The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-10-24

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 If 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.
l. The Bargain, w. 14-25. ~ The
Price, w. 1915. Disappointed in his
hopes that Jesus would establish an
earthly kingdom wherein he should
hold a high position, stung by the re-
buke Of w. 1913 (cf. John 12:4-S) and
moved by cupidity, Judas hurries to
the enemies Of Jesus (see John 10:
27). He saw no further opportunity
to profit through holding the bag"
John 1929, and 80 got what he could
from the rulers. He estimated his
worth at 80 pieces of silver about sew
enteen or nineteen dollars, or the
value of a slave; see Elk. 21:22 and
Phil. at, also the prophecy of Zechar-
iah 11:12-19. Hate, envy, disappointed
ambition, and cupidity drove Judas
with "reminiscences In his final act Of
infamy. Verify, Whatsoever a man
soweth. hat shall he also reap" Gal.
6:7. (2) The Penalty, w. 1925. AS
we read the various accounts of 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, 14-16, had been consum-
mated before that last meeting in the
upper room. We are also struck with
the significance of the fact that Judas
did not call Jesus Lord" ". 25).
Must Be Born Again.
Even grace cannot save us In our
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 never saved anyone.
1t is not enough even to be numbered
among the disciples. There must be a
new creation, we must be born again,
John 81. In verse "a we read the
final warning and John tells us (13:27)
that following these words he is com.
manded to go out quickly"
II. The Betrayal, w. 47-5o. There
are four stages in this episode: % In
the house Of Simon at the amounting OF
Jesus by Mary; ca 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.
1t 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" 1t was also a
place sacred to prayer. How things
are changed. Judas had allowed Satan
to enter his heart John 1927, see also
James 4:7) 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 affec-
ton, served to take Jesus and the dis
ciples by surprise and Illustrate any
rally on the part of the friends OF
Jesus. All the evangelists emphasize
the fact that Judas was one of the
twelve" This augments the sorrow
of Jesus and intensiies 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 has part of the compact.
Judas withdrew.
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, filled with remorse,
carried back the 80 pieces of silver to
the chief priests and the elders. What
an exhibition of hypocrisy they evi.
denced, not to take the price OF blood,
forsooth! Judas did not really repent.
The word here used for repent" ia
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 wen as the ~repentant thief
was saved.
There Is nc necessary contradiction
between this and the account given in
Acts 1:8. IF he hanged himself In the
field of blood and the rope broke the
account given in Acts would naturally
follow"
The Teaching. AS we recall these
final things in the life OF Judas we
must remember that they are not the
beginnings of his detection. The de-
velopment Of the lives of Judas and
Peter are profoundly different. Both
looked for a temporal kingdom and
both were out OF sympathy with the
teachings Of Jesus as to the necessity
of his death. One. for personal gain
hatrauad and tha othar TO- .oI--.