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Christ Ordains Twelve Apostles
175
Judas Without Excuse
With divine patience Jesus bore with this erring man, even while
giving him evidence that He read his heart as an open book. He
presented before him the highest incentives for right doing; but
evil desires, revengeful passions, dark and sullen thoughts were
cherished, until Satan had full control.
If Judas had been willing to wear the yoke of Christ, he might
have been among the chief of the apostles. But he chose his own
selfish ambitions and thus unfitted himself for the work God would
have given him to do.
All the disciples had serious faults when Jesus called them. John
and his brother were called “the sons of thunder.” Any slight shown
to Jesus aroused their indignation. Evil temper, revenge, criticism,
were all in John, the beloved disciple. But day by day he beheld
the tenderness and forbearance of Jesus and heard His lessons of
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humility and patience. He opened his heart to the divine influence
and learned to wear the yoke of Christ.
Jesus reproved and cautioned His disciples but John and his
brethren did not leave Him. They continued to the end to share His
trials and to learn the lessons of His life. By beholding Christ, they
became transformed in character.
The apostles differed widely in habits and disposition. There
were the publican, Levi-Matthew; the fiery zealot Simon; generous,
impulsive Peter; mean-spirited Judas; Thomas, truehearted, yet
timid and fearful; Philip, inclined to doubt; the ambitious, outspoken
sons of Zebedee, with their brethren. These were brought together,
all with inherited and cultivated tendencies to evil. But in Christ
they were to learn to become one in faith, in doctrine, in spirit.
They would have their differences of opinion, but while Christ was
abiding in the heart, there could be no dissension. The lessons of
the Master would lead to the harmonizing of all differences, till the
disciples would be of one mind and one judgment. Christ is the great
center, and they would approach one another in proportion as they
approached the center.