Changes

177:4.7 When his cousin had finished [[speaking]], he presented [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]], who, stepping forward near the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kohen_Gadol high priest], said: " All that my cousin has [[promised]], I will do, but what are you willing to give me for this [[service]]? " [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]] did not seem to [[discern]] the look of [[disdain]] and even [[disgust]] that came over the face of the hardhearted and vainglorious [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caiaphas Caiaphas]; his [[heart]] was too much set on [[self]]-[[glory]] and the craving for the [[satisfaction]] of [[self]]-[[exaltation]].

177:4.7 When his cousin had finished [[speaking]], he presented [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]], who, stepping forward near the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kohen_Gadol high priest], said: " All that my cousin has [[promised]], I will do, but what are you willing to give me for this [[service]]? " [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]] did not seem to [[discern]] the look of [[disdain]] and even [[disgust]] that came over the face of the hardhearted and vainglorious [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caiaphas Caiaphas]; his [[heart]] was too much set on [[self]]-[[glory]] and the craving for the [[satisfaction]] of [[self]]-[[exaltation]].

177:4.8 And then Caiaphas looked down upon the betrayer while he said: " Judas, you go to the captain of the guard and arrange with that officer to bring your Master to us either tonight or tomorrow night, and when he has been delivered by you into our hands, you shall receive your reward for this service. " When Judas heard this, he went forth from the presence of the chief priests and rulers and took counsel with the captain of the temple guards as to the manner in which Jesus was to be apprehended. Judas knew that Jesus was then absent from the camp and had no idea when he would return that evening, and so they agreed among themselves to arrest Jesus the next evening (Thursday) after the people of Jerusalem and all of the visiting pilgrims had retired for the night.

177:4.8 And then [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caiaphas Caiaphas] looked down upon the [[betrayer]] while he said: " [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]], you go to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centurion captain of the guard] and arrange with that officer to bring your Master to us either tonight or tomorrow night, and when he has been delivered by you into our hands, you shall [[receive]] your reward for this [[service]]. " When [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]] heard this, he went forth from the [[presence]] of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kohen_Gadol chief priests] and rulers and took [[counsel]] with the captain of the [[temple]] guards as to the [[manner]] in which [[Jesus]] was to be apprehended. [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]] knew that [[Jesus]] was then absent from the camp and had no [[idea]] when he would return that evening, and so they [[agreed]] among themselves to [[arrest]] [[Jesus]] the next evening (Thursday) after [[the people]] of [[Jerusalem]] and all of the visiting [[pilgrims]] had retired for the night.

177:4.9 Judas returned to his associates at the camp intoxicated with thoughts of grandeur and glory such as he had not had for many a day. He had enlisted with Jesus hoping some day to become a great man in the new kingdom. He at last realized that there was to be no new kingdom such as he had anticipated. But he rejoiced in being so sagacious as to trade off his disappointment in failing to achieve glory in an anticipated new kingdom for the immediate realization of honor and reward in the old order, which he now believed would survive, and which he was certain would destroy Jesus and all that he stood for. In its last motive of conscious intention, Judas's betrayal of Jesus was the cowardly act of a selfish deserter whose only thought was his own safety and glorification, no matter what might be the results of his conduct upon his Master and upon his former associates.

177:4.9 [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]] returned to his [[associates]] at the camp [[intoxicated]] with [[thoughts]] of grandeur and [[glory]] such as he had not had for many a day. He had enlisted with [[Jesus]] [[hoping]] some day to become a great man in [[the Kingdom|the new kingdom]]. He at last [[realized]] that there was to be no new kingdom such as he had [[anticipated]]. But he [[rejoiced]] in being so [[sagacious]] as to trade off his [[disappointment]] in [[failing]] to [[achieve]] [[glory]] in an [[anticipated]] new kingdom for the [[immediate]] [[realization]] of [[honor]] and reward in the old order, which he now believed would [[survive]], and which he was certain would destroy [[Jesus]] and all that he [[stood for]]. In its last [[motive]] of [[conscious]] [[intention]], [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]]'s [[betrayal]] of [[Jesus]] was the [[coward]]ly [[act]] of a [[selfish]] [[deserter]] whose only [[thought]] was his own [[safety]] and [[glorification]], no matter what might be the results of his conduct upon his Master and upon his former [[associates]].

177:4.10 But it was ever just that way. Judas had long been engaged in this deliberate, persistent, selfish, and vengeful consciousness of progressively building up in his mind, and entertaining in his heart, these hateful and evil desires of revenge and disloyalty. Jesus loved and trusted Judas even as he loved and trusted the other apostles, but Judas failed to develop loyal trust and to experience wholehearted love in return. And how dangerous ambition can become when it is once wholly wedded to self-seeking and supremely motivated by sullen and long-suppressed vengeance! What a crushing thing is disappointment in the lives of those foolish persons who, in fastening their gaze on the shadowy and evanescent allurements of time, become blinded to the higher and more real achievements of the everlasting attainments of the eternal worlds of divine values and true spiritual realities. Judas craved worldly honor in his mind and grew to love this desire with his whole heart; the other apostles likewise craved this same worldly honor in their minds, but with their hearts they loved Jesus and were doing their best to learn to love the truths which he taught them.

177:4.10 But it was ever just that way. [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]] had long been [[engaged]] in this [[deliberate]], [[persistent]], [[selfish]], and [[vengeful]] [[consciousness]] of [[progressively]] building up in his [[mind]], and [[entertaining]] in his [[heart]], these [[hateful]] and [[evil]] [[desires]] of [[revenge]] and disloyalty. [[Jesus]] [[loved]] and [[trusted]] [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]] even as he loved and trusted the other [[apostles]], but [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]] [[failed]] to [[develop]] [[loyal]] [[trust]] and to [[experience]] wholehearted [[love]] in return. And how [[dangerous]] [[ambition]] can become when it is once wholly wedded to [[self]]-seeking and supremely [[motivated]] by sullen and long-suppressed [[vengeance]]! What a crushing thing is [[disappointment]] in the lives of those [[foolish]] [[persons]] who, in fastening their gaze on the [[shadowy]] and evanescent allurements of [[time]], become blinded to the higher and more [[real]] [[achievements]] of the everlasting [[attainments]] of the [[eternal]] worlds of [[divine]] [[values]] and true [[spiritual]] [[realities]]. [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]] craved worldly [[honor]] in his [[mind]] and grew to [[love]] this [[desire]] with his whole [[heart]]; the other [[apostles]] likewise craved this same worldly [[honor]] in their [[minds]], but with their [[hearts]] they [[loved]] [[Jesus]] and were doing their best to [[learn]] to [[love]] the [[truths]] which he taught them.

177:4.11 Judas did not realize it at this time, but he had been a subconscious critic of Jesus ever since John the Baptist was beheaded by Herod. Deep down in his heart Judas always resented the fact that Jesus did not save John. You should not forget that Judas had been a disciple of John before he became a follower of Jesus. And all these accumulations of human resentment and bitter disappointment which Judas had laid by in his soul in habiliments of hate were now well organized in his subconscious mind and ready to spring up to engulf him when he once dared to separate himself from the supporting influence of his brethren while at the same time exposing himself to the clever insinuations and subtle ridicule of the enemies of Jesus. Every time Judas allowed his hopes to soar high and Jesus would do or say something to dash them to pieces, there was always left in Judas's heart a scar of bitter resentment; and as these scars multiplied, presently that heart, so often wounded, lost all real affection for the one who had inflicted this distasteful experience upon a well-intentioned but cowardly and self-centered personality. Judas did not realize it, but he was a coward. Accordingly was he always inclined to assign to Jesus cowardice as the motive which led him so often to refuse to grasp for power or glory when they were apparently within his easy reach. And every mortal man knows full well how love, even when once genuine, can, through disappointment, jealousy, and long-continued resentment, be eventually turned into actual hate.

177:4.11 [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]] did not [[realize]] it at this time, but he had been a [[subconscious]] [[critic]] of [[Jesus]] ever since [[John the Baptist]] was beheaded by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herod_Antipas Herod]. Deep down in his [[heart]] [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]] always resented the [[fact]] that [[Jesus]] did not save [[John the Baptist|John]]. You should not forget that [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]] had been a [[disciple]] of [[John the Baptist|John]] before he became a follower of [[Jesus]]. And all these accumulations of [[human]] resentment and bitter [[disappointment]] which [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]] had laid by in his [[soul]] in habiliments of [[hate]] were now well [[organized]] in his [[subconscious]] [[mind]] and ready to spring up to engulf him when he once [[dared]] to separate himself from the [[supporting]] [[influence]] of his brethren while at the [[same time]] [[exposing]] himself to the [[clever]] insinuations and [[subtle]] [[ridicule]] of the [[enemies]] of [[Jesus]]. Every time [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]] allowed his [[hopes]] to soar high and [[Jesus]] would do or say something to dash them to pieces, there was always left in [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]]'s [[heart]] a scar of bitter resentment; and as these scars multiplied, presently that [[heart]], so often wounded, lost all real [[affection]] for the one who had inflicted this distasteful [[experience]] upon a well-[[intentioned]] but [[cowardly]] and [[self]]-centered [[personality]]. [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]] did not [[realize]] it, but he was a [[coward]]. Accordingly was he always inclined to assign to [[Jesus]] [[cowardice]] as the [[motive]] which led him so often to refuse to grasp for [[power]] or [[glory]] when they were apparently within his easy reach. And every [[mortal]] man knows full well how [[love]], even when once [[genuine]], can, through [[disappointment]], [[jealousy]], and long-continued resentment, be [[eventually]] turned into actual [[hate]].

177:4.12 At last the chief priests and elders could breathe easily for a few hours. They would not have to arrest Jesus in public, and the securing of Judas as a traitorous ally insured that Jesus would not escape from their jurisdiction as he had so many times in the past.

177:4.12 At last the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kohen_Gadol chief priests] and [[elders]] could [[breathe]] easily for a few hours. They would not have to [[arrest]] [[Jesus]] in [[public]], and the securing of [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]] as a [[traitorous]] ally insured that [[Jesus]] would not [[escape]] from their [[jurisdiction]] as he had so many times in the [[past]].

==177:5. THE LAST SOCIAL HOUR==

==177:5. THE LAST SOCIAL HOUR==