44‐50. *Christ’s testimony regarding the object of the Incarnation, and the necessity of faith in Him.* 1. Iesus ergo ante sex dies 1. Jesus therefore six days paschae venit Bethaniam, ubi before the pasch came to Lazarus fuerat mortuus, quem Bethania, where Lazarus had suscitavit Iesus. been dead, whom Jesus raised to life. 1. Maldonatus connects with xi. 55: since the Pasch was near, Jesus on His way to Jerusalem to celebrate it, came to Bethania. *Six days before the pasch.* This peculiar Greek construction would be better rendered in Latin; “sex diebus ante pascha.” We have now entered upon the last week of our Divine Lord’s mortal life, but there is a diversity of opinion regarding the exact day here indicated. The principal views regarding the days of our Lord’s arrival at Bethania, of the supper there, and of the triumphant entry into Jerusalem, are:— (1) Arrival at Bethania on Friday; the supper (_a_) on the same evening, or (_b_) according to others, on Saturday evening; the triumphal entry on Sunday. (2) Arrival at Bethania on Saturday evening; the supper on the same evening; the entry into Jerusalem (_a_) on Sunday, or (_b_) according to others, on Monday. (3) Arrival on Sunday; supper on the same evening; the entry into Jerusalem on Monday. 2. Fecerunt autem ei coenam 2. And they made him a supper ibi: et Martha ministrabat, there: and Martha served, but Lazarus vero, unus erat ex Lazarus was one of them that discumbentibus cum eo. were at table with him. 2. In Bethania then (in the house of Simon the leper, as we learn from Matt. xxvi. 6; Mark xiv. 3) a supper was prepared for Jesus, at which Lazarus was present and Martha served. We take it as certain that Matthew (xxvi. 6‐13) and Mark (xiv. 3‐9) refer to the same unction of Christ which is recorded by St. John in the following verses here. If not, we should have to suppose that the same murmuring for the same cause in the same circumstances took place a second time within four days, though reprehended by Christ on the first occasion it occurred. That SS. Matthew and Mark seem to refer to an occasion _two_ days before the Pasch (Matt. xxvi. 2; Mark xiv. 1), while St. John refers to an occasion _six_ days before, is readily explained. The two Synoptic Evangelists record this anointing of Jesus by Mary out of its place, and in connection with the treachery of Judas, because it was it that finally determined Judas to betray our Lord.(79)