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THE KING’ S BUSINESS
o f the evangelists dwells upon the fact that he was “ one o f the twelve.” This fact augmented his guilt and increased fhe Sav iour’s sorrow; Today it is often the one "who has enjoyed the advantage o f our Lord’s teaching who betrays Him and brings upon Jesus the greater dishonor and upon himself the more damning guilt. The manner o f His betrayal also accentuates the hardness o f Judas’ heart. The sign that he appointed to betray his Lord was a kiss o f friendship and loyalty. Our Lord’s patient, forgiving love is seen in that He exercises His miraculous power to heal one who had come out to arrest Him and do Him harm. This was His last recorded miracle, ant} performed upon one who was a bitter enemy. Jesus lovingly protests against their thinking that it was necessary to bring- an armed mob to arrest Him, as if He were a dangerous outlaw. It was indeed their hour and “the power o f dark ness.” Friday, March 10 . Luke 22 : 54 - 62 . One o f the twelve had sold his Lord and betrayed Him with a kiss. Now we See another o f the twelve denying his Lord. On the preceding evening Peter had been told that he could not follow the Lord JesUs at this time, though he should later (John 13:36) ; and Jesus, when arrested, had given His disciples a hint that they were to go away and keep out o f unneces sary temptation (John 18:8) : but Peter turned a deaf ear to all this and now under takes to make good his boast and to prove his Master’s mistake in His estimate o f him. W e all have to learn that our Lord knows us far better than we know ourselves. We first see Peter following the Lord afar off. If he was to follow Him at all he should have followed Him close up. And then we see Tiim at the enemy’s fire, sitting “ in •the midst” o f the enemies o f his Lord. O f course he did not sympathize with what the enemies o f our Lord had to say about our Master as they stood about the fire, it all grieved him in his heart, but he did not protest. He should have stood entirely separate from them (Psa. 1:1; 2 Cor. 6:14-
17). Peter soon finds himself in serious trouble. Bad company is a good thing to keep ou t'of, unless one goes into it to win men for Christ and keeps that purpose in his mind every moment, otherwise he is bound to get in trouble. It only took six words o f a servant girl to fill the self-confi dent Peter with dismay and to lead him to deny any knowledge o f his Lord. How ever, he did not get. out o f trouble with one denial, nor with two. From the other accounts o f Peter’s denial we learn that he went from bad to worse. But when •Peter denied his Lord the third time the Lord turned and;looked Upon him. That One look brought Peter to his senses, it brought back the word the Lord had spoken unto him, and disloyalty and cowardice gave way . to tears o f repentance. While Judas betrayed his Lord and Peter denied Him, Peter and Judas were in two entirely different classes. It is true that Judas went and hanged himself, but that was not gen uine repentance. Peter’s was. The time will come when this same Peter will stand before the very council that condemned Jesus to death and fearlessly proclaim Jesus to them (Acts 4:10-12). Peter has many followers in his cowardice and failure before Pentecost; would that he had more followers in his dauntless heroism and devotion after Pentecost. Saturday, March 1 1 . Luke 22 : 63 - 7 1 . The abuse and mockery o f Jesus now begins. They both mocked Him and smote Him, they blindfolded Him and “ struck Him on the face,” and tauntingly cried, “ Prophesy who was he that struck thee.” There will be many more taunts and jeers until in the culmination o f the wrongs heaped upon Him they jeer at Him amid the dying agonies o f the cross (cf. Matt. 26:67, 68 ; Luke 23:11; Mark 15:16-20). It was for us He suffered so (Isa. 53:5, 6 ), and it is another fulfillment o f prophecy (Isa. 50:6; 53:3). At last the high priest puts the direct question to Him, “ Art thou the Christ?” Then the whole council says, “ Art thou the Son o f God?” These ques tions were intended to entrap Jesus, but .
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