The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-10-21
NIFpNHTIONAI,
LESSON
(By E. o. SELLERS, Director Sunday
School Course, Moody Bible Institute,
Chicago.)
LESSON FOR OCTOBER rs
JESUS AND JUDAS.

JESUS AND JUDAS. s
LESSON TEXT-Matt. 2s:14-25. E-5o; q:
$40. 6'
GOLDEN TEXT-woe unto that man
through whom the Son Of Man Is be-
trayed. Matt. 26:42 r. v.
No literature has a more terrible
story than that Of Judas. Matthew
gives US perhaps the fullest account
of his last acts and the part he had In
those final hours Of the suffering and
death Of Jesus.
Mary's act of amounting, by Jesus
commended, and by Judas condemned,
caused the latter to fare forth for his
final act Of faithless infamy. Con-
trasted with the odor Of her good deed,
we here have the stencil Of an evil
deed.
/. The Bargain, w. 1925. ~ The
Price, w. 1916. Disappointed in his
hopes that Jesus would establish an
earthly kingdom wherein he should
hold a high position, stung by the re-
Duke of w. 1913 (cf. John 12:4-81 and
moved by cupidity, Judas hurries to
the enemies of Jesus (see John 13:s
27). He saw no further opportunity
to profit through holding the bag.
John 1929, and SO got what he could
from the rulers. He estimated his
worth at 80 pieces Of silver about sew
enteen or nineteen dollars, OF the
value of a slave; see Elk. 21:22 and
Phil. 81, also the prophecy of3Zechar-
iah 11:12-13. Hate, envy. disappointed
ambition, and cupidity drove Judas
with r~elentlessness in his final act Of
infamy. Verify, Whatsoever q man
soweth, that shall he also reap" GAL
6:7. (2) The Penalty, wv. 1925. As
we read the various accounts sof that
tragic last night we note that being
warned and singled from among the
other disciples In no wise moved Judas
to repentance. The conspiracy, see
Matt. 26:1-5, 1416, had been consum-
mated before that last meeting In theS
upper room. We are also struck with
the significance Of the fact that Judas
did not call Jesus Lord" (Y.253.
Must Be Born Again. 81
Even grace cannot save us In Jul
sins. All of his gifts, his nearness to-
the Son Of God, his knowledge, first
handed of those marvellous teachings
of Jesus, did not grip his heart. Head
knowledge alone meyer saved anyone.
1t is not enough even to be numbered
among the disciples. There must be q
new creation, we must be born again,
John 3:7. In verse "a we read the
final warning, and John,tells us tIS:2y)
that following these words he is COM
t.manded to Ego out quickly"
II. The Betrayal, w 47-60. There
are four stages In this episode: (1Jt In
the house Of Simon at the amounting Of
Jesus by Mary; (2) The one Just con:
sidered and which took, place In the
upper room" in connection with the
Passover feast; (3) The third is the
subject Of this paragraph and took
place In the Garden following the
events Of last weeks lesson. This
picture has been painted so often as
to be familiar to us all. The Son OF
Man, the advancing apostate disciple,
the mob; what an appalling scene.
Judas had probably led first to the
house whence he had left jesus. Find
ing Jesus and the disciples had de-
parted ". 30) he knew where, IN all
probability, he would find the Master.
It was a.. familiar resort for Jesus and
his disciples, John 1872, 8. Judas had
often sat under these same olive trees
and listened to him who taught as:
never man taught" It was also q
place sacred to prayer. How things
are changed. Judas had allowed Satan
to enter his heart John 1927, see also
James 40 and with eager feet he
crosses the brook. Kedron, past the
disciples and into the presence. Of
Jesus to betray him with a kiss. This
mark Of love, this evidence of afec-
ton, served to take Jesus and the, dis
ciples bK surprise and Illustrate any
rally On the part of the friends OF
Jesus. All the eyangelists emphasize
the fact that Judas was Zone 3of the
twelve e This augments tho sorrow
of Jesus and intensifes, the guilt of
Judas. This kiss was. the last received
on earth by our Lord. What a picture
this is of the depths Of degradation
and the ruin of the soul Of one, that
was, called an apostle. Having thus
carried out his part of the compact,
Judas withdrew, III -@G 49, tA,t.al
The Final Stage.
III. "He Went and Hanged Him
self" 27:3-1o. The fourth and final
stage is reached when, seeing that
Jesus is condemned and about to be
executed, Judas, filed with remorse,,'
carried back the 80 pieces Of silver to
the chief priests and the elders. What
an exhibition of hypocrisy they evil
denced, not to take the price Of blood,
forsooth!' Judas did not really repent.
The word here used for repent" Is
rather that he suffered remorse, and
that does not necessarily involve. re-
pentance as we all know. Had he
truly repented he would not have
hanged himself and he would have
been saved even as the %repentant thief
was saved. -
There is no necessary contradiction
between this and the account given in
Acts is. "If he hanged himself in the