MATTHEW XXVI. 47-49. "While he yet spake, lo, Judas one of the twelve, (JOHN xviii. 3.) having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees,* cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons, and with a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him, gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast, (MARK xiv. 44.) Take him and lead him . away safely. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, Master, and kissed him. (LUKE Xxii. 48.) But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss!

And this was all that passed between the betrayer and the betrayed; but how full of meaning was each word. "Judas," that once familiar name by which thou hast been known so well among mine own familiar friends, "betrayest thou," dost thou take advantage of my friendship, through which my restingplace is known to thee, to give me up to mine enemies! Me, whom thou knowest to be the promised seed of the woman! "the" Messiah "Son of Man," and dost thou thus betray me "with a kiss," the very sign and seal of love! False traitor though he was, each burning word sunk into the heart of Judas. Alas! there is but too good cause to fear they were but the lighting-up of "the fire that never could be quenched ; " yet there was in the words of Jesus a tender reproach, that had there been any answering love in the traitor's heart, would have melted it into repentance. There was not, and they only produced despair. Silently he stood his ground, numbering himself no

* There was a body of Roman soldiers always stationed in the fortress of Antonia, which communicated with the Temple; and though the true reason why they were placed there, was to enforce the obedience and submission of the rulers of the people, they had also orders to assist them in any difficulty, when it did not interfere with their loyalty to the Emperor.

more with the Lord's disciples, but with those who had come out against Him.

Oh! while we shudder at the crime of Judas, and his fate, let us see to it, that our love for our Lord be true, that we seek not, under the cloak of zeal for his cause, any hope of worldly advancement, lest Satan enter our hearts, and we too "betray our Lord with a kiss," making our pretended love for Him, the very means of bringing shame and dishonour to his cause.

Jesus had more than once passed unhurt through the midst of his enemies,* taking from them the power to lay hold upon Him, but now the hour appointed by the Father was come: no man could take His life from Him, but He could give it up of His own will.†

JOHN Xviii. 4-6. "Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas, which betrayed him, stood with them. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward and fell to the ground.”

The calm majesty of Jesus overawed the soldiers, who had probably looked for a very different sort of person in the prisoner they had been commanded to lay hold of. That the officers of the Pharisees and Chief Priests should fall back at His sudden advance towards them, is not surprising when we remember that some of them in that same year had before been sent to take Him, and had been so struck by His teaching, that they had not dared to lay hands on Him.†

It was clear, that at that time they had misgivings as to who he might be, for they had declared that "never man spake as

* John vii. 28, 38, 44; viii. 59; x. 39.

↑ John vii. 32, 45, 46.

this man;" it is not surprising therefore, that now, when He suddenly appeared, demanding with calm authority, "Whom seek ye?" and when they heard His dignified reply to their answer that it was Jesus of Nazareth they sought, all their old fears should return upon them at the words "I am He.".

It has been so with mere mortal man. History tells us of some who have been so dignified in misfortune, that none have dared to lay hands upon them; how much greater would be the awe inspired by the Son of God, advancing to meet the armed band.

In His agony in the garden, He had conquered the powers of hell, He had borne the iniquities of the world, and now knowing all things that should come upon Him, He stood there lighted by the calm moonlight, God in the form of man! What wonder that " as soon as He had said I am He,” they went backwards and fell to the ground." To fall upon the face, or to bend the body, so as almost to touch the ground, is the Eastern manner of saluting a sovereign, in lieu whereof we bend the knee, and perhaps this falling to the ground, expressed the momentary feeling that shot through the hearts of these men, that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the Messiah King.

Verse 7." Then asked he them again, "Whom seek ye?" They said unto him "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus answered, I have told you I am he; if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way."

St. John adds "That the saying might be fulfilled, which He spake, Of them which thou gavest me, have I lost none."

Jesus knew that the faith of His disciples was not yet firm enough to follow Him to prison and to death, therefore His first care was that they might remain free. Never will He suffer us to be tempted above that we are able.

The soldiers and the others were not long withheld by the awe of the Saviour's presence; for no impression that is made

upon the senses only, ever lasts; they advanced to make Him their prisoner.

MATTHEW XXVI. 50. "Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him."

LUKE xxii. 49. "When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?"

MATTHEW XXVI. 51. "And (without waiting for his answer) behold, one of them which was with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the High Priest, and cut off his right ear."

St. John tells us this was Peter, and indeed we might have guessed it, for the deed suited so well his impetuous character.

JOHN Xviii. 10, 11. "And the servant's name was Malchus. Then said Jesus unto Peter, put up thy sword into thy sheath the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?"

MATTHEW Xxvi. 52–54. "All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray unto my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?"

There is much to be learned from these words of our Lord. They not only show that He disapproves of violence in His cause, which is altogether needless, as He could if He so willed it, bring legions of angels from heaven to carry out whatsoever He desired; but they also plainly show that His followers ought not to be discouraged though they seem to be on the losing side. Their failure may be the real success, even the accomplishment of the counsels of God; as the seizure of their Lord was the fulfilment of Scripture, "that thus it must be." Not by words only did the Saviour teach forbearance.

LUKE XXII. 51. MATT. XXVI. 55, 56. MARK XIV. 51, 52. 247

LUKE Xxii. 51. "And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him."

The meaning of the words, "Suffer ye thus far," is either that he said to the disciples, "to forbear violence;" or to the soldiers who held him, to let him have just so much liberty as to enable him to stretch forth His hand that he might by his touch heal the wound.

MATTHEW XXVi. 55. "In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief, with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me."

LUKE xxii. 53. “But this is your hour, and the power of darkness."

MATTHEW XXVi. 56. "But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.”

Then (when they saw Him actually in the hands of his enemies,)

"Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.”

Yes, it was the hour and the power of darkness.

The disciples were left to their own weakness, and overcome with terror, they in the time of his greatest need forsook the Lord they adored, and fled.

Human love, and human interest were not wanting, but the courage that supports them was withdrawn, "that the Scriptures might be fulfilled."

MARK xiv. 51, 52. "And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body : and the young men laid hold on him : And he left the linen cloth and fled away naked.”

This young man is believed to have been St. Mark himself, who writes the gospel. It seems likely that he was startled