Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-09-30
JESUS BETRAYAL.
Or. JOHN HALLS NOTES ON THE
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.


sinners"-Lesson Text, john xviii, lila.
Lately the French republic drove "the
princes" from French soil, fearing that they,
by creating parties Of followers in favor of
monarchy, might destroy the government as
it is now. Different opinions were held as to
the wisdom Of the step; but when one of them
published protest stating his views, many |
who had doubted the wisdom Of the expul- |
On said: "The nation was right; his parting |
words show his bad spirit" The prince of |
peace is rejected by his own and given over
TO death, but never did his character appear
30 wonderful and glorious as in the closing
scenes on which we now enter and continue
till the end of chapter 10. His bearing con-
quered suspicion, even es in dying he con-
quered death.
He had taught his disciples as to what they
should be and do when he left them, and
prayed with and for them. Now the distinct
passive part of his work begins.
V. l. The upper room is quilted. Cedron
was brook or winter t0 rent running through
the valley that lay east of Jerusalem. John
is thought to use the word "brook" or winter
stream as an object in harmony with the sor-
rows and stream of trials now beginning)
OdVIu UIC6 CIOoocu Lulo DlOOh IA uOSP bANSA
(see II Sam. XIV, 23. The son Of David is
now pursued by those who should have been
his friends His disciples are taken along
that they may witness his demeanor, learn
from his bearing and have their characters
tried and developed Down from the temple
hill, by road winding over the steep, across
the stream whose waters, it is said, were
darkened by the blood of the sacrifices, prob
ably in silence, went the little band, on to the
orchard in which olives were cultivated, and
in a part of which, shaded and retired prob
ably, it was possible to engage in quiet
prayer. "He entered"-the leader as else
where Here was the scene Of the agony
which John knew had already been described
by the other evangelists, SO he does not repeat
the narrative He is bent on showing more
particularly that the "Word was God' John
i, and Xxx, 30-Sl.)
V. 2. 1t is mentioned that Judas knew the
place Jesus having often gone there with his
disciples. This is meant to show that there
was no attempt at concealment on the Sav-
iour's part. The hour was come. (See Acts
Q. xxiii.) If it be asked, why arrange to make
Jesus a prisoner here, instead of in the temple
or on the steep! the answer is that riot
might have been the result of an arrest in the
presence of a multitude. "They feared the
people In many other cases of persons in
favor with the public, the arrest has been SO
arranged as to avoid publicity.
v. g. Now another company travels the
same road The Roman authorities have no
doubt had an exaggerated account given Of
the danger from this rival to Cesar, and
sband" or cohort-the tenth partof legion, as
we would say, company" is sent. Accom-
panying them are the "officers" of the jewish
authorities to represent the prosecutors of
Christ and see that the arrest was rightly
made. In Acts xiii, %, we have similar
military arrangement The party is pro-
vided with lanterns and torches on the as
sumption that Jesus may hide among the
trees.
v, 4. All this is explanatory Of the situa-
ton set out in " l. Jesus "went FORTH
there is no soncealment or attempt to flee
presented Himself, received the treacherous
kiss of Judas, identifying Him to the band as
reported by Matthew and Mark He asks
whom they seek He means to show that He
is not attempting flight or concealment.
V. s. Like men used to orders they reply
as they were doubtless told. The words "of
Nazareth" would represent to them His low
illness or His belonging to the discontented
Galileans. Judas, we are told was standing
by, representing here the epmity Of man and
of Satan against the Holy One Of God. The
powerlessness of this malice is shown by the
effect of our Lords calm avowal as we have
it in
We Here is type of Christ's ultimate
triumph over all opposition. Powerless a:
were the deflers of the temple before Jesus
these also, overawed and overpowered by ar
indeseribable power felt to be in Him.. re
treated and fell to the ground. AS soon a!
they recovered themselves He
", n again asks: "Whom seek ye| Th'
same reply is given with soldier-like obedi
ence to instructions Then He, in a wa.
characteristic of Him, sets Himself forth a
the One to be taken, to the shutting out of tn
disciples. They are not to be treated as FL
is He is to tread "the winepress alone.
GIet them go their way" and this, John tell
us, was in harmony with His words utteret
before in John xvii, Il. There, indeed H
thought of eternal loss; but all evil seems on
to His holy eye, just as all things work tc
gether for good to His friends. GodlineSs
profitable for all things-safety OF the Who'll
man is secured in the way of obedience. Jesu
thinks of such things as they affect His di'
ciples They had little enough courage whe
free. How would it have been had they bee
seized! Probably on this second avowal c
Jesus, the servant of the high priest, wit
more zeal than the soldiers, and bent on cal
rying out his masters will, approached Jesu
This led to
". lW the rash act of Simon, who had
certain hardness in him, as the name Pete
indicated, and who drew the sword he ha
and cut off the right ear of one whose nan
is only mentioned by John, and whose hea
ing by Christ is mentioned only by Luke Il
physician luke xxi, sly. John is hastenir
on to "the hour" The teacher will reca
"Here are two swords" in Luke xxi, 8
Fishermen were not commonly armed.
V. II. Jesus discourages the opposition.
was useless 1t was against his purpose. +
was @going forth" to the final work of suffe
ing and SO saving. This is the beginning
the bitter draught, but it is the cup b
Father, for good reasons, puts into bis han
shall he not drink it? As he prayed he act
See Matt XVI, 80. So it is in all true praye
The,suppliant moves in the direction OF
petitions.
v. 12. Even the show of opposition Is nc
withdrawn Jesus is arrested and bound.
is plain that nothing is to be feared from t
disciples So they
". 18 carry out orders and bring Jesus
fore the authorities. The other -evangel
content themselves with referring to Ca
phas. but John puts in the appearance befc
Annas first. He was older than Caiaph'
had far more influence, and it is felt to be
good thing to have the weight OF his nal
and authority against Christ. Annas was !
L1,,