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The Desire of Ages
dullness. When the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the disciples,
Philip became a teacher after the divine order. He knew whereof he
spoke, and he taught with an assurance that carried conviction to the
hearers.
While Jesus was preparing the disciples for their ordination, one
who had not been summoned urged his presence among them. It was
Judas Iscariot, a man who professed to be a follower of Christ. He
now came forward, soliciting a place in this inner circle of disciples.
With great earnestness and apparent sincerity he declared, “Master, I
will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest.” Jesus neither repulsed
nor welcomed him, but uttered only the mournful words: “The foxes
have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath
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not where to lay His head.”
Matthew 8:19, 20
. Judas believed Jesus to
be the Messiah; and by joining the apostles, he hoped to secure a high
position in the new kingdom. This hope Jesus designed to cut off by
the statement of His poverty.
The disciples were anxious that Judas should become one of their
number. He was of commanding appearance, a man of keen discern-
ment and executive ability, and they commended him to Jesus as one
who would greatly assist Him in His work. They were surprised that
Jesus received him so coolly.
The disciples had been much disappointed that Jesus had not tried
to secure the co-operation of the leaders in Israel. They felt that it
was a mistake not to strengthen His cause by securing the support of
these influential men. If He had repulsed Judas, they would, in their
own minds, have questioned the wisdom of their Master. The after
history of Judas would show them the danger of allowing any worldly
consideration to have weight in deciding the fitness of men for the
work of God. The co-operation of such men as the disciples were
anxious to secure would have betrayed the work into the hands of its
worst enemies.
Yet when Judas joined the disciples, he was not insensible to the
beauty of the character of Christ. He felt the influence of that divine
power which was drawing souls to the Saviour. He who came not to
break the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax would not repulse
this soul while even one desire was reaching toward the light. The
Saviour read the heart of Judas; He knew the depths of iniquity to
which, unless delivered by the grace of God, Judas would sink. In