Support for Christianity
94. JUDAS BEFORE THE HIGH COUNCIL [1] JUDAS listened also but could by that still not be liberated from his wrong ideas. On the contrary, he only became more convinced that if someone would appear after Me as Messiah to save the world he would not so easily succeed to unify the power of God with himself. He therefore considered it only praiseworthy and rejoiced in his ambitious ideas that he could be the one to prepare, in his opinion, the last necessary step that would force Me to, according to his wishes, make use of the power that was given to Me. He thought of himself to be some kind of savior and thought in his blindness to work through Me. Once the idea that he could force Me was awakened in him and his firm conviction remained that I could defy and also overcome every danger, everything that could contribute to execute this plan seemed all right to him. [2] Therefore, on the second day of our stay at the Jordan, he proposed to Me to go to Jerusalem without being recognized, in order to find out how the mood was towards Me and if the people had become restless after My disappearing. [3] I told him that he could do as he thought, and the others, as they were glad to be rid of him, agreed with his proposal. [4] He asked Me where he could find Me, and I told him that I will remain on this spot till the following day around noon time. [5] Then Judas left us and went to Jerusalem. Soon he came to know that everyone was surprised about My sudden disappearance. Nothing was left of the great excitement that was caused by My entrance, and generally the people thought that I had fled before the might of the temple. The temple itself was heavily guarded by the temple guards and the soldiers of Herod. Moreover, Roman soldiers walked daily through the city in order to drive away possible gatherings. The temple sought already protection with the governor Pontius Pilate against a possible uprising and accused Me of being an agitator of the people. [6] So also Pilate started an investigation by which it appeared that the people did not show any hostility but only a great enthusiasm for the miraculous Savior who was certainly not unknown to Pontius Pilate for a long time. So he did not attach more importance to it, but in order to maintain the order he regularly let groups of soldiers walk through the city. By these measures the people were greatly intimidated for they knew all too well that the power and severity of Rome had to be feared in case of riots. [7] The temple had now again really an advantage and they thought that the time was ripe to strike a destructive blow against Me, that is if they only knew where and how they could catch Me without danger, because they often enough had experienced that this also was not so easy. [8] In a secret Council, one time these and then again other ways and means were deliberated but the templers could not agree. Then they were notified that someone wanted to inform the High Council as to where the Nazarene was. [9] Caiaphas, overly rejoiced, let this man, who was Judas Iscariot, come to him and brought him to the High Council. There Judas told the Council that he was able to deliver the wanted Jesus from Nazareth into the hands of the temple guard if by that the necessary precautions were taken. [10] When asked how he wanted to do that, Judas answered: “I have been near Him for quite some time and so I know the habits of Him and His adherers. There was even a time when I thought to see in Him the expected Messiah of the Jews, but now I convinced myself that He wants to overthrow the ancient honorable statutes and laws which stand under the sacred protection of the temple without being able to replace them with something more powerful and better. So He is dangerous, and as an honest Jew who has to do his best to uphold the respect of the Law of Moses, I offer my services to make an end to these dangerous activities. I do not know yet if it will succeed but where so many wise men are gathered it will certainly succeed to find the right means by which this Wonder Savior can be caught.” [11] Caiaphas asked him: “Do you know where He is now?” [12] Judas said: “No, because I cannot know if He already left that place. But I know that He, as always, will also this year want to eat the Passover lamb among His adherers and that this will happen nowhere else than in the neighborhood of the city.” [13] One of the Pharisees, who after the awakening of Lazarus had been badly served, shouted: “Most of all let no one try to capture Him in Bethany! It would be useless there, because His devilish power would again appear there. It would be best to capture Him at night, on the one hand because of the people that strongly adhere to Him, and then I heard that the power of such magicians is weaker at night. At a certain hour even the worst magician would be as weak as any other human being so that he cannot resist anyone. Speak, you must know since you were near Him. Does this Man also have His weak hour? What does He do at night?” [14] “He sleeps like any other human being”, answered Judas. “I believe I know the hour when He is weakest.” [15] In triumph the Pharisee turned to the others and thought that this hour should be exploited. [16] Bad-tempered, Caiaphas did not want to hear about it because he was sure that the Nazarene did not possess any other supernatural powers than the Essenes who were sufficiently known for that, but he also was of the opinion that it was better to grab Him at night to avoid raising any sensation. [17] Therefore, they agreed with Judas that on the day of the Passover lamb he was to come to the temple at night where he would meet the servants of justice whom he would then lead to the Nazarene. [18] Now Caiaphas asked him what he wanted for this service. [19] Judas, who rejoiced internally because the High Council, as he thought, fell into the trap that he set up for them, rejoiced now even more because his plan would now even let him obtain a profit in money – which was not his intention in the beginning – and he asked for the 30 silver coins, which they also promised to pay him if he would come on the evening on which it had to happen. [20] Leaving the temple, Judas hurried now through the city and listened everywhere to come to know how the people of Jerusalem and also the big number of strangers were disposed towards Me. He found great amazement everywhere because of My apparent weakness, but amongst the people he did not find anyone who was not convinced of My power that had been proven many times and also clearly the last time. He clearly saw that later on I would succeed again to draw the whole people to Me as soon as an heroic deed would be performed by Me – and the people, although puzzled, had not really left Me. [21] It rejoiced him to know this and this strengthened him even more in his plan to bring Me into a situation that would force Me to resist My attackers and maybe to destroy them, or at least to make them harmless in such a way that everyone would clearly see that no one on Earth could resist Me if I just wanted it. When he thought to be thoroughly sure about everything and without involving Herod at that time – whom he apparently did not need anymore for his purposes because he thought that he also could manage without him – he went again on his way to the Jordan to look for Me and to report