Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

LECTURE CX.

DEATH OF JUDAS.-CONDEMNATION OF JESUS.

MATT. xxvii. 1—26.

1. When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:

2. And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

3. Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

4. Saying, I have sinned, in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? See thou

to that.

5. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

This passage forms a striking example of the cruel selfishness which belongs to the character of the wicked. Judas comes in the agonies of remorse for the evil of which he had been the instrument, and makes such reparation as he can, both in word and deed. He declares the innocence of his victim, he restores the price of his crime. All the comfort which he receives, even from those who by their station ought to have been his spiritual guides, is comprehended in this: We have obtained the advantage to which we looked, and see thou to the

rest; thy misery, thy destruction, is thy own con

cern.

Certainly "the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel." And those who look for the relentings of pity in the breasts of any who have seduced them into sin, and to whose seductions they have yielded, look for that which they will never find. Such hearts are seared, and all their feelings selfish. Very different would be the conduct of one influenced by the Spirit of God. He eagerly watches the first turn of the labouring conscience, and instead of urging a self-convicted sinner to despair, points out the way of repentance.

For it is further to be observed from this passage, that all sorrow which follows sin is not the godly sorrow of real penitence. It is not certain that the sons of Jacob were penitent, though they said, "We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear: therefore is this distress come upon us." It is quite certain that Pharaoh was not penitent, though he acknowledged to Moses, "I have sinned against the Lord your God." " "Now, therefore, forgive, I pray thee, my sins only this once." Judas here confesses, that "he had sinned." And the anguish of his mind may be seen from the effect; he departed, and went and hanged himself. Yet, since such was allowed to be the effect of his remorse, we may be assured that he felt none of that humble movement of the mind towards God, none of that real contrition for sin as "the trans

1 Gen. xliii. 21.

2 Exod. x. 16.

gression of the law," which belongs to true repentance. His heart was not softened, like that of Peter, when" he went out and wept bitterly." He was suffered to reap the reward of his iniquity; and to anticipate his final condemnation. So soon was the Lord's compassionate prediction verified, "It had been good for that man if he had not been born."

6. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.

7. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field to bury strangers in.

8. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.

9. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value;

10. And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me.

:

11. And Jesus stood before the governor and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.

12. And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.

Acts i. 18. We learn from the account in the Acts, that some shocking circumstances attended his self-destruction. "Falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out."

• The passage here alluded to, occurs not in Jeremiah, but in Zechariah xi. 12. "I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said unto me, Cast it unto the potter, a goodly price that I was prized at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord."

N N

13. Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?

14. And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.

15. Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.

16. And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.s

17. Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?

18. For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. 19. When he was set down on the judgment-seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.

20. But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.

21. The governor answered and said unto them. Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.

22. Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with .Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let

him be crucified.

23. And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. 24. When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.

25. Then answered all the people and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

26. Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

5 66

Who for a certain sedition, made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison." Luke xxiii. 18.

It was provided under the law of Moses, in certain cases of death of which the author was undiscovered, "that all the elders of the city next unto the slain man, should wash their hands, and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it." Similar customs have prevailed in other countries and times; and led the way to the symbolical action of Pilate's, by which he attempted to clear himself of guilt. But in vain. He who had power to condemn and power to release," as he had himself avowed, could not allege with truth "our hands have not shed this blood."

66

To protest against evil which we have no other means of preventing, may be the best means of delivering our souls from its guilt. "If thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity: but thou hast delivered thy soul." The conduct of Pilate here was very different. He protests against evil which he had the power of preventing. He acts in defiance of the warning which had been providentially sent him, that he might be without excuse. His wife had heard the fame of Jesus: and her mind was filled with what had been reported of his character and deeds of mercy and power. These thoughts occur to her in a dream; and she advises her husband, have thou nothing to do with that just man. In defiance of this message, which ought to have strengthened the dictates of his own conscience and reason, he becomes a party to the death of Jesus, because he was willing to show the Jews a pleasure, and because he was afraid of their accusing him to 7 Exek. xxxiii. 9.

See Deut. xxi. 6.

« VorigeDoorgaan »