Chapter II - Atonement And Eucharist
Pentecostal power
47:1
ence, even to the spiritual interpretation and discernment
ence, even to the spiritual interpretation and discernment
of Jesus' teachings and demonstrations, which gave them
a faint conception of the Life which is God.
They no longer measured man by material
sense. After gaining the true idea of their glorified Master,
they became better healers, leaning no longer on matter,
but on the divine Principle of their work. The influx of
light was sudden. It was sometimes an overwhelming
power as on the Day of Pentecost.
The traitor's conspiracy
47:10
Judas conspired against Jesus. The world's ingratitude
Judas conspired against Jesus. The world's ingratitude
and hatred towards that just man effected his betrayal.
The traitor's price was thirty pieces of silver
and the smiles of the Pharisees. He chose his
time, when the people were in doubt concerning Jesus'
teachings.
47:16
A period was approaching which would reveal the in-
A period was approaching which would reveal the in-
finite distance between Judas and his Master. Judas
Iscariot knew this. He knew that the great goodness of
that Master placed a gulf between Jesus and his betrayer,
and this spiritual distance inflamed Judas' envy. The
greed for gold strengthened his ingratitude, and for a time
quieted his remorse. He knew that the world generally
loves a lie better than Truth; and so he plotted the be-
trayal of Jesus in order to raise himself in popular esti-
mation. His dark plot fell to the ground, and the
traitor fell with it.
The disciples' desertion of their Master in his last
earthly struggle was punished; each one came to a vio-
lent death except St. John, of whose death we have no
record.
Gethsemane glorified
47:31
During his night of gloom and glory in the garden,
During his night of gloom and glory in the garden,
Jesus realized the utter error of a belief in any possi-
48:1
ble material intelligence. The pangs of neglect and the
ble material intelligence. The pangs of neglect and the
staves of bigoted ignorance smote him sorely. His stu-
dents slept. He said unto them: "Could ye
not watch with me one hour?" Could they
not watch with him who, waiting and struggling in voice-
less agony, held uncomplaining guard over a world?
There was no response to that human yearning, and so
Jesus turned forever away from earth to heaven, from
sense to Soul.
48:10
Remembering the sweat of agony which fell in holy
Remembering the sweat of agony which fell in holy
benediction on the grass of Gethsemane, shall the hum-
blest or mightiest disciple murmur when he drinks from the
same cup, and think, or even wish, to escape the exalt-
ing ordeal of sin's revenge on its destroyer? Truth and
Love bestow few palms until the consummation of a
life-work.
Defensive weapons
48:17
Judas had the world's weapons. Jesus had not one
Judas had the world's weapons. Jesus had not one
of them, and chose not the world's means of defence.
"He opened not his mouth." The great dem-
onstrator of Truth and Love was silent before
envy and hate. Peter would have smitten the enemies of
his Master, but Jesus forbade him, thus rebuking re-
sentment or animal courage. He said: "Put up thy
sword."
Pilate's question
48:25
Pale in the presence of his own momentous question,
Pale in the presence of his own momentous question,
"What is Truth," Pilate was drawn into acquiescence
with the demands of Jesus' enemies. Pilate
was ignorant of the consequences of his awful
decision against human rights and divine Love, knowing
not that he was hastening the final demonstration of what
life is and of what the true knowledge of God can do for
man.