Jesus the Christ Chapter 33
Lots of thoughts, many I need to ponder more, especially concerning Gethsemane and the betrayal (so sad). But for now:
It must have been difficult for Jesus to be around Judas during the Last Supper, knowing that this man that He loved was going to betray Him.
Interesting that this was the first time the disciples were instructed to pray in Christ’s name- I’d never realized that before. “The name of Jesus Christ was to be thenceforth the divinely established talisman by which the powers of heaven could be invoked to operate in any righteous undertaking.” I wonder if this is because previous to this point, they were praying to Jehovah, God of the Old Testament- or Christ. Were they praying to Him because Heavenly Father wasn’t accessible to them without the Atonement? So once the Atonement was performed, we could pray to Heavenly Father through the intercession of Christ? Or was it just Christ’s job at the time? (I have no idea if this is right, just thinking in type.)
Your thoughts?
I was also struck by the idea of Christ’s name as now being the talisman needed to invoke the power of heaven. What was this replacing? What was the old talisman? Hmmm…
I find myself thinking often as I read about the idea that people in the “end times” will create gods after their own ideas and images, ’cause I find myself always wanting to soften Chris. Elder Talmage and I come to different conclusions a lot. Like about why Christ allowed Judas to participate in the Sacrament:
“…a possible means of moving him to abandon his evil purpose even at that late hour, or of filling his cup of iniquity to overflowing. The writer’s personal opinion is based on the last conception.”
And I think it’s beautiful to think of Christ giving him, and us all, as many chances as possible to do the right thing.
I’m scared to read the next two chapters. My heart is very full.
You and I are totally on the same different page than Talmage. I just can’t see Christ saying, “You know what, Judas? You’re totally unworthy to partake of the Sacrament, I know it, you know it, but I’m going to let you do it anyway just to make absolutely sure that you condemn your soul to Hell.” That smacks of total vindictiveness to me, and I just can’t see Christ reacting that way. Judas was already zooming down the path of damnation, I can’t see Christ helping to pile on the sins. It’s totally different than in the Book of Mormon where Alma and Amulek are watching the faithful be burned to death, and Amulek wants to stop it all and Alma says that it’s necessary so that the people who are doing it will have to answer for it.
Yeah- I don’t think it’s a matter of us creating Jesus differently or softening Him- I just think Talmage is absolutely wrong on this one. And perhaps projecting his own feelings about Judas onto the situation.
There’s totally the practical reasons for it as well, what would the other disciples have done if Jesus had refused Judas the Sacrament?