The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-07-12

that if they had seen Him in the flesh, they
could not help but believe but the dis
ciples, who were constantly with Him, die
not. The fact that He was in the flesl
made it impossible for them to believe.
The two disciples on the way to En-
maus on the day of resurrection, to whom
Jesus presented Himself, appear to have
treated the story of the vacated tomb as al
idle tale. Telling Jesus (who had not re
vealed Himself) of their disappointment
in His death, they spoke Of Him as only
"a prophet, mighty in deed and word be
fore God and all the people, and said
but we trusted that it had been He
which should have redeemed Israel" II
was then that Jesus, eXclaiming, 30 fools
and slow Of heart, to believe all that the
prophets have spoken, y began at the be-
Scriptures taught concerning Him, and to
show them their utter ignorance Of Him.
Ii Judas, when he betrayed Jesus, be-
lieyed that He was God, he believed what
no other disciple did. The theory of this
exceptional belief has to be forced in or
der to receive MI. Story's more fanciful
theory that he brought the authorities
upon Him to force Him to exercise His
omnipOtent power. The German and De
Quincy view that this was designed to pre-
cipitate popular rising, with Jesus for
the leader, requires the acceptance of the
hypothesis that Judas was seeking his own
ACKNOWLEDGMENT through the elevation of
Jesus, by an act Of betrayal of Him, for
which there would have to be a reckoning
if Jesus should overthrow the Govern
ment This theory is too strained for
reason.
The evidence is that Judas was man of
higher character than the other disciples
His title, Judas Ish Kerioth-the man OF
Kerioth- shows that he was person of
some Importance. AT least, he dated from
| some place, which the fishermen and most
of the others did not. AS man of char
| acter and business capacity Jesus made
him the treasurer Of the band, receiving
and keeping the contributions, buying
those things which were necessary, and
dispensing to the poor. The remark in
John, that the reason why Judas said that
the box of costly ointment ought to have
been sold and the money given to the poor,
was because he was thief, and had the
bag, and bore what was put therein, was
written in the light of the opinion formed
of his character long after these events.
He could not be thief under the Omnis-
cient eye of Jesus, nor be trusted by him
if II thief Besides, the other evangelists
relate that the other disciples grumbled at
this waste. Living from hand to mouth
as they did, on voluntary contributions,
they doubtless thought that this precious
box of ointment represented several good
meals of yictuals. The narratives show
that the disciples were not free from the
vice of envy.
Judas, man of character and of action,
had formed high expectations of Jesus us
man of great wisdom and miraculous
power. 1t is, indeed, probable that he had
better understood the frequent decara-
tions of Jesus Of His divine quality than
the other disciples, and had been led away
by it. But neither he nor the rest could
comprehend that the kingdom of heaven
was to come either on earth OF on high
through the trial, sentence and execution
of its King as u felon. Jesus had made
an entry into Jerusalem in a popular ova-
ton. That seemed the ripe time to polit-
ical wisdom But instead of embracing
it, Jesus subsidized into quiet and conceal
ment.
ssEIe appeared in the temple by day, but
at night went away to the Mount of Olives.
The priests refrained from arresting him
in the temple lest it might create an up
roar. Judas was not content with this APP
parently aimless existence. He had become
convinced that Jesus was a failure. and
that all His declarations of divine power
were an imposture. He thought himself
cured of the delusion, and that duty to the
public required him to assist him in ter
minating it all. The money transaction
was probably a matter Of form to prove
his sincerity. But whilst the other Disci-
was observing the preliminary examina-
ton, the ignominious treatment, the trial
and the sentence.
The manner in which Jesus bore Him.
self in this ordeal convinced Judas OF His
integrity. The unexpected severity of the
sentence increased his remorse. He came
to the priests eXcaiming, II have betrayed
the innocent blood.n They answered him
brutally. Matthew says Judas threw down
the silver and went and hanged himself,
and the priests bought the potter's field
with the money. The brief narration gives
a picture of terrible remorse and repent
ance. Peter in ''The Acts" says Judas
bought a field with the money, land fall
ing headlong, he burst asunder in the midst,
and all his bowels gushed out" Fausset
spices this fall and bursting on to the
hanging. De Quincy thinks that some
misunderstanding and some misunderStand-
ing of the term bowels, which in the Scrip
ture is often used us the seat of the emo
tions, has perverted the sense, which is
that Judas was brOken-hearted, and COM
mitted suicide.
The tragedy was terrible, but Judas no
more knew what he did than the priests
who sought the death of Jesus in zeal for
the temple, or the men that crucitied Him,
for whom He prayed, Father, forgive
them, for they know not what they do!o
Betrayal was not necessary to His death,
for He could have exposed himself to az
rest; but it was in the plan of salvation.
This, however, would no more excuse the
sin of Judas, than the fact OF predestina-
ton to perdition palliates the sins which
pave the appointed way. The narrative
shows that Jesus designated Judas to this
Office, but the other Disciples seem not to
have understood the words. But they
doubtless confirmed Judas conviction that
Jesus was not the Messiah he had believed
when he cast in his lot with His followers,
and convinced him that Jesus now knew
that he had lost faith in him. 5. r. r.
LONG LIFE.-People who live calm and
easy lives, and who are sure OF daily en-
ployment, are apt to outlast the feverish
brain worker who exists by the use of