The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ

TZADDI

The Arrest and Betrayal of Jesus

CHAPTER 159

The Christines attend a feast in Simon’s house. Mary anoints the master with a costly balm, and Judas and others rebuked her for profligacy. Jesus defends her. The rulers of the Jews employ Ananias to arrest Jesus. Ananias bribes Judas to aid him.

Bar-Simon, who was once a leper and was cleansed by Jesus by the sacred Word, abode in Bethany.

2 In honor of the Christine Lord he gave a feast, and Lazarus was among the guests, and Ruth and Martha served.

3 And as the guests reclined about the table, Mary took a cruse of rich perfume and poured it out on Jesus’ head and feet.

4 And then she knelt and with her hair she wiped his feet; the odor of the rich perfume filled all the room.

5 Now, Judas, always looking at the selfish side of life, exclaimed, For shame! why did you waste that costly perfume thus?

6 We might have sold it for three hundred pence, and had the money to supply our wants and feed the poor.

7 (Now, Judas was the treasurer, and carried all the money of the Christine band.)

8 And others said, Why, Mary, what a profligate you are! you should not throw such wealth away.

9 But Jesus said, You men, be still; let her alone; you know not what you say.

10 The poor are with you constantly; at any time you can administer to them; but I will not be with you long.

11 And Mary knows the sadness of the coming days; she has anointed me beforehand for my burial.

12 The gospel of the Christ will everywhere be preached, and he who tells the story of the Christ will tell about this day; and what was done by Mary at this hour will be a sweet memorial to her wherever men abide.

13 And when the feast was over Jesus went with Lazarus to his home.

14 Now, in Jerusalem the priests and Pharisees were busy with their plans to seize the Lord and take his life.

15 The high priest called in counsel all the wisest men and said, This deed must be accomplished in a secret way.

16 He must be taken when the multitudes are not a-near, else we may cause a war; the common people may stand forth in his defense and thus pollute this sacred place with human blood.

17 And what we do, that we must do before the great day of the feast.

18 And Ananias said, I have a plan that will succeed. The twelve with Jesus every day go forth alone to pray;

19 And we will find their trysting place; then we can seize the man and bring him here without the knowledge of the multitudes.

20 I know one of the twelve, a man who worships wealth, and for a sum I think that he will lead the way to where the man is wont to pray.

21 And then Caiaphas said, If you will lead the way and bribe the man of whom you speak, to aid in seizing Jesus in a secret place, then we will give to you a hundred silver pieces for your hire.

22 And Ananias said, ’Tis well.

23 And then he went to Bethany and found the twelve at Simon’s house, and calling Judas to the side he said,

24 If you would care to make a sum of money for yourself hear me:

25 The high priest and the other rulers in Jerusalem would like to talk with Jesus when alone, that they may know about his claims;

26 And if he proves himself to be the Christ, lo, they will stand in his defense.

27 Now, if you will but lead the way to where your master is tomorrow night that they may send a priest to talk with him alone, there is a sum of silver, thirty pieces, that the priests will give to you.

28 And Judas reasoned with himself; he said, It surely may be well to give the Lord a chance to tell the priests about his claims when he is all alone.

29 And if the priests would do him harm he has the power to disappear and go his way as he has done before; and thirty pieces is a goodly sum.

30 And so he said to Ananias, I will lead the way, and by a kiss make known which person is the Lord.

CHAPTER 160

Jesus and the twelve eat the passover alone in Nicodemus’ house. Jesus washes the disciples’ feet. Judas leaves the table and goes forth to betray the Lord. Jesus teaches the eleven. He institutes the Lord’s supper.

On Thursday morning Jesus called to him the twelve disciples, and he said to them, This is God’s remembrance day, and we will eat the pascal supper all alone.

2 And then he said to Peter, James and John, Go now into Jerusalem and there prepare the pasch.

3 And the disciples said, Where would you have us go to find the place where we may have the feast prepared?

4 And Jesus said, Go by the fountain gate and you will see a man who has a pitcher in his hand. Speak unto him and say: This is the first day of unleavened bread;

5 The Lord would have you set apart your banquet hall where he may eat his last passover with the twelve.

6 Fear not to speak; the man whom you will see is Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, and yet a man of God.

7 And the disciples went and found the man as Jesus said, and Nicodemus hastened to his home; the banquet hall, an upper room, was set apart, the supper was prepared.

8 Now, in the afternoon the Lord and his disciples went up to Jerusalem and found the feast in readiness.

9 And when the hour had come to eat the feast, the twelve began to strive among themselves, each anxious to secure the honored seats.

10 And Jesus said, My friends, would you contend