Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-08-19
THE SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR AUG.
%, isse.-LEssoN EIGHTH.

d. D., LID, Of New York = From
The Sunday School worId-subje-t.
''warning TO Judas and Peter"
Our lesson falls into three sections The
first deals with Judas Then comes q word
Of loving direction TO the disciples. This
brings us to the we-ning Of Peter.
Our Lord had given the company an ex-
PLANTATION of his washing Of their feet, but
He cannot forget the crime meditated by one
of them He is troubled in spirit" These
things are doubtless mentioned to show us
how truly Jesus was man He doubtless
showed his emotion by his manner @Verily,
verily,D we commonly find introducing
solemn statement He is using means with
the betrayer, and at the same time preparing
the rest for the issue. On recalling all these
words how deep must the impression have
been on their minds that He knew all and
could, II it had seemed good to Him, have
evaded his enemies.
V. %. The perplexed disciples looked in
grief and pain at one another, uncertain, of
course, to whom He referred.
v. o. John was nearest to Him, reclining
next, and If in confidential talk, leaning over
on him. He does not, however, name him
self, but gives description in which he must
have delighted.
v. "a. With the energy that marked him,
Peter made sign to this disciple to ask of
whom he was speaking This is another il
lustration of the family-ike life lived by
Jesus and the disciples.
v, 25. Leaning back so as to touch his
bosom, he put the question probably so as
to be heard-though this is not said-by the
company. Jesus
". 26) replied that he would show by dip
ping piece of bread m the dish of fluid or
bitter sauce and giving it to the person
meant This was more than sign to the
rest. It was an appeal in another form to
Judas. HHere thou art at my table, my
friend, my guest Canst thou turn upon me
as an enemy!" 1t was final appeal. 1t
brought him to decision, and a bad decision.
He was free to go or stay; but he was slave
to sin. Jesus knew what he would do, and
meant no doubt that he should be thus
parted from the company. He had "been
troubled in Spirit" not only because of
Judas personal folly and baseness, but for
another reason. Here was the nucleus Of his
kingdom, and in it is the agent Of Satan, the
representative Of the powers Of darkness.
How could the holy soul of Jesus feel other
than indignant mingling with griefa Hence
the solemnity Of this scene-the "testifying,"
the bearing witness, the "verily, verify" and
the emphatic and pronounced way Of giving
the sop, described by the other Gospels as the
writers were impressed by it.
v. 81. The last appeal is disregarded by
Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, carefully
distinguished from Jude. c'Iscariot" is ap-
parently the word for man of Kerioth Josh.
XIV, 25, and was apparently applied both to
father and SON. The result is his complete
possession by Satan, who inspires and uses
him now as his instrument. Jesus knew this,
and hence His language-"That thou doest,
do quickly" He was straitened till the bap-
tism be accomplished, and He desired the false
disciple to leave the company. How Like the
| evil decision which many a soul makes with
out the steps of the process being known to
even intimate friends! But Jesus sees it all.
| Crime, ruin ON a member Of a family, Is
sometimes sad surprise to the rest, but Jesus
has seen every step of the downward way.
The disciples cid not understand, but
thought one of two things, as we see by vs.
2S, %. It may be incidentally noticed
/ that apparently the feast could not yet have
properly begun, since they surmised Jesus
might be giving directions to "buy those
things we have need of against the feast.
| Perhaps this throws some light on the much
discussed point-was Judas at the first conn
muniona Giving aims was common accom-
| paniment of the feast with the Hebrews.
| V. 80. Whatever may be thought on this
question, the narrative is clear-"he went i'm
rnediately out" It was night in the sky.
How dark night was it also in the guilty
mans spirit!
| v, 81. The foreign and hostile element is
now gone. Jesus is with the faithful disci-
ples. and free to utter the feelings of his
heart. So he speaks of the great interest in
hand and of the bright side Of it. He passes
for the moment over the humiliation. "Now
is the Son of man glorifed." So faith in a
human soul leaps over the death agony,
and rejoices in the hope of the glory of God.
The Son of man was glorified by his resurrec'
tion. ascension and the gift of the spirit
through him-all near events. Ana this is te
the glory of God. It shows Gods faithful
ness, power, mercy, justice and infinite re
sources.
In John xvii, /, 4, 6 we see the meaning OF
this and of v. 80. God will glorify the Sor
in himself, giving him the throne of the uni
verse call power is given unto me-" Matt
xviii, 1S), and fulfilling the promises OF rs
ii. 60. and Ps. cx, IT, which see
| ". 49, Telling the disciples that "yet {
little while,n probably meaning till his ascen
J sion, he would be with them; then, as he tole
the Jews, they would be parted from him il
the body. This is mentioned to prepare fol
the words of
v. 81. Many parent has said on deatl
bed "Children, I am to leave you. Be unite'
together in love-" So Jesus exhorts the dis
ciples to such love to one another as he ha.
shown to them. The old, familiar command
ment was "Love thy neighbor as thysef.
Here is a new standard-aAs I have love'
you.n That is higher far than "as thyself.
.Tesus sacrificed self for them. So were the,
to doif needful for one another. By this the
! would
". S5) prove to the men their discipleshi
to him. (See his prayer to this effect in JON
xvii, 9O21.) Here is hint to ministers an
teachers. What they exhort hearers an
uupils to do they ere to pray that God ma
help and make them do. In some sense thi
middle section is like a dying charge to hi
. family. NOW we coiiio " Vio siiiiu "a a iAAii
to Peter.
v. So We have already seen the create
!, forwardness of Peter to speak. He ask
aWhither goest thou!" 1t is hard to think
would have understood if Jesus had told lii
in words. He was going to the cross, to tf
grave. to the unseen world, to the state Of I'll
7 dead. So he replies, "Whither go" etc.
9 is expressive -athou shalt follow me afte
3 wards.n All this. was true of Peter. He W:
Q crucifed, according to all the light we ha,