88
The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 3
remorse for his crime. He gazed compassionately upon Judas, and
[125]
declared that for that hour he had come into the world.
A murmur of surprise ran through the assembly at the heavenly
forbearance manifested by Jesus. Again a conviction swept over their
minds that this man was more than mortal. But the question then arose,
If he was indeed the Son of God, why did he not free himself from his
bonds and rise triumphant above his accusers?
The love of money had perverted the nobler nature of Judas, mak-
ing him a fit agent for Satan to use in the betrayal of Christ. When
Judas had become annoyed at the implied rebuke of Jesus because of
his covetous spirit upon the occasion of Mary anointing her Lord with
costly ointment, he yielded to the tempter, and gave Satan easy access
to his mind. But when he decided to sell his Master to the murderous
priests and rulers, he had no thought that Jesus would permit himself
to be taken. He thought the priests would be cheated of their bribe,
and he, the betrayer, would secure the money to use for some purpose
of his own, and Jesus would have a new opportunity to display his
divine power in delivering himself from the wiles of his enemies.
From the time of his betrayal in the garden, Judas had not lost
sight of the Saviour. He eagerly looked for him to surprise his enemies
by appearing before them in the character of the Son of God, setting
at naught all their plots and power. But when he saw him meekly
submitting to their abuse, suffering himself to be tried and condemned
to death, his heart smote him, and he realized the full extent of his
own crime—he had sold his divine Master to shame and death. He
remembered how kind and considerate Jesus had ever been to him,
[126]
and his heart filled with remorse and anguish. He now despised the
covetousness which Jesus had reproved, and which had tempted him
to sell the Saviour for a few pieces of silver.
Perceiving that his entreaties to spare the life of Jesus availed
nothing with the high priest, he rushed from the hall in despair, crying,
It is too late! It is too late! He felt unable to live to see Jesus crucified,
and, in an agony of remorse, went out and hanged himself.
Afterward the money which Judas had cast down before the priest
was used for the purchase of a public burial ground. “And the chief
priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to them into
the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel,