the desire of ages-第151节

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；　〃It　is　finished〃　（John　19：30）；　and　the　veil　of　the　temple　was　rent　in　twain；　the　Holy　Watcher　declared　that　the　Jewish　people　had　rejected　Him　who　was　the　antitype　of　all　their　types；　the　substance　of　all　their　shadows。　Israel　was　divorced　from　God。　Well　might　Caiaphas　then　rend　his　official　robes；　which　signified　that　he　claimed　to　be　a　representative　of　the　great　High　Priest；　for　no　longer　had　they　any　meaning　for　him　or　for　the　people。　Well　might　the　high　priest　rend　his　robes　in　horror　for　himself　and　for　the　nation。

710


The　Sanhedrin　had　pronounced　Jesus　worthy　of　death；　but　it　was　contrary　to　the　Jewish　law　to　try　a　prisoner　by　night。　In　legal　condemnation　nothing　could　be　done　except　in　the　light　of　day　and　before　a　full　session　of　the　council。　Notwithstanding　this；　the　Saviour　was　now　treated　as　a　condemned　criminal；　and　given　up　to　be　abused　by　the　lowest　and　vilest　of　humankind。　The　palace　of　the　high　priest　surrounded　an　open　court　in　which　the　soldiers　and　the　multitude　had　gathered。　Through　this　court；　Jesus　was　taken　to　the　guardroom；　on　every　side　meeting　with　mockery　of　His　claim　to　be　the　Son　of　God。　His　own　words；　〃sitting　on　the　right　hand　of　power；〃　and；　〃coming　in　the　clouds　of　heaven；〃　were　jeeringly　repeated。　While　in　the　guardroom；　awaiting　His　legal　trial；　He　was　not　protected。　The　ignorant　rabble　had　seen　the　cruelty　with　which　He　was　treated　before　the　council；　and　from　this　they　took　license　to　manifest　all　the　satanic　elements　of　their　nature。　Christ's　very　nobility　and　godlike　bearing　goaded　them　to　madness。　His　meekness；　His　innocence；　His　majestic　patience；　filled　them　with　hatred　born　of　Satan。　Mercy　and　justice　were　trampled　upon。　Never　was　criminal　treated　in　so　inhuman　a　manner　as　was　the　Son　of　God。

But　a　keener　anguish　rent　the　heart　of　Jesus；　the　blow　that　inflicted　the　deepest　pain　no　enemy's　hand　could　have　dealt。　While　He　was　undergoing　the　mockery　of　an　examination　before　Caiaphas；　Christ　had　been　denied　by　one　of　His　own　disciples。

After　deserting　their　Master　in　the　garden；　two　of　the　disciples　had　ventured　to　follow；　at　a　distance；　the　mob　that　had　Jesus　in　charge。　These　disciples　were　Peter　and　John。　The　priests　recognized　John　as　a　well…known　disciple　of　Jesus；　and　admitted　him　to　the　hall；　hoping　that　as　he　witnessed　the　humiliation　of　his　Leader；　he　would　scorn　the　idea　of　such　a　one　being　the　Son　of　God。　John　spoke　in　favor　of　Peter；　and　gained　an　entrance　for　him　also。

In　the　court　a　fire　had　been　kindled；　for　it　was　the　coldest　hour　of　the　night；　being　just　before　the　dawn。　A　company　drew　about　the　fire；　and　Peter　presumptuously　took　his　place　with　them。　He　did　not　wish　to　be　recognized　as　a　disciple　of　Jesus。　By　mingling　carelessly　with　the　crowd；　he　hoped　to　be　taken　for　one　of　those　who　had　brought　Jesus　to　the　hall。

But　as　the　light　flashed　upon　Peter's　face；　the　woman　who　kept　the　door　cast　a　searching　glance　upon　him。　She　had　noticed　that　he　came　in　with　John；　she　marked　the　look　of　dejection　on　his　face；　and　thought

