I, THI 18 REPRESENTED (by St. Matthew and St. Mark) as Nor CONFINED TO ONE KxpIvipvaL. In truth, every disciple had a share of it, although in a few it was more strongly manifest, and in one it may be said to have become incarnate. St, John, who is more given to this personalization of principles, speaks only of Judas, This, then, is a general danger to which the Church is liable, and requires the most careful self-examination. It can only be washed out of the soul by frequent and copious baptisms of Divine purity ; it can only be consumed by the constant fire of the Divine wt H¥Exgw IT I8 CALLED INTO GREATER STRENGTH BY THE PRESENCE OF THE SPIRIT or sackirics. It is provoked by the display of self-forgetful affection. Why so? l. Because it fails to discern the imminence and significance of the Divine event spiritually revealed to the soul of Mary. 2, Because, in resisting that spirit, tts own ewil ts exaggerated and confirmed. It seeks, therefore, to discredit the special manifestation of the spirit of devotion taking place. The indirect form of Divine charity, viz. alms, is declared preferable to the direct, vis. self-sacrificing devotion to God in Christ. How often is this exchange actually made in the history of the Church ; almsgiving (with all
252 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. [cn xiv. 1—72.
its attendant corruptions) taking the place of the soul’s immediate allegiance to Jehovah } But on this occasion it is only a cloak for a deeper depth of selfishness, perhaps hardly confessed to himself by the chief culprit. He would by-and-by have stolen the worth of the gift, diverting it thus wholly from its rightful destination. Soon this self-seeking will declare itself in selling the Christ himself for money; a lesser sum (thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave) being temptation enough,—M,
Vers. 10, 11.—Volunteering to betray. The “and” connects this with the pre- ceding paragraph, not only historically but psychologically. His present action was (immediately) determined by the gift of Mary and the mild rebuke of the Master.
I, THE CRIME CONTEMPLATED. To deliver up Christ to his enemies. Whether he fully realized how much was involved as a result of this step is uncertain. He might imagine that not death, but the checking of his Master upon the career he had marked out, would ensue, But there is recklessness as to any consequences, provided he himself should be no loser. In robbing the alms from the bag, he was guilty of a breach of trust; in this new development of his master passion the unfaithfulness culminated. It is manifest that the spiritual side of Christ’s ministry had for him no value. It was only the earthly rewards that might attend on discipleship that made it attractive to him. Was it to force the hand of the ideal, unpractical Christ that he sought to deliver him up? A miracle of deliverance might then result in a realization greater than his most brilliant hopes could depict, and thus his (passing) act of villainy be condoned. Or was it in sheer disgust and desperation respecting the course affairs seemed to be taking that he conceived of his deed? We cannot tell. In a mind like that of Judas there are depths beyond depths.
Il. Tae motive. That selfishness was at the root we may be sure, Avarice is the direction it took. He proposed money, and asked how much (Matt. xxvi. 15). Thirty pieces of silver a small sum? Yes, but he might be at that moment in real or fancied need, or the amount might be looked upon asa mere instalment of further reward, when he might have made himself useful, perhaps necessary, to the rulers. Fear of consequences, if he foilowed Christ further in the direction in which he was moving, may also have influenced his mind. And there can be no question as to the immediate impulse of wounded feeling, through baffled dishonesty and the sense that Christ saw through him. Falling short of the higher illumination and power of the Spirit, he was at the mercy of his own base, earthly nature.
II. Conspirine orrcumstances. The background to all this mental and spiritual movement on the part of Judas is the attitude of the chief priests and scribes, “ seeking how they might take” Christ. But for opportunity afforded the treachery of Judas might have remained an aimless mood or a latent disposition, instead of becoming a definite purpose. In this consists the danger of unspiritual states of mind: they subject those in whom they are indulged to the tyranny of passing imfluences and circumstances,—M.
Vers, 12—16.—Preparing for the Passover. ‘The festival of “ unleavened cakes,” or “unleavened bread,” commenced on the night of the 14th of Abib or Nisan (Exod, xii. 16 after sunset ; that day, corresponding to our 16th of March, was therefore popularly cal the first of the festival, because it was the preparation day for it. This preparation of the Passover, t.e. the killing of the lamb, etc., had to take place between three and six v’clock, the ninth and twelfth hours of the solar day. “ Sacrificed,” or “ killed,” has the force of ‘‘accustomed to sacrifice or kill.” The room was to be “ furnished,” literally “strewn,” ¢.e. the tables and couches were to be laid; and it was to be ready, ze, cleansed, etc., in conformity with ceremonial purifications. A considerable amount of work had to be carefully gone through ere all things would be ready. The lamb, unleavened bread, bitter herbs, wine, and “conserve of sweet fruits,” had to be purchased ; the lamb had to be slain by the officiating priest in the temple; and then it had to be roasted with the herbs. From the circumstances connected: with this preparation in the case of Christ and his disciples we see—
I, THE REPRESENTATIVE HEADSHIP OF CuRist. The disciples looked to him for direction. They spoke of him, and not themselves severally, as being about to observe the Passover, which indicated, not that they themselves were uot going to observe it,
cH. xiv. 1—72.| THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. 252
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but that they ranged themselves under him as constituting, so to speak, his household. That they should have to seek his direction at the last was no proof of carelessness, dut only of habitual dependence upon him; and it pathetically suggested how closely their circumstances corresponded with the typical character of the first celebrants, who as strangers and sojourners partook of the hasty feast. Fittingly enough, he who sought at birth the shelter of an inn, goes to such a place to observe the Passover with his disciples, in a separate and distinct capacity from that of any other household in Israel. They were wo ask, “ Where is my guest-clamber ?” it was he who was to entertain.