about what he came to know. [22] He still met us on the same spot and reported now in detail about the mood in Jerusalem and how the people was still waiting for Me as the Savior. I quietly listened to all this and did not reply to anything, by which Judas was more convinced that his words made deep impression on Me. He had enough insight in human character not to insist with Me because he thought that his words had to ripe in Me. He was remarkable quiet but one could see that he was glad in himself and observant. (GGJ Book 25, chap. 84) [11] Now it was the custom that after the meal the lord of the house would still hand over a morsel of bread while saying a verse from the Scripture to the one who received that morsel of bread. This custom has not been preserved till the present day but was generally practiced and considered by many as a kind of prediction for the future. [12] While I was preparing it, My soul was overtaken by a great sadness, and I spoke the words: “One of you will betray Me.” [13] The disciples, shocked by this statement which seemed obscure to them, besieged Me with questions as to what I meant and who might betray Me. But I declined every answer, and while I spoke to each one of them words of admonishment depending on their character I began to divide the pieces of bread. Peter, who was one of the first, was most disheartened by My statement. He indicated to John, who sat closest to Me, to inquire whom I meant. […] [15] Now John asked me in a low voice who it was, and since he was My disciple who was nearest to Me, I said to him: “It is the one to who I will give the piece of bread”, after which Judas received it with the words: “What you do, do it quickly.” [16] The other disciples could of course not conclude from these words what I meant. But Judas, who was also shocked by My first statement since he thought that it was aimed at him, understood these words now completely as a request that approved his plans. He stood up quickly and went outside while triumphing inwardly. [17] He was now filled so much with the pride of a future co-ruler whom he wanted to be, as well as the immense desire to draw fame and honor to himself without considering anyone else that Satan with all the pride devils took possession of his soul, glowing with desire to rule and to destroy all adversaries. [18] Could I not have avoided all this? [19] Certainly. But here the Son of man stood before the choice to grab all the luster and all the honor of the world. So He had to come into a position to choose, and herein lay for Him the decision in the sense as indicated before. [20] This is why I said to Judas after he left: “Now the Son of man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself and He will soon glorify Him.” So this means: the Son of man will truly be God’s Son, and the Father will soon unite with Him for all eternity. (GGJ Book 25, chap. 95) (In Ghetsemane)[17] At that moment a group of temple guards came near with torches and led by Judas. He wanted to bring them to the inn where he thought to find Me there. The disciples asked Me what this meant. But I told them to step back and walked on the path towards the group. When Judas saw Me, he came to Me, greeted Me and wanted to kiss Me as a sign of identification for the armed temple servants. But I prevented him and said: “Judas, are you betraying the Son of man in this way? It would have been better for you never to be born.” [18] Then I turned to the group of people and asked them with a mighty voice: “Whom are you seeking?!” [19] The leader answered: “Jesus of Nazareth.” [20] Then I made Myself known with the words: “It is I” and walked a few steps closer to them. [21] But the temple guards drew back because they heard a lot about My power and were afraid of it, for which reason Caiaphas had chosen only helpers who did not know Me yet. A few of them who stood in the back fell even to the ground because of the impact of those who stood in front. [22] Since the helpers stood there hesitating and fearful, I asked them again: “Whom are you seeking?” [23] And at the repeated answer of the leader I said again: “I told you that it is I. But if you seek Me, let these here go.” [24] Now when the helpers noticed that nothing was happening to them, they were ashamed of being afraid before, pushed toward Me and soon surrounded Me while the leader shouted at them that hey only had to guard Me since the command of the high priest was that they only should capture Me. [25] But Peter, who noticed now that a serious danger was threatening Me and no miracle was happening to free Me, he drew the sword which he always carried hidden with him and rushed up to Me. Malchus resisted him by keeping him off with his spear. Then Peter struck him and cut off Malchus’ ear. [26] Now I called out to Peter: “Put your sword back into the sheath! Shall I not drink the cup that My Father has given Me?” [27] Then Peter drew back. I touched the injured ear of the helper and it was immediately healed. This deed amazed the helpers, so that they no longer bothered about the disciples and they were only concerned to lead Me away. [28] Now that I took everything in silence and also allowed them to bind My hands without any resistance, they talked among each other, being surprised and wondering why they told them that they had to use extreme violence since capturing such a man was really dangerous. Judas stood by, waiting for something to happen by which the guards would be frightened. But since noting happened he was now all the more convinced that My power would unfold before the High Council. (GGJ Book 25, chap. 96) [14] Now when I was taken to Golgotha – at that time the usual place of execution in Jerusalem – Judas Iscariot came rushing, and being totally desperate he tried to break through the circle that the temple guards had formed around the place. He was violently pushed back. And standing close by he watched with starring eyes, still hoping for something extraordinary to happen that would free Me. He always was near the place when My condemnation took place, and as it became more and more clear to him that My power had either disappeared here or that I did not use it, he became more and more afraid. [15] Finally he rushed back to the High Council and wanted to give the money back while he said that he betrayed innocent blood and seriously accused himself. Of course he was scornfully turned down with the remark that he had to see himself how he can work it out. In full despair he threw the money into the case of alms of the temple and ran outside, still clinging unto the weak hope that I would free Myself before the worst would happen. When he saw now that My body was thrown to the ground and put on the cross, when he heard the blows of the hammer that drove the nails through My flesh into the wood, he cried out loudly and rushed away from the place. Without looking behind him he ran to a solitary place where he hanged himself on a fig tree with his belt. [16] He dearly paid for his mistake, his lust for money and selfishness. About what happened to him after this will once be reported1. [17] It was only several days after his death that his corpse was found. It had fallen down from the belt and it was gnawed by dogs and jackasses. He was hastily buried in that same spot. (GGJ Book 25, chap. 98)
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