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that　he　might　be　a　disciple　of　Jesus。　She　was　one　of　the　servants　of　Caiaphas'　household；　and　was　curious　to　know。　She　said　to　Peter；　〃Art　not　thou　also　one　of　this　Man's　disciples？〃　Peter　was　startled　and　confused；　the　eyes　of　the　company　instantly　fastened　upon　him。　He　pretended　not　to　understand　her；　but　she　was　persistent；　and　said　to　those　around　her　that　this　man　was　with　Jesus。　Peter　felt　compelled　to　answer；　and　said　angrily；　〃Woman；　I　know　Him　not。〃　This　was　the　first　denial；　and　immediately　the　cock　crew。　O　Peter；　so　soon　ashamed　of　thy　Master！　so　soon　to　deny　thy　Lord！

The　disciple　John；　upon　entering　the　judgment　hall；　did　not　try　to　conceal　the　fact　that　he　was　a　follower　of　Jesus。　He　did　not　mingle　with　the　rough　company　who　were　reviling　his　Master。　He　was　not　questioned；　for　he　did　not　assume　a　false　character；　and　thus　lay　himself　liable　to　suspicion。　He　sought　a　retired　corner　secure　from　the　notice

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of　the　mob；　but　as　near　Jesus　as　it　was　possible　for　him　to　be。　Here　he　could　see　and　hear　all　that　took　place　at　the　trial　of　his　Lord。

Peter　had　not　designed　that　his　real　character　should　be　known。　In　assuming　an　air　of　indifference　he　had　placed　himself　on　the　enemy's　ground；　and　he　became　an　easy　prey　to　temptation。　If　he　had　been　called　to　fight　for　his　Master；　he　would　have　been　a　courageous　soldier；　but　when　the　finger　of　scorn　was　pointed　at　him；　he　proved　himself　a　coward。　Many　who　do　not　shrink　from　active　warfare　for　their　Lord　are　driven　by　ridicule　to　deny　their　faith。　By　associating　with　those　whom　they　should　avoid；　they　place　themselves　in　the　way　of　temptation。　They　invite　the　enemy　to　tempt　them；　and　are　led　to　say　and　do　that　of　which　under　other　circumstances　they　would　never　have　been　guilty。　The　disciple　of　Christ　who　in　our　day　disguises　his　faith　through　dread　of　suffering　or　reproach　denies　his　Lord　as　really　as　did　Peter　in　the　judgment　hall。

Peter　tried　to　show　no　interest　in　the　trial　of　his　Master；　but　his　heart　was　wrung　with　sorrow　as　he　heard　the　cruel　taunts；　and　saw　the　abuse　He　was　suffering。　More　than　this；　he　was　surprised　and　angry　that　Jesus　should　humiliate　Himself　and　His　followers　by　submitting　to　such　treatment。　In　order　to　conceal　his　true　feelings；　he　endeavored　to　join　with　the　persecutors　of　Jesus　in　their　untimely　jests。　But　his　appearance　was　unnatural。　He　was　acting　a　lie；　and　while　seeking　to　talk　unconcernedly　he　could　not　restrain　expressions　of　indignation　at　the　abuse　heaped　upon　his　Master。

Attention　was　called　to　him　the　second　time；　and　he　was　again　charged　with　being　a　follower　of　Jesus。　He　now　declared　with　an　oath；　〃I　do　not　know　the　Man。〃　Still　another　opportunity　was　given　him。　An　hour　had　passed；　when　one　of　the　servants　of　the　high　priest；　being　a　near　kinsman　of　the　man　whose　ear　Peter　had　cut　off；　asked　him；　〃Did　not　I　see　thee　in　the　garden　with　Him？〃　〃Surely　thou　art　one　of　them：　for　thou　art　a　Galilean；　and　thy　speech　agreeth　thereto。〃　At　this　Peter　flew　into　a　rage。　The　disciples　of　Jesus　were　noted　for　the　purity　of　their　language；　and　in　order　fully　to　deceive　his　questioners；　and　justify　his　assumed　character；　Peter　now　denied　his　Master　with　cursing　and　swearing。　Again　the　cock　crew。　Peter　heard　it　then；　and　he　remembered　the　words　of　Jesus；　〃Before　the　cock　crow　twice；　thou　shalt　deny　Me　thrice。〃　Mark　14：30。

While　the　degrading　oaths　were　fresh　upon　Peter's　lips；　and　the　shrill

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crowing　of　the　cock　was　still　ringing　in　his　ears；　the　Saviour　turned　from　the　frowning　judges；　and　looked　full　upon　His　poor　disciple。　At　the　same　time　Peter's　eyes　were　drawn　to　his　Master。　In　that　gentle　countenance　he　read　deep　pity　and　sorrow；　but　there　was　no　anger　there。

The　sight　of　that　pale；　suffering　face；　those　quivering　lips；　that　look　of　compassion　and　forgiveness；　pierced　his　heart　like　an　arrow。　Conscience　was　aroused。　Memory　was　active。　Peter　called　to　mind　his　promise　of　a　few　short　hours　before　that　he　would　go　with　his　Lord　to　prison　and　to　death。　He　remembered　his　grief　when　the　Saviour　told　him　in　the　upper　chamber　that　he　would　deny　his　Lord　thrice　that　same　night。　Peter　had　just　declared　that　he　knew　not　Jesus；　but　he　now　realized　with　bitter　grief　how　well　his　Lord　knew　him；　and　how　accurately　He　had　read　his　heart；　the　falseness　of　which　was　unknown　even　to　himself。

A　tide　of　memories　rushed　over　him。　The　Saviour's　tender　mercy；　His　kindness　and　long…suffering；　His　gentleness　and　patience　toward　His　erring　disciples；all　was　remembered。　He　recalled　the　caution；　〃Simon；　behold；　Satan　hath　desired　to　have　you；　that　he　may　sift　you　as　wheat：　but　I　have　prayed　for　thee；　that　thy　faith　fail　not。〃　Luke　22：31；　32。　He　reflected　with　horror　upon　his　own　ingratitude；　his　falsehood；　his　perjury。　Once　more　he　looked　at　his　Master；　and　saw　a　sacrilegious　hand　raised　to　smite　Him　in　the　face。　Unable　longer　to　endure　the　scene；　he　rushed；　heartbroken；　from　the　hall。

He　pressed　on　in　solitude　and　darkness；　he　knew　not　and　cared　not　whither。　At　last　he　found　himself　in　Gethsemane。　The　scene　of　a　few　hours　before　came　vividly　to　his　mind。　The　suffering　face　of　his　Lord；　stained　with　bloody　sweat　and　convulsed　with　anguish；　rose　before　him。　He　remembered　with　bitter　remorse　that　Jesus　had　wept　and　agonized　in　prayer　alone；　while　those　who　should　have　united　with　Him　in　that　trying　hour　were　sleeping。　He　remembered　His　solemn　charge；　〃Watch　and　pray；　that　ye　enter　not　into　temptation。〃　Matt。　26：41。　He　witnessed　again　the　scene　in　the　judgment　hall。　It　was　torture　to　his　bleeding　heart　to　know　that　he　had　added　the　heaviest　burden　to　the　Saviour's　humiliation　and　grief。　On　the　very　spot　where　Jesus　had　poured　out　His　soul　in　agony　to　His　Father；　Peter　fell　upon　his　face；　and　wished　that　he　might　die。

It　was　in　sleeping　when　Jesus　bade　him　watch　and　pray　that　Peter　had　prepared　the　way　for　his　great　sin。　All　the　disciples；　by　sleeping

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in　that　critical　hour；　sustained　a　great　loss。　Christ　knew　the　fiery　ordeal　through　which　they　were　to　pass。　He　knew　how　Satan　would　work　to　paral