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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)
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.
A period was approaching which would reveal the infinite
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 betrayal
of Jesus in order to raise himself in popular
estimation. 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 violent
death except St. John, of whose death we have no
record.
(Gethsemane glorified)
During his night of gloom and glory in the garden,
Jesus realized the utter error of a belief in any possible
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