The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 1 — Section 52

be giTen in detail. The idea that be deluded himself to suppose tha.t his action would bring matters to a crisis, and lead Christ to declare himself and set up his kingdom, eeems hardly tenable. If such was his thought, his money-loving gaze was set on l!ecuring the chief place of trust in the new kingdom. His vice was covetousness. These remarks indicate so fully the line of thought respecting the office and the character of Judas, that we need give little more than the main topics needing treat- ment. The effort should be made to show that a ,·oot of evil lay in the very disposition of Judu; the circumstances in which he wa.s placed ought to have checked its growth, and even turned it from evil to good. Instead of this, the circumstnnces were misused- made to foster the evil into strength; and at last there came blossom and fruitago at which Judas himself, a little while before, would have shuddered. In this there is a Bolemn le880n for all time. We want to keep and cherish such a daily opennesa to God, that his grace shall sanctify all surrounding circumstances and influences to our good culture. I. To EARLY PBOKISE, "Once fair for the celestial city." Singularly privileged in call to apostleship. Early sincerity without depth. Usefulness for business qualities. II. TBl!: l'ATAL TESTING&. Privilege was too great. Trust of money tested hie one great weakness-money-loving. Opportunity of peculation became too great a tempta- tion. Life finds scenes that surely test what we really are, In THE AWFUL CRIME. The utter baseness of Judas's action should be fully shown. Intense moral indignation against all betrayers of trust.\ or of friends is perfectly right. The infinite tenderness and long-suffering of the Lord Jesus make thi, betraynl the worst ever known on earth. Is it possible that men nowaday, may commit Judas's crime? If so, how ? • IV. Tim KIBERABLE END. Remorse came. It is ever bitter and hopeless. It drove to suicide. Judas banged himself in the very field bought with the rewards of his iniquity; and, being heavy, when they cut him down his body was miserably broken in its fall The story adds the uttermost shame to the worst of crimes. Learn that om evil disposition, if unchecked, may poison a whole life; and that this is peculiarly true if the evil disposition be covetousness.-R. T, Vera. 16-20.-Jewish Christian reading of the Old Testament. The Jews set an extraordinary value on their ancient Scriptures. They edited them with the utmost care; counted letters and words to ensure that no changes were made; read in them with regularity and order at synagogue-worship; and made elaborate commentaries on them. Of all these things details may be given. We notice- L Tlu.T REFERENCES TO MEBSIAB IN THE OLD TESTAMENT WEBE FULLY RECOGNIZED BY THE JEWS. Apart altogether from the question-In whom do we find the Messianic promise realized? it is well for us distinctly to see that the Jews always did, and do still. clearly recognize the Messianic feature of their ancient Scriptures. Chri ■tians do not import this element into them. So Christians and Jews have a common standing- ground and basis of argument. And from this common standpoint the apostles make their appeals. With an open Bible they plead for Christ's claim to fulfil the predictions concerning Messiah. But we can hardly say that the Jewish modes of reading and translating the ancient Scriptures are altogether satisfactory to us as Christians in these days. The intense national feeling concerning Messiah made them over-keen to discover Messianic allusions, and they bad ways of allegorizing and spiritualizing which we are unable to appreciate. Some of the so-called proofs, from Old Testament Scriptures, given by the apostles appear to us to be illustrations rather than argumen- tative proof,. We cannot find any designed reference to Judas Iscariot in the passage here taken from the PAims, only an appropriateness in the historical allusion to one who, though righteous, was a victim of treachery. The psalmist presents a parallel case to that of Judas; but to recognize this suffices for us, and we need not see a definite prophecy of the betrayer. Urge the eS&ential unity and harmony (lf God's Word in its great principlea, which find repetitiOD in every age. Show that we endeavour first fully to apprehend the original, local, and hisWrical reference of a passage, and from it i:;ather the principle which may be of permanent application. Further point out that distinct Messianic references, many and various in form, can be traced; but caution is neces11ary, leat we force theae unduly, and add to them upon insufficient grcunda. We  CIH, I, 1-26,] THE ACTS OF TllE APOSTLES. 47