in the spirit of the Jewish remnant in Matt. 28:9.
The beautiful feet of Him Who shall say to Zion "Thy God reigneth" are anointed and worshiped (Isa. 52:7). In Mark, she anointed His head and her name is not revealed. It is the sin-offering Gospel and the Saviour is seen in the house of a leper.
It was the sinner's lot to crown Him with the emblem of the curse, but when we "have obtained like precious faith" with Mary, we can anoint Him with precious ointment. Instead of abuse we give Him our praise.
The sin-offering was anointed and the vessel broken (Lev. 6) and the woman in Mark 14 breaks the box, a thing we are not informed of in John 12; but John tells us something that suggests the day of manifestation, namely, the woman's name; the weight of the ointment and the costliness:also that the house was filled with the odor.
God has purposed to head up all things in the Anointed (Eph. 1:10) and we have a blessed example in Mary giving Him the first place in all things. God's thought surely is ours now, and we gladly say, "He shall have the first place in all things."
How wondrous the glories that meet
In Jesus, and from His face shine,
His love is eternal and sweet,
"Tis human, 'tis also divine!
His glory-not only God's Son-
In manhood He had His full part,-
And the union of both joined in one
Form the fountain of love in His heart.
E. Chas Taylor