T. E. BOWEN by T. E. Bowen

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 2, 1906

T. E. BOWEN

By T. E. Bowen

Lessons From the Life of Judas — No. 3

T. E. BOWEN

Coming down to the close of Christ’s work, the last night the Saviour spent with his disciples, the crisis is reached in the life of Judas. When he had decided in his own mind not to identify himself so fully with Christ and his cause but that he could easily get out of it, in case it did not succeed,—and his was the worldly standard for success, sure failure in the spiritual,—he opened the way for his last terrible work of betraying his Lord into the hands of his enemies.

He already had bargained to deliver Christ into the hands of the chief priests for thirty pieces of silver. But he did not consider this as a very wicked thing to do. He reasoned this way: He keeps saying that he must go up to Jerusalem and die. If he does that, then his work is a failure anyhow—no deliverance for Israel as the Scriptures have plainly foretold [misapplied scripture]. If he is really the Messiah, then my delivering him over into the hand of the chief priests will only give him another opportunity of manifesting his divine power, as he so many times has done in the past, in escaping their hand. In this case the cause will be ahead thirty pieces of silver. In either case, I shall be safe myself, and whichever way it turns, I shall have the glory. Anyhow, I will bring the matter to a decision.

With all this in the mind of Judas, and the betrayal bargain made, Jesus and the disciples assembled for the passover feast. No one but Jesus knew that it was the last night he would spend with them. He had told them he was soon to leave them, but they were so bent on getting the most honorable place that they heeded not what was said. This contention and strife made the heart of the Lord very sorrowful. He would give them one more lesson in true greatness—true humility. Judas had pressed to what he supposed the highest place next to Christ. John was on the other side. Jesus then arose, and, as a servant, began to wash Judas’s feet. The heart of Christ longed for Judas. Divine love was loath to give him up. “When the Saviour’s hands were bathing those soiled feet, and wiping them with the towel, the heart of Judas thrilled through and through with the impulse then and there to confess his sin.” Had he done so, life and forgiveness would have been his. “But he would not humble himself. He hardened his heart against repentance; and the old impulses, for the moment put aside, again controlled him. Judas was now offended at Christ’s act in washing the feet of his disciples. If Jesus could so humble himself, he thought, he could not be Israel’s king. All hope of worldly honor in a temporal kingdom was destroyed. Judas was satisfied that there was nothing to be gained by following Christ, . . . and he resolved to complete the work he had agreed to do in betraying his Lord.” Had Judas yielded then while Jesus and God’s Spirit were yearning for his soul, his sin would even then have been forgiven him. Again they gather around the table. Every eye is upon the Lord. All are impressed with the solemnity of the occasion. With trembling lips Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.” The disciples in consternation look from one to another, and ask, “Is it I?” until all have spoken but Judas. Seeing that all were looking at him, he, too, repeats the question, “Is it I?”

Let it be noted that up to this crucial moment Judas had passed as one of the twelve, not one of the disciples thinking him disloyal to the cause and work of Christ.

Still Judas might have broken down and confessed his awful treachery. “He it is,” Jesus said, “to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas.” Then, his treachery being exposed, Judas gave himself over to the enemy, and the record says, from that time “Satan entered into him.” When Judas closed the door behind him, he shut himself forever away from the pardoning love of Christ—simply because he had refused it—and went out into night—that awful darkness and night of a ruined, lost soul.

The next we see of Judas, he is at the head of a mob with swords and clubs and torches, bent on the arrest of Jesus. Think of the awful gulf spanned by Judas between the time when he decided, after hearing Jesus tell those about him that they must eat his flesh and drink his blood, that he would not too closely unite his interests to the cause of Christ, and the time when he is standing at the head of this murderous mob. Little did he think then that it would come to this, and yet this was all in that other decision he had made when none but God knew.

Without much trouble on Judas’s part they find the Saviour. They are greeted differently than they had expected. No fight, no struggle, but with a calm bearing, Jesus meets the mob with the question, “Whom seek ye?” “They [the mob] answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.” Notice, the work of Judas was all unnecessary after all. He was along with the mob for the express purpose of identifying Jesus. This was all they wanted of Judas. They knew that he knew him, and they were very anxious not to get the wrong man, so Judas was hired to point him out. How foolish Judas must have felt as he stood there, with the mob, and yet without a single thing for him to do. Christ gave himself up, but asked protection for the eleven that were standing with him.

When Jesus finished saying, “I am” [the word “he” being supplied], a mighty angel, that one who had just strengthened the Lord, passed between the mob and the Saviour. Instantly they, and Judas with the rest, became as dead. When they came to and had risen to their feet, they were again met with that same question, “Whom seek ye?” Judas, then thinking of his forgotten task, approaches the Lord. As he did so, Jesus made it plain to him, as well as to all who heard, that he read his heart; for he asks, “Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?” But the traitorous kiss is given, and quickly the mob seize upon their coveted prey.

When Judas beheld his Master meekly permit his hands to be bound, again he was surprised, for he expected to see Christ perform a mighty miracle and release himself. Thus worldly policy and wisdom again fail. The human is sure to err. The wisdom of earth becomes foolishness when arrayed against the purposes of Jehovah. Judas knew nothing of that terrible experience through which his divine Lord had passed the night before, which brought the Son to where even he could say, “Not my will, but thine, be done.” He was a stranger to all this.

It was now seen by all, that when Jesus had been talking of the approaching hour of trial, he knew of what he spoke. And had they listened to him and taken heed to his word, they, too, might have been prepared for the trying hour.

Rome, N. Y.