When Judas sat in the room among the twelve, he felt so bewildered and
confused that he did not hear all that Jesus said. So he got up, left
the room, and rushed through the empty streets of the city. "One of
those who sit at this table will betray Me!" He knows men's thoughts.
That gives Him power over all. But He does not know how to use that
power; He must be driven to that. Judas could think of nothing else.
The thought with which hitherto he had only played now took violent
possession of his head and heart. He went through the city gate, which
was not closed at this Passover time. He would spend the night among
the bushes; but see--there goes the Master along the road with three of
His disciples. Judas stretched out his head between the branches in
order to look after them. They went towards the valley. Were they
going to Bethany? Now he knew what to do. He quickly pulled himself
together, and went straight off to the Roman captain.
"I know where He is."
"You want money for this Jew?"
"That's not my reason for telling you."
"Yet you tell me."
"Because I can't wait any longer. You will find out who He is, ere
long."
"Well, where is He?"'
"I'll go with the soldiers. There are several persons with Him; I will
go up to one and kiss his cheek. That will be He."
"How much do you want for this service of love, you brute?" asked the
captain.
"Insult away! Seek Him without me. I know what I'm after."
"Well, how much do you want? Are thirty silver pieces enough?"
"The Man is worth more."
"I do not haggle over prices."
"Well, give what you please. I fancy He will cost you very dear."
The bargain was struck. Judas, the treasurer, put the coins in the
common purse, and thought: If we had only had this sooner. And now
it's hardly any use to us. Then a troop of soldiers placed him in
their midst, and, carrying torches, the procession marched out of the
town and down into the Valley of Kedron. They crossed the brook, and
at the entrance to the garden gate intended to proceed to Bethany. But
a swift, curious glance of Judas observed, by the glimmer of the moon,
figures lying on the ground under a bush. He stopped, looked, and
recognised the brothers. He signed to the soldiers to enter the garden
quietly. To walk quietly is the way of traitors, not of warriors. The
sound of marching and the clash of swords woke the disciples. A very
different awakening from the gentle bidding of the Master! They jumped
up and hastened to where He was kneeling.
Judas came forward and said: "Did I frighten you?" Then he went up to
Jesus: "You are still awake, Master?" He bent down in greeting, kissed
Him lightly on the cheek, and thought in tremulous expectation: Messiah
King, now reveal Thyself!
Then the soldiers rushed up. They had been joined by a mob armed with
sticks and cudgels, just as when notorious criminals are taken. Jesus
went forward a few steps to meet them and offered His hands to them to
be bound. John threw himself between, but he was dashed to the ground.
James struggled with two of the soldiers; Peter snatched the sword of a
third, and hacked at one of the Temple guards so that his ear flew from
his body.
"What are you doing?" Jesus called to the disciple. "If you interfere
they will kill you. You will conquer not with the sword, but with the
word. But you, O people of Jerusalem; you treat Me as shamefully as if
I were a murderer. And only five days ago you led Me into the city
with palms and psalms. What have I done since then? I sat in the
Temple among you. Why did you not take Me then?"
They mocked at Him. "Isn't to-day soon enough for you? Can't you wait
any longer for your ladder to heaven? Patience, it is set up already."
When the disciples heard such allusions, and saw the Master calmly
surrendering Himself, they drew back. The sticks and spears clashed
together, the crowd jogged along, the torches flickered, and so the
procession went up to the city.
Judas stood behind the trunk of a tree, looking through the branches at
the dread procession, and his eyes started from his head in terror.