[Illustration: Jesus Arraigned Before Pilate
Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was
early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they
should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover. Pilate then went
out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man?—And
they began to accuse him, saying, We found this _fellow_ perverting the
nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, saying that he himself
is Christ a King.—_St. John xviii: 28, 29; St. Luke xxiii: 2._
_NOTE BY THE ARTIST_
_Priding themselves upon their strict administration of justice, the
Romans not infrequently erected their tribunals in the open air, by the
city gate, in the market-place or theatre, or even at the roadside, in
order that all might have the opportunity of seeing and hearing. The
design of Herod’s magnificent palace, now the official residence of
Pilate, evidently made permanent provision for this method of official
procedure, the “Gabbatha”—a platform—being a tesselated pavement in front
of the Judgment Hall, to which access was obtained by a flight of steps.
In the centre of this pavement was a slightly-raised platform, upon which
was placed the curule chair of the procurator, with seats to right and
left for the assessors; other officers of the court occupying benches on
the lower level._
61]
THE
LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST
FOR THE YOUNG
BY THE
REV. RICHARD NEWTON, D.D.
AND
HIS LIFE DEPICTED IN A
GALLERY OF EIGHTY PAINTINGS
BY
WILLIAM HOLE
_ROYAL SCOTTISH ACADEMY_
VOL. IV
PHILADELPHIA
GEORGE BARRIE’S SONS, PUBLISHERS
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
COPYRIGHTED, 1876-1880, BY G. & B.
RENEWED, 1904-1907, BY GEORGE BARRIE & SONS
COPYRIGHTED, 1913, BY GEORGE BARRIE & SONS
CONTENTS
VOLUME IV
CHAPTER PAGE
THE GALLERY OF THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST vii
I JESUS IN GETHSEMANE 1
II THE BETRAYAL AND DESERTION 29
III THE TRIAL 59
IV THE CRUCIFIXION 89
V THE BURIAL 121
VI THE RESURRECTION 151
VII THE ASCENSION 179
VIII THE DAY OF PENTECOST 211
IX THE APOSTLE PETER 239
X ST. JOHN AND ST. PAUL 271
ANALYTICAL INDEX 301
INDEX OF POEMS 319
THE GALLERY OF THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST
VOLUME IV
NUMBER PAGE
61. JESUS ARRAIGNED BEFORE PILATE _Fronts._
62. JESUS PRIVATELY EXAMINED BY PILATE 14
63. HEROD EXPECTETH TO BE AMUSED 28
64. JESUS IS SCOURGED 42
65. JESUS, ARRAYED IN MOCK STATE, IS CROWNED AND BEATEN 56
66. PILATE WASHETH HIS HANDS 70
67. “DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM, WEEP NOT FOR ME” 84
68. JESUS ATTACHED TO THE CROSS 98
69. JESUS COMMENDETH HIS MOTHER TO JOHN 112
70. JESUS YIELDETH UP THE GHOST 126
71. THE BODY OF JESUS LAID IN THE TOMB 140
72. “HE IS NOT HERE, BUT IS RISEN” 154
73. PETER AND JOHN IN THE SEPULCHRE 168
74. JESUS REVEALETH HIMSELF TO MARY MAGDALENE 182
75. ON THE ROAD TO EMMAUS 196
76. JESUS APPEARETH TO AND PARDONS SIMON PETER 210
77. THE INCREDULITY AND CONFESSION OF THOMAS 224
78. JESUS SHOWETH HIMSELF AT THE SEA OF TIBERIUS 254
79. JESUS, HIS WORK ACCOMPLISHED, ASCENDS INTO HEAVEN 268
80. THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST 282
JESUS IN GETHSEMANE
In sailing across the ocean, if we attempt to measure the depth of the
water in different places, we shall find that it varies very much. There
are hardly two places in which it is exactly the same. In some places it
is easy enough to find the bottom. In others, it is necessary to lengthen
the line greatly before it can be reached. And then there are other
places where the water is so deep that the longest line ordinarily used
cannot reach to the bottom. We know that there _is_ a bottom, but it is
very hard to get down to it.
And, in studying the history of our Saviour’s life, we may compare
ourselves to persons sailing over the ocean. The things that he did, and
the words that he spoke, are like the water over which we are sailing.
And when we try to understand the meaning of what Jesus said and did,
we are like the sailor out at sea who is trying to fathom the water over
which he is sailing, and to find out how deep it is. And in doing this
we shall find the same difference that he finds. Some of the things that
Jesus did and said are so plain and simple that a child can understand
them. These are like those parts of the ocean where a very little line
will reach the bottom. Other things that Jesus did and said require hard
study, if we wish to understand them. But then, there are other parts of
the sayings and doings of Jesus which the best and wisest men, with all
their learning and study, cannot fully understand or explain. These are
like those places in the sea where we cannot reach the bottom with our
longest lines.
We find our illustration of this in the garden of Gethsemane. Some of the
things that were done and said there we can easily understand. But other
things are told us, of what Jesus did and said there which are very hard
to explain.
In speaking about this part of our Saviour’s life, there are two things
for us to notice. These are what we are _told_ about Gethsemane, and what
we are _taught_ by the things that took place there. Or, a shorter way
of stating it will be to say that our subject now is—_the facts—and the
lessons of Gethsemane_.
Let us look now at the facts that are told us about Gethsemane. It is
a fact that there was such a place as Gethsemane, near Jerusalem, when
Jesus was on earth, and that there is such a place there now. It is a
fact that Gethsemane was a garden or orchard of olive trees then, and
so it is still. Everyone who goes to Jerusalem is sure to visit this
spot, because it is so sacred to all Christian hearts on account of its
connection with our Saviour’s sufferings. The side of the Mount of Olives
on which Gethsemane stands is dotted over with olive trees. A portion
of the hill has been enclosed with stone walls. This is supposed to be
the spot where our Lord’s agony took place. Inside of these walls are
eight large olive trees. They are gnarled and crooked, and very old. Some
suppose they are the very trees which stood there when Jesus visited the
spot, on the night in which he was betrayed. But this is not likely. For
we know that when Titus, the Roman general, was besieging Jerusalem, he
cut down all the trees that could be found near the city. But the trees
now there have probably sprung from the roots of those that were growing
in Gethsemane on this very night.
It is a fact that after keeping the last Passover, and observing, for the
first time the Lord’s Supper with his disciples, Jesus left Jerusalem
near midnight with the little band of his followers. He went down the
side of the hill on which the city stood and crossed the brook Kedron
on the way to Gethsemane. It is a fact that on going into the garden he
left eight of his disciples at the entrance. It is a fact that he took
with him the chosen, favored three, Peter, James, and John, and went
further into the garden. It is a fact that then he “began to be sorrowful
and very heavy. Then saith he—my soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto
death.” It is a fact that he withdrew from the three disciples, and,
alone with God, he bowed himself to the earth, and prayed, saying, “O,
my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.” It is a fact
that after offering this earnest prayer he returned to his disciples and
found them asleep, and said to Peter, “What! could ye not watch with
me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.” It is
a fact that he went away again, “and being in an agony he prayed more
earnestly, and his sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood falling
down to the ground.” It is a fact that in the depths of his agony, “there
appeared unto him an angel from heaven strengthening him.” We are not
told what the angel said to him. No doubt he brought to him some tender,
loving words from his Father in heaven, to comfort and encourage him.
It is a fact that he returned to his disciples again and found them
sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. It is a fact that he went away
again, and prayed, saying, “O, my Father, if this cup may not pass from
me except I drink it, thy will be done.” It is a fact that he returned
the third time to his disciples, and said—“Sleep on now, and take your
rest: behold the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the
hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going: behold he is at hand that doth
betray me.” And it is a fact that, immediately after he had spoken these
words, the wretched Judas appeared with his band to take him. These are
the facts told us by the evangelists respecting Jesus and his agony in
Gethsemane. They are very wonderful facts, and the scene which they set
before us in our Saviour’s life is one of the most solemn and awful that
ever was witnessed.
And now, let us go on to speak of _the lessons_ taught us by these facts.
These lessons are _four_.
_The first lesson we learn from Gethsemane is a lesson—ABOUT PRAYER._
As soon as this great trouble came upon our blessed Lord in Gethsemane,
we see him, at once separating himself from his disciples, and seeking
the comfort and support of his Father’s presence in prayer. And this was
what he was in the habit of doing. We remember how he spent the night in
prayer before engaging in the important work of choosing his disciples.
And now, as soon as the burden of this great sorrow comes crushing down
upon him, the first thing he does is to seek relief in prayer.
The apostle Paul is speaking of this, when he says, “he offered _up
prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, unto him that
was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared_.” Heb.
v: 7. This refers particularly to what took place here in Gethsemane.
The earnestness which marked our Saviour’s prayers on this occasion is
especially mentioned. He mingled tears with his prayers. It appears from
what the apostle here says, that there was something connected with his
approaching death upon the cross that Jesus particularly feared. We are
not told what it was. And it is not worth while for us to try and find
it out, for we cannot do it. But the prayer of Jesus, was not in vain.
“He was heard, in that he feared.” No doubt this refers to what took
place when the angel came to strengthen him. His prayer was not answered
literally. He was not actually saved from death; but he was saved from
what he feared in connection with death. Our Lord’s experience, in this
respect, was like that of St. Paul when he prayed to be delivered from
the thorn in the flesh. The thorn was not taken away, but grace was
given him to bear it, and that was better than having it taken away. The
promise is—“Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.”
Ps. lv: 22. And so, from the gloomy shades of Gethsemane, with our
Saviour’s agony and bloody sweat, there comes to us a precious lesson
about prayer. We see Jesus praying under the sorrows that overwhelmed him
there: his prayer was heard, and he was helped.
And thus, by the example of our blessed Lord, we are taught, when we have
any heavy burden to bear, or any hard duty to do, to carry it to the Lord
in prayer.
Let us look at some examples from every day life of the benefit that
follows from prayer.
“Washington’s Prayer.” General Washington was one of the best and
greatest men that this country, or any other, ever had. He was a man of
piety and prayer.
While he was a young man, he was appointed by Governor Dinwiddie, of
Virginia, to the command of a body of troops, and sent on some duty in
the western part of that state. A part of these troops was composed
of friendly Indians. There was no chaplain in that little army, and
so Washington used to act as chaplain himself. He was in the habit of
standing up, in the presence of his men, with his head uncovered, and
reverently asking the God of heaven to protect and bless them in the work
they were sent to do. And no doubt, the great secret of Washington’s
success in life, was his habit of prayer. He occupied many positions of
honor and dignity during his useful life. But, never did he occupy any
position in which he appeared so manly, so honorable, and so truly noble,
as when he stood forth, a young man, in the presence of his little army,
and tried to lift up their thoughts to God above, as the one “from whom
all blessings flow.”
“Praying Better Than Stealing.” A poor family lived near a wood wharf.
The father of this family got on very well while he kept sober; but when
he went to the tavern to spend his evenings and his earnings, as he did
sometimes, then his poor family had to suffer. One winter, during a cold
spell of weather, he was taken sick from a drunken frolic. Their wood was
nearly gone.
After dark one night, he called his oldest boy John to his bedside, and
whispered to him to go to the wood wharf and bring an armful of wood.
“I can’t do that,” said John.
“Can’t do it—why not?”
“Because that would be stealing, and since I have been going to
Sabbath-school, I’ve learned that God’s commandment is, ‘Thou shalt not
steal.’”
“Well, and didn’t you learn that another of God’s commandments
is—‘Children, obey your parents?’”
“Yes, father,” answered the boy.
“Well, then, mind and do what I tell you.”
Johnny was perplexed. He knew there must be some way of answering his
father, but he did not know exactly how to do it. The right thing would
have been for him to say that, when our parents tell us to do what is
plainly contrary to the command of God, we must obey God rather than men.
But Johnny had not learned this yet. So he said:
“Father, please excuse me from stealing. I’ll ask God to send us some
wood. Praying’s better than stealing. I’m pretty sure God will send it.
And if it don’t come before I come home from school at noon to-morrow, I
will go and work for some, or beg some. I can work, and I can beg, but I
can’t steal.”
Then Johnny crept up into the loft where he slept, and prayed to God
about this matter. He said the Lord’s prayer, which his teacher had
taught him. And after saying—“give us this day our daily bread;” he
added—“and please Lord send us some wood too, and let father see that
praying is better than stealing—for Jesus’ sake. Amen.”
And at noon next day when he came home from school, as he turned round
the corner, and came in sight of their home, what do you think was the
first thing he saw? Why, a load of wood before their door! Yes, there it
was. His mother told him the overseers of the poor had sent it. He did
not know them. He believed it was God who sent it. And he was right.
The first lesson from Gethsemane is about prayer.
_The second lesson from this hallowed spot is—ABOUT SIN._
Here, in Gethsemane, we see Jesus engaged in paying the price of our
redemption: this means, what he had to suffer for us before our sins
could be pardoned. The pains and sorrows through which Jesus passed,
in the agony of the garden, and the death on the cross: the sighs he
heaved—the groans he uttered—the tears he shed—the fears, the griefs, the
unknown sufferings that he bore—all these were part of the price he had
to pay, that we might be saved from our sins.
When we read of all that Jesus endured in Gethsemane: when we hear him
say—“my soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death:” when we see him
fall to the earth, in such an agony that “his sweat was, as it were,
great drops of blood falling down to the ground:” we may well ask the
question—what was it which caused him all this fearful suffering? And
there is only one way of answering this question; and this is by saying
_that he was bearing the punishment of our sins_. There was nothing else
that could have made him feel so sad and sorrowful. But _this_ explains
it all. Then, as the prophet says—“He was wounded for our transgressions,
he was bruised for our iniquities;—and the Lord had laid on him the
iniquity of us all.” Is. liii: 5, 6. Our sins had provoked the wrath
of God against us, and Jesus was bearing that wrath for us. In all the
world, there is nothing that shows so clearly what a fearful thing sin
is, as the awful sufferings of Jesus when he was paying the price of our
sins, or making atonement for us. And it is by knowing what took place
in Gethsemane, and on Calvary, and _only_ in this way, that we can learn
what a terrible evil sin is, and how we are to be saved from it.
Some years ago, there was a good Christian lady in England who had taken
into her family a deaf and dumb boy. She was anxious to teach him the
lesson of Gethsemane and Calvary; that Christ had suffered and died for
our sins. Signs and pictures were the only means by which she could
teach him. So she drew a picture of a great crowd of people, old and
young, standing near a deep, wide pit, out of which smoke and flames were
issuing, and into which they were in danger of being driven. Then she
drew the figure of one who came down from heaven, representing Jesus, the
Son of God. She explained to the boy that when this person came, he asked
God not to throw those people into the pit, because he was willing to
suffer and to die for them, that the pit might be shut up and the people
saved.
The deaf and dumb boy wondered much: and then made signs that the person
who offered to die was only one, while the guilty ones who deserved to
die were many. He did not understand how God could be willing to take
one, in the place of so many. The lady saw the difficulty that was in
the boy’s mind. Then she took a gold ring off from her finger, and put
it down by the side of a great heap of withered leaves, from some faded
flowers, and then asked the boy, by signs, which was the more valuable,
the one gold ring, or the many withered leaves? The boy took in the
idea at once. He clapped his hands with delight, and then by signs
exclaimed—“The one—the golden one.” And then to show that he knew what
this meant, and that the life of Jesus was worth more than the world of
sinners for which he died, he ran and got his letters, and spelled the
words—“Good! The golden one good!” The deaf and dumb boy had learned two
great lessons that day. For one thing he had learned this lesson about
sin which we are trying to learn from Gethsemane. He saw what a dreadful
thing sin is, when it was necessary for Jesus to die before it could be
pardoned. And then, at the same time, he learned a lesson about Jesus. He
saw what a golden, glorious character he is: that he is perfect man, and
perfect God. This made his blood _so_ precious that the shedding of that
blood was a price sufficient to pay for the sins of the whole world.
[Illustration: Jesus Privately Examined by Pilate
Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus,
and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews? Jesus answered him,
Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have
delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? Jesus answered, My kingdom
is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my
servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is
my kingdom not from hence. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a
king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was
I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear
witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?—_St. John xviii: 33-38._
_NOTE BY THE ARTIST_
_If Herod’s palace was built according to the customary Roman method, the
private examination of Jesus would naturally be conducted either in the
library, or in Pilate’s business room—apartments which usually occupied
positions on opposite sides of a short passage leading from the further
extremity of the spacious atrium to the inner halls and chambers of the
palace. There were six examinations of our Lord: (1) before Annas for
fact; (2) before Caiaphas for determinations; (3) before the Sanhedrim
for official confirmation; (4) before Pilate for preliminary enquiry; (5)
before Herod Antipas as Tetrarch of Galilee; (6) before Pilate for final
acquittal or condemnation._
62]
And now, let us see, for a moment, how much good is done by telling to
poor sinners this story of Gethsemane and Calvary, and of the sufferings
of Jesus there. Here is an illustration of the power of this story, for
which we are indebted to one of the Moravian Missionaries in Greenland.
Kazainak was a robber chief, who lived among “Greenland’s icy mountains.”
He came, one day to a hut, where the missionary was engaged in
translating into the language of that country the gospel of St. John.
He saw the missionary writing and asked him what he was doing. Pointing
to the letters he had just written, he said those marks were words, and
that the book from which they were written could speak. Kazainak said he
would like to hear what the book had to say. The missionary took up the
book, and read from it the story of Christ’s crucifixion. When he stopped
reading the chief asked:
“What had this man done, that he was put to death? had he robbed any one?
or murdered any one? had he done wrong to any one? Why did he die?”
“No,” said the missionary. “He had robbed no one; he had murdered no one;
he had done no wrong to any one.”
“Then, why did he die?”
“Listen,” said the missionary. “Jesus had done no wrong; but Kazainak has
done wrong. Jesus had robbed no one; but Kazainak has robbed many. Jesus
had murdered no one; but Kazainak has murdered his brother; Kazainak has
murdered his child. Jesus suffered that Kazainak might not suffer; Jesus
died that Kazainak might not die.”
“Tell me that again,” said the astonished chief. It was told him again,
and the end of it was that the hard-hearted, blood-stained murderer
became a gentle, loving Christian. He never knew what sin was till he
heard of Christ’s sufferings for it.
The second lesson we learn from Gethsemane is—the lesson about sin.
_The third lesson from Gethsemane is the lesson ABOUT SUBMISSION._
Jesus taught us in the Lord’s prayer to say, “Thy will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.” And this is one of the most important lessons
we ever have to learn. It is very easy to say these words—“Thy will
be done;” but it is not so easy to feel them, and to be and do just
what they teach. The will of God is always right, and good, and holy.
Everything opposed to his will is sinful. St. Paul tells us that—“sin
is the transgression of the law.” To _transgress_ a law, means to walk
over it, or to break it. But the law of God is only his will made known.
And so, everything that we think, or feel, or say, or do, contrary to
the will of God—is sin. And when we remember this it should make us very
anxious to learn the lesson of submission to the will of God. If we could
all learn to do the will of God as the angels do, it would make our earth
like heaven. And this is one reason why Jesus was so earnest in teaching
us this lesson. He not only _preached_ submission to the will of God, but
_practised_ it. When he entered Gethsemane, he compared the dreadful
sufferings before him to a cup, filled with something very bitter, which
he was asked to drink. Now, no person, however good or holy he may be,
likes to endure dreadful sufferings. It is natural for us to shrink
back from suffering, and to try to get away from it. And this was just
the way that Jesus felt. He did not love suffering any more than you or
I do. And so, when he prayed the first time in Gethsemane, with those
terrible sufferings immediately before him, his prayer was—“Father, if it
be possible, let this cup pass from me.” But the cup did not pass away.
It was held before him still. He saw it was his Father’s will for him
to drink it. So, when he prayed the second time, his words were—“O, my
Father, if this cup may not pass from me, except I drink it: _thy will be
done_!” This was the most beautiful example of submission to the will of
God the world has ever seen.
When Adam was in the garden of Eden he refused to submit to the will of
God. He said, by his conduct, “Not _thy_ will, but _mine_ be done:” and
that brought the curse upon the earth, and filled it with sorrow and
death. When Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane, he submitted to the
will of God. He said, “Not _my_ will, but _thine_, be done.” This took
away the curse which Adam brought upon the earth, and left a blessing in
the place of it—even life, and peace, and salvation.
We ought to learn submission to the will of God, because he knows what is
best for us.
“The Curse of the Granted Prayer.” A widowed mother had an only child—a
darling boy. Her heart was wrapped up in him. At one time he was taken
very ill. The doctor thought he would die. She prayed earnestly that his
life might be spared. But she did not pray in submission to the will of
God. She said she did not want to live unless her child was spared to
her. He was spared. But, he grew up to be a selfish, disobedient boy. One
day, in a fit of passion, he struck his mother. That almost broke her
heart. He became worse and worse; and, at last, in a drunken quarrel, he
killed one of his companions. He was taken to prison; was tried—condemned
to be hanged—and ended his life on the gallows. That quite broke his
mother’s heart.
Now God, in his goodness, was going to save that mother from all this
bitter sorrow. And would have done so if she had only learned to say—“Thy
will be done.” She would not say that. The consequence was that she
brought on herself all that heart-breaking sorrow.
And then we ought to learn submission to the will of God—_because,
whatever he takes away from us—he leaves us so many blessings still_!
Here is a good illustration of this part of our subject. Some years
ago, in a town in New England, there was a minister of the gospel who
was greatly interested in his work. But he was attacked with bleeding
of the lungs and was obliged to stop preaching and resign the charge of
his church. About the same time his only child was laid in the grave;
his wife, for a time, lost the use of her eyes; his home was broken up,
and his prospects were very dark. They had been obliged to sell their
furniture and take boarding at a tavern in the town where they lived.
But, under all these trials, he was resigned and cheerful. He felt the
supporting power of that precious gospel which he had so loved to preach.
His wife had not felt as contented and cheerful under their trials as he
was.
One day, as he came in from a walk, she said to him: “Husband dear, I
have been thinking of our situation here, and have made up my mind to try
and be patient and submissive to the will of God.”
“Ah,” said he, “that’s a good resolution. I’m very glad to hear it. Now,
let us see what we have to submit to. I will make a list of our trials.
Well, in the first place, we have a comfortable home; we’ll submit to
that. Secondly, we have many of the blessings of life left to us; we’ll
submit to that. Thirdly, we are spared to each other; we’ll submit to
that. Fourthly, we have a multitude of kind friends; we’ll submit to
that. Fifthly, we have a loving God, and Saviour, who has promised to
take care of us, and ‘make all things work together for our good;’ we’ll
submit to that.”
This was a view of their case which his wife had not taken. And so by
the time her husband had got through with his fifthly, her heart was
filled with gratitude, her eyes with tears, and she exclaimed: “Stop,
stop; please stop, my dear husband; and I’ll never say another word about
submission.”
The lesson of submission is the third lesson that we are taught in
Gethsemane.
_The last lesson for us to learn from this solemn scene in our Saviour’s
life is a lesson—ABOUT TENDERNESS._
Jesus taught us this when he came back, again and again, from his lonely
struggles with the sufferings he was passing through, and found his
disciples asleep. It seemed very selfish and unfeeling in them to show
no more sympathy with their Master in the time of his greatest need. He
had told them how full of sorrow he was, and had asked them to watch with
him. Now, we should have supposed that, under such circumstances, they
would have found it impossible to sleep. They ought to have been weeping
with him in his sorrow, and uniting in prayer to God to help and comfort
him. But, instead of this, while he was bearing all the agony and bloody
sweat which was caused him by their sins, _they were fast asleep_! If
Jesus had rebuked them sharply for their want of feeling, it would not
have been surprising. But, he did nothing of the kind. He only asked,
in his own quiet, gentle way—“could ye not watch with me one hour?” And
then he kindly excused them for their fault, saying—“The spirit indeed is
willing, but the flesh is weak!” How tender and loving this was! Here we
have the lesson of tenderness that comes to us from Gethsemane. We see
here, beautifully illustrated, the gentle, loving spirit of our blessed
Saviour. And the exhortation of the apostle, is—“Let _this mind be in
you, which was also in Christ Jesus_.” Phil. ii: 5.
Someone has well said, that “the rule for us to walk by, if we are true
Christians, is, when any one injures us, _to forget one half of it, and
forgive the rest_.” This is the very spirit of our Master. This was the
way in which he acted towards his erring disciples in Gethsemane. And, if
all who bear the name of Christ were only trying to follow his example,
in this respect, who can tell how much good would be done?
Here are some beautiful illustrations of this lesson of tenderness and
forbearance which Jesus taught us in Gethsemane.
“The Influence of This Spirit in a Christian Woman.” A parish visitor had
a district to attend to which contained some of the worst families in
town. There was a sick child in one of those families. The visitor called
on her every day. The grandfather of this child was a wicked, hardened
man, who hated religion and everything connected with it. He had a big
dog that was about as savage as he was himself. Every day, when he saw
this Christian woman coming to visit the sick child, he would let loose
the dog on her. The dog flew at her, and caught hold of her dress. But
she was a brave woman, and stood her ground nobly. A few kind words
spoken to the dog took away all his fierceness. She continued her visits,
day after day, bringing to the poor child such nice things as she needed.
At first the dog was set upon her every day; but as she went on in her
kind and gentle way, the old man began to feel ashamed of himself; and
before a week was over, when he saw this faithful Christian woman coming
to the suffering little one, instead of letting loose the dog upon her,
he would take his pipe out of his mouth with one hand and lift the cap
from his head with the other, and make a polite bow to her, saying, “Good
morning, ma’am: werry glad to see you.”
And so the spirit of Christ, as practised by that good woman, won the
way for the gospel into that home of sin and misery, and it brought a
blessing with it, as it always does.
“The Spirit of Christ in a Little Girl.” “Sitting in school one day,”
says a teacher, “I overheard a conversation between a little girl and her
brother. He was complaining of various wrongs that had been done to him
by another little boy belonging to the school. His face grew red with
anger, and he became very much excited in telling of all that this boy
had done to him. He was going on to say how he intended to pay him back,
when his sister interrupted him by saying, ‘Brother, please don’t talk
any more in that way. Remember that _Charley has no mother_.’
“Her brother’s lips were closed at once. This gentle rebuke from his
sister went straight to his heart. He walked quietly away, saying to
himself—‘I never thought of that.’ He remembered his own sweet home and
the teaching of his loving mother; and the question came up to him—‘What
should I be if I had no mother?’ He thought how lonely Charley must feel,
and how hard it must be for him to do right _without a mother_. This took
away all his anger. And he made up his mind to be kind and forbearing to
poor Charley, and to try to do him all the good he could. This little
girl was following the example of Christ, and we see what a good effect
it had upon her brother.”
“A Boy with the Spirit of Christ.” Two boys—Bob Jones and Ben
Christie—were left alone in a country school-house between the morning
and afternoon sessions. Contrary to the master’s express orders Bob Jones
set off some fireworks. When afternoon school began, the master called
up the two boys, to find out who had done the mischief.
“Bob, did you set off those fireworks?”
“No, sir,” said Bob.
“Did you do it, Ben?” was the next question.
But Ben refused to answer; and so the master flogged him severely for his
obstinacy.
At the afternoon recess the boys were alone together. “Ben, why didn’t
you deny it?” asked his companion.
“Because there were only us two there, and one of us must have lied,”
said Ben.
“Then why didn’t you say I did it?”
“Because you had said you didn’t, and I would rather take the flogging
than fasten the lie on you.”
Bob’s heart melted under this. Ben’s noble spirit quite overcame him. He
felt that he never could allow his companion to lie under the charge of
the wrong that he had done.
As soon as the school began again, Bob marched up to the master’s desk,
and said:
“Please, sir, I can’t bear to be a liar. Ben Christie didn’t set off
these fire-crackers. I did it, and he took the flogging rather than
charge me with the lie.” And then Bob burst into tears.
The master looked at him in surprise. He thought of the unjust punishment
Ben had received, his conscience smote him, and his eyes filled with
tears. Taking hold of Bob’s hand, they walked to Ben Christie’s seat;
then the master said aloud:
“Ben, Ben, my lad, Bob and I have done you wrong; we both ask your
pardon!”
The school was hushed and still as the grave. You might almost have heard
Ben’s big-boy tears dropping on his book. But, in a moment, dashing
the tears away, he cried out—“Three cheers for the master.” They gave
three cheers. And then Bob Jones added—“And now three cheers for Ben
Christie”—and they made the school-house ring again with three rousing
cheers for Ben.
Ben Christie was acting in the spirit of Christ in what he did that day.
And in doing so he did good to his companion, Bob Jones. He did good to
the master, and to every scholar in the school.
And there is no way in which we can do so much real good to all about us
as by trying to catch the spirit and follow the example of our blessed
Saviour.
And so, when we think of Jesus in Gethsemane, let us never forget _the
facts and the lessons_ connected with that sacred place. The facts are
too many to be repeated. The lessons are four. There is the lesson about
prayer; the lesson about sin; the lesson about submission; and the lesson
about tenderness.
And, as we leave this solemn subject, we may each of us say, in the words
of the hymn:
“Can I Gethsemane forget?
Or there thy conflict see,
Thine agony and bloody sweat,
And not remember thee?
“Remember thee, and all thy pains,
And all thy love to me;
Yes, while a breath, a pulse remains,
Will I remember thee.
“And when these failing lips grow dumb,
And mind, and memory flee,
When thou shalt in thy kingdom come,
Jesus, remember me.”
[Illustration: Herod Expecteth to be Amused
Then said Pilate to the chief priests and _to_ the people, I find no
fault in this man. And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth
up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee
to this place. When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man
were a Galilæan. And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod’s
jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem
at that time. And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he
was desirous to see him of a long _season_, because he had heard many
things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. Then
he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing. And
the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. And Herod
with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked _him_, and arrayed him
in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.—_St. Luke xxiii: 4-11._
_NOTE BY THE ARTIST_
_While in residence in Jerusalem, Herod Antipas occupied the ancient
palace of the Hasmonæan kings, situated on the western hill, not far
from that built by Herod the Great. A weak, cruel sensualist, Antipas,
like other princelings of his family, affected the dress and manners and
the refined luxury of the Greeks. Blasé and wearied doubtless with the
monotonous pleasures of the dissolute court, he welcomed the excitement
promised by the appearance of Jesus at his judgment-seat, anticipating
that the prisoner would thankfully purchase his life at the cost of
amusing him and his courtiers by some display of the magical power with
the possession of which rumor had credited him. Herod was devoted to
hunting and had special hunting grounds near the Lake of Gennesaret, so a
favorite hound is appropriately introduced._
63]
THE BETRAYAL AND DESERTION
One of the darkest chapters in the history of our Saviour’s life is this
now before us. Here we see him betrayed into the hands of his enemies by
one of his disciples and deserted by all the rest.
In studying this subject, we may look at the history of the betrayal and
desertion, and then consider some of the lessons that it teaches.
The man who committed this awful crime was _Judas Iscariot_. He was one
of the twelve whom Jesus chose, in the early part of his ministry, to be
with him, all the time, to see all the mighty works that he did, and to
hear all that he said in private as well as in public. He is called Judas
_Iscariot_, to distinguish him from another of the disciples of the same
name, viz., Judas, the brother of James. Different explanations have been
given of the meaning of this name Iscariot. The most likely is, that it
was used to denote the place of his birth. If this be so, then it was
written at first, Judas-Ish-Kerioth—which means a man of Kerioth. And
then this would show us that he belonged to a town in the southern part
of Judah, called Kerioth.
We know nothing about Judas before we hear him spoken of as one of the
twelve apostles. In the different lists of the names of the apostles, he
is always mentioned last, because of the dreadful sin which he finally
committed. When his name is mentioned he is generally spoken of as “the
traitor”—or as the man “which also betrayed him.” Jesus knew, of course,
from the beginning, what kind of a man Judas was, and what he would do
in the end. But, we have no reason to suppose that Judas himself had any
idea of committing this horrible crime when he first became an apostle;
or that the other apostles ever had the least suspicion of him. There
can be no doubt that he took part with the other apostles when Jesus
sent them before his face to “preach the gospel of the kingdom,” and to
perform “many mighty works.” Yes, Judas, who afterwards betrayed his
Master, preached the gospel and performed miracles in the name of Jesus.
His fellow-disciples, so far from suspecting any harm of him, made him
the treasurer of their little company, and let him “have the bag” and
manage their money affairs. And _this_, may have been the very thing that
ruined him.
The first time that we see anything wrong in Judas is at the supper given
to our Lord at Bethany. We read about this in St. John 12: 1-9. On this
occasion, Mary, the sister of Lazarus, brought a very precious box of
ointment, and anointed the feet of Jesus with it. Judas thought this
ointment was wasted, and asked why it had not been sold for three hundred
pence, and given to the poor. This would be about forty-five or fifty
dollars of our money. It is added—“This he said, not because he cared for
the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bore what was
put therein.” None of his disciples suspected Judas of being a thief at
this time. These words were added, long after the death of Judas, when
his true character was well known.
But, when Jesus rebuked Judas for finding fault with Mary, and praised
her highly for what she had done, he was greatly offended. And then, it
seems, he first made up his mind to do that terrible deed which has left
so deep and dreadful a stain upon his memory. For we read—St. Matt.
xxvi: 14-16—“Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto
the chief priests and said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will
deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of
silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.” The
paltry sum for which Judas agreed to betray his Master was about fifteen
dollars of our money—the price of a common slave.
Very soon after this Jesus met his disciples in that upper chamber of
Jerusalem, to eat the Passover together for the last time. And Judas came
with them. How could the wretched man venture into the presence of Jesus,
when he had already agreed to betray him?
But Jesus knew all about it. How startled Judas must have been when he
heard Jesus say before them all—“One of you shall betray me.” It is
probable that Jesus said this to drive Judas out from his presence, for
it must have been very painful to him to have him there. And, after Jesus
had given the sop to Judas, to show by this that he knew who the traitor
was, we read that—“Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said unto him, That
thou doest do quickly.” Then he “went immediately out;” and hastened to
the chief priests to make arrangements for delivering Jesus unto them.
It is clear, I think, from this that Judas was not present while Jesus
was instituting the Lord’s Supper. It must have been a wonderful relief
to Jesus when Judas left their little company. And we are not surprised
to find it written—“When he was gone out Jesus said, Now is the Son of
man glorified, and God is glorified in him,” St. John xiii: 31. Then
followed the Lord’s Supper; and the glorious things spoken of in the
14th, 15th, and 16th chapters of St. John, and the great prayer in the
17th chapter. After this came the agony in the garden of Gethsemane.
Just as this was over, Judas appeared with the band of soldiers and
servants of the chief priests “with lanterns, and torches, and weapons.”
Jesus went forth to meet them, and asked whom they were seeking. They
answered, “Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. As soon
as he had said unto them I am he, they went backward and fell to the
ground.” Then Judas came to Jesus according to the signal he had given
them, and said, Hail, Master, and kissed him. But Jesus said unto him,
Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss? Then Peter drew his
sword to defend his Master, and struck a servant of the high-priest, and
cut off his right ear. Jesus touched the ear, and healed it; and told
Peter to put up his sword. Then they came to Jesus and bound him, and led
him away to the high-priest; and it is added: “_Then all the disciples
forsook him and fled._” He was betrayed by one of his own disciples and
forsaken by all the rest.
Nothing is said about Judas during the time of the trial of Jesus. Some
suppose that he expected our Lord would deliver himself out of the
hands of his enemies. We have no authority for thinking so. But, when
he found, at last, that Jesus was condemned and was really to be put to
death, his conscience smote him for what he had done. He brought back the
thirty pieces of silver—the beggarly price he had received for betraying
his Master—and threw them down at the feet of the chief priests,
saying—“I have sinned, in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And
they said—What is that to us? See thou to that. And he went and hanged
himself.”
This was the end of the wretched man, so far as this world is concerned.
And such is the history of the betrayal and desertion of Jesus.
We might refer to many lessons taught us by this sad history, but we
shall speak of only four. Two of these relate to Jesus, and two of them
to Judas.
_One of the lessons about Jesus, taught us here, refers to—THE LONELINESS
OF HIS SUFFERINGS._
We all know how natural it is, when we are in trouble, to desire to have
one near who loves us. The very first thing a child does when worried
about anything is to run to its mother and throw itself into her loving
arms. It would almost break the child’s heart if it could not have its
mother’s presence and gentle sympathy at such a time.
And it is the same when we grow older. We naturally seek the company
of our dearest friends in times of trouble. And it adds greatly to our
suffering if we cannot have those we love near us when we are in sorrow.
But, in the history of our Saviour’s betrayal and desertion, we see
how it was with him. In the midst of his great trouble, when the wrath
of God, occasioned by our sins, was pressing heavily upon him, he was
betrayed into the hands of his enemies by one of the little band of his
own chosen followers. How much this must have added to his sorrow! And
if the rest of his apostles had only stood by him faithfully, as they
had promised to do, during that night of sorrow, it would have been
some comfort to him. But they did not. As soon as they saw the traitor
Judas deliver him into the hands of his enemies, we read these sad, and
melancholy words, “_Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled!_” How
hard this must have been for Jesus to bear! The cup of his sorrows was
full before; _this_ must have made it overflow. He knew it was coming.
For, not long before, he had told them that “the hour was coming, when
they would be scattered, and _leave him alone_.” This shows how deeply he
felt, and feared this loneliness. Seven hundred years before he came into
our world, the prophet Isaiah represented him as saying—“I have trodden
the wine-press _alone_,” chap. lxiii: 3. And this was what he was doing
now. In the midst of the multitudes he came to save he was left—alone.
There was not an earthly friend to stand by him—to speak a kind word to
him—or to show him any sympathy in this time of his greatest sorrow. The
only comfort left to him was the thought that his Father in heaven had
not forgotten him.
When he spoke of his disciples leaving him alone, he said, “_And yet, I
am not alone, because the Father is with me._” St. John xvi: 32.
Jesus never forgets how lonely he felt at this time; and he loves to come
near and comfort us when we are left alone. We should always remember at
such times how well able he is to help and comfort us.
Here are some simple illustrations of the blessing which those find who
look to Jesus in their loneliness.
An aged Christian was carried to a consumptives’ hospital to die. He had
no relation or friend to be near him except the nurse and the doctor. Yet
he always seemed bright and happy. The doctor, in talking with him one
day, asked him how it was that he could be so resigned and cheerful? His
reply was—“When I am able to think, I think of Jesus; and when I am not
able to think of him, _I know he is thinking of me_.”
And this was just the way King David felt when he said, “I am poor and
needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me.”
“Not Alone.” Little Bessie was sitting on the piazza. The nurse came in
and found her there. “Ah! Bessie dear, all alone in the dark,” said the
nurse, “and yet not afraid?”
“No, indeed,” said little Bessie, “for I am not all alone. God is here.
I look up and see the stars, and God seems to be looking down at me with
his bright eyes.”
“To be sure,” said the nurse, “but God is up in the sky, and that is a
great way off.”
“No,” said Bessie; “God is here too; sometimes He seems to be clasping me
in his arms, and then I feel so happy.”
“The Help of Feeling Jesus Near.” There was a poor man in a hospital. He
was just about to undergo a painful and dangerous operation. They laid
him out ready, and the doctors were about to begin, when he asked them to
wait a moment. “What shall we wait for?” was the inquiry of one of the
doctors.
“Oh, wait a moment,” said he, “till I ask the Lord Jesus Christ to stand
by my side. I know it will be dreadful hard to bear; but it will be such
a comfort to think that Jesus is near me.”
One thing we are taught by the betrayal and desertion of Christ, is the
loneliness of his sufferings.
_Another thing, taught us by this part of our Saviour’s history is—HIS
WILLINGNESS TO SUFFER._