[Holy Week]: #18; Judas' End

   When morning came, all the chief priests
and elders of the people plotted against Jesus
to put Him to death. And when they had bound
Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to
Pontius Pilate the governor.
   Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had
been condemned, was remorseful and brought
back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests
and elders, saying, "I have sinned by betraying
innocent blood."
   And they said, "What is that to us? You see to
it!"
   Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the
temple and departed, and went and hanged him-
self.
   But the chief priests took the silver pieces and
said, "It is not lawful to put them into the treasury,
because they are the price of blood." And they
consulted together and bought with them the pot-
ter's field, to bury strangers in. Therefore that field
has been called the Field of Blood to this day.
   Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah
the prophet, saying, "And they took the thirty pieces
of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom
they of the children of Israel priced, and gave them
for the potter's field, as the LORD directed me."

Matthew 27:1-10

[Holy Week]: #17; Peter's Denials

   Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a
servant girl came to him, saying, "You also were
with Jesus of Galilee."
   But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do
not know what you are saying."
   And when he had gone out to the gateway,
another girl saw him and said to those who were
there, "This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazar-
eth."
   But again he denied with an oath, "I do not
know the Man!"
   And a little later those who stood by came up
and said to Peter, "Surely you also are one of them,
for your speech betrays you."
   Then he began to curse and swear, saying, "I do
not know the Man!"
   Immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter re-
membered the word of Jesus who had said to him,
"Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three
times." So he went out and wept bitterly.

Matthew 26:69-75

[Holy Week]: #16; Jesus' Betrayal

   And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas,
one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords
and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of
the people.
   Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying,
"Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him." Im-
mediately he went up to Jesus and said, "Greetings,
Rabbi!" and kissed Him.
   But Jesus said to him, "Friend, why have you come?"
   Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took
Him. And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus
stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the
servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
   But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword in its place,
for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Or
do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and
He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of
angels? How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that
it must happen thus?"
   In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, "Have you
come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs
to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple,
and you did not seize Me. But all this was done that the
Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled."
   Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.

Matthew 26:47-56

[Holy Week]: #15; Denials Predicted

Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made
to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written:
     'I will strike the Shepherd,
     And the sheep of the flock will be
          scattered.'

But after I have been raised, I will go before you to
Galilee." Peter answered and said to Him, "Even if
all are made to stumble because of You, I will never
be made to stumble." Jesus said to him, "Assuredly,
I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows,
you will deny Me three times." Peter said to Him,
"Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!"
    And so said all the disciples.

Matthew 26:31-35

[Holy Week]: #14; GETHSEMANE

Then Jesus came with them to a place called
Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, "Sit here
while I go and pray over there." And He took
with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee,
and He began to be sorrowful and deeply dis-
tressed. Then He said to them, "My soul is
exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay
here and watch with Me." He went a little far-
ther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying,
"O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass
from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You
will." Then He came to the disciples and found
them sleeping, and said to Peter, "What! Could
you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and
pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit
indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Again,
a second time, He went away and prayed, say-
ing, "O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away
from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done."
And He came and found them asleep again, for
their eyes were heavy. So He left them, went
away again, and prayed the third time, saying
the same words. Then He came to His disciples
and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and
resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son
of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sin-
ners. Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is
at hand."
--Matthew 26:36-46

                  GETHSEMANE

All those who journey, soon or late,
Must pass within the garden's gate;
Must kneel alone in darkness there,
And battle with some fierce despair.
God pity those who cannot say:
"Not mine but thine"; who only pray:
"Let this cup pass," and cannot see
The purpose in Gethsemane.

--Ella Wheeler Wilcox, 1855-1919

[Holy Week]: #13; The Lord's Supper

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread,
blessed and broke it, and gave it to the dis-
ciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."
Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and
gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of
you. For this is My blood of the new coven-
ant, which is shed for many for the remission
of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of
this fruit of the vine from now on until that day
when I drink it new with you in My Father's
kingdom," And when they had sung a hymn,
they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Matthew 26:26-30

[Holy Week]: #12; EVIDENCE

"Where is God!" inquired the mind:
"To His presence I am blind.
I can tell each blade of grass,
Read the tempests as they pass;
I have learned what metals lie
In the earth's deep mystery;
Every voice of field and wood
I have heard and understood;
Ancient secrets of the sea
Are no longer dark to me:
But the wonders of the earth
Bring no thought of God to birth."

Then the heart spake quietly,
"Hast thou thought of Calvary?"

"Where is God?" inquired the mind;
"To His presence I am blind.
I have scanned each star and sun,
Traced the certain course they run;
I have weighed them in my scale,
And can tell when each will fail;
From the caverns of the night
I have brought new worlds to light;
I have measured earth and sky,
Read each zone with steady eye;
But no sign of God appears
In the glory of the spheres."

But the heart spake wistfully,
"Hast thou looked on Calvary?"

--Thomas Curtis Clark