Basic HTML Version
Illustration of His Methods
61
and his disposition to criticize and condemn. Christ’s motives and
movements, often so far above his comprehension, excited doubt and
disapproval, and his own questionings and ambitions were insinuated
to the disciples. Many of their contentions for supremacy, and much
of their dissatisfaction with Christ’s methods, originated with Judas.
Jesus, seeing that to antagonize was but to harden, refrained from
direct conflict. Christ endeavored to heal the narrowing selfishness
of Judas’ life through contact with His own self-sacrificing love.
[57]
In His teaching He unfolded principles that struck at the root of
the disciple’s selfcentered ambitions. Lesson after lesson was thus
given, and many a time Judas realized that his character had been
portrayed and his sin pointed out, but he would not yield.
Mercy’s pleading having been resisted, the impulse of evil bore
final sway. Angered at an implied rebuke and made desperate by the
disappointment of his ambitious dreams, Judas surrendered his soul
to the demon of greed and determined to betray his Master. From
the Passover chamber and the joy of Christ’s presence he went forth
to his evil work.
“Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not
believe, and who would betray Him.”
John 6:64
. Yet, knowing all,
He had withheld no pleading of mercy or gift of love.
Seeing his danger, Christ had brought Judas close to Himself,
within the inner circle of His chosen and trusted disciples. Day
after day, when the burden lay heaviest upon His own heart, He had
borne the pain of continual contact with that stubborn, suspicious,
brooding spirit. He had witnessed and labored to counteract among
His disciples that continuous, secret, subtle antagonism. And all this
that no possible saving influence might be lacking to that imperiled
soul!
So far as Judas himself was concerned, Christ’s work of love
had been to no avail. But to the other disciples it ever would be
an example of tenderness and longsuffering as they dealt with the
tempted and erring. And it had other lessons. At the ordination
of the Twelve, the disciples had greatly desired that Judas should
become one of their number. He had come more into contact with
the world than they, he was a man of discernment and executive
ability, and, having a high estimate of his own qualifications, he had
led the disciples to hold him in the same regard. But the methods