Judas
615
spiritual rather than worldly good. He regarded himself as farsighted,
and thought he could see that Jesus would have no honor, and that He
could bestow no high position upon His followers. He determined not
to unite himself so closely to Christ but that he could draw away. He
would watch. And he did watch.
From that time he expressed doubts that confused the disciples.
He introduced controversies and misleading sentiments, repeating the
arguments urged by the scribes and Pharisees against the claims of
Christ. All the little and large troubles and crosses, the difficulties
and the apparent hindrances to the advancement of the gospel, Judas
interpreted as evidences against its truthfulness. He would introduce
texts of Scripture that had no connection with the truths Christ was
presenting. These texts, separated from their connection, perplexed
the disciples, and increased the discouragement that was constantly
pressing upon them. Yet all this was done by Judas in such a way as
to make it appear that he was conscientious. And while the disciples
were searching for evidence to confirm the words of the Great Teacher,
Judas would lead them almost imperceptibly on another track. Thus in
a very religious, and apparently wise, way he was presenting matters in
a different light from that in which Jesus had given them, and attaching
to His words a meaning that He had not conveyed. His suggestions
were constantly exciting an ambitious desire for temporal preferment,
and thus turning the disciples from the important things they should
have considered. The dissension as to which of them should be greatest
was generally excited by Judas.
When Jesus presented to the rich young ruler the condition of
discipleship, Judas was displeased. He thought that a mistake had been
made. If such men as this ruler could be connected with the believers,
they would help sustain Christ’s cause. If Judas were only received as
a counselor, he thought, he could suggest many plans for the advantage
of the little church. His principles and methods would differ somewhat
from Christ’s, but in these things he thought himself wiser than Christ.
[720]
In all that Christ said to His disciples, there was something with
which, in heart, Judas disagreed. Under his influence the leaven of
disaffection was fast doing its work. The disciples did not see the real
agency in all this; but Jesus saw that Satan was communicating his
attributes to Judas, and thus opening up a channel through which to
influence the other disciples. This, a year before the betrayal, Christ