THE KING’S BUSINESS
506
warned him ? Why did Peter deny his Lord? Note the steps in his fall, care fully . How did Peter’s fall affect him? Contrast Peter’s tears with Judas’ despair, see Matt. 27:3-5. Is it possible to deny Jesus" today? How? How can we be safeguarded from doing so?
good man? If He is the Son of God, what do men owe Him? V. Jesus D enied by Pe^er, vv. 66-72. How often was Peter charged with being a disciple of Jesus? How often did he deny it ? What had Peter asserted he never would do? Mark 14:29.' Of'what had Jesus
H EA R T O F T H E LESSON
By T. C. Horton.
T HERE are three things here which stand out in full relief: The Curse Upon Judas,
There is a time, a place, a state in man’s experience which forever fixes his eternal destiny, and here is a prophecy of that sentence which the same Judge will deliver to all those who are unborn of the Spirit. There is no word of hope even from the gentle, loving, tender Saviour who is now the Judge. With Judas eliminated, the Lord and His own partake of the supper. There are in the supper two elements of significance: “Remember me,” and “remember my death” (Himself, the person, whose body was to be offered—Jesus, the Man), and the new covenant which He now makes with His own. The old covenant is abrogated. The ■Law could not dp because it was weak through the flesh, and God’s Son now tells of a new law—a new method. “Do and live” is forever set aside. “Take and live’’ is promulgated. “Take, eat, this is my body.” What wonderful words! What simple words! “Take, drink, this is my blood, in which I seal the new covenant; in which I pledge my life.” This is God speaking—the solemn, sacred, last message of the God-Man to His own around the table. We need, we must have, His life. It can only be transmitted through His blood. “Except ye eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, ye have no life in you.” In some way which He only knows, but in which we believe, in His own way) He infuses into us His own eternal life. We linger upon His words. We rejoice in His matchless, sinless life. We rejoice in His works. But we are sure His sacri ficial blood is life and hope for us.
. The Covenant Cup, The Coming Day. '
The Lord draws near to the fatal day. He longs for the farewell Passover meal with His own., He chose the place. He presides at the feast. How many incidents connected with the event are omitted! Mark does not tell the name of Judas; he tells the fact. The other Gospels throw much light upon the scene. The story of Judas and his relation to our Lord, presents some interesting and instructive lessons. First, there is the fact of the sinful nature of mhn. The association of Judas for these three yqars with the Son of God; the fellowship, the words, the prayers, the works, all were unavailing to change the character of the man. The inherent prin ciple of evil was there. Its tendency might take one form or another. In Cain, it was jealousy leading to murder. In Moses, it was pride, leading to presumption. In King David, it was lust which stained his name and fame. In Judas, it,was greed of gain which ended in the betrayal of his Lord. Theri there is the determination of Judas to sin in spite of the fact that he knew its consequences. Over against this picture is the picture of our Lord’s proclamation of Judas’ fate. Lips of love are now lips of justice, and Judas’ condemnation is pro nounced. Who can doubt eternal punish ment when our Lord says “It were good for that man if he had never been born.”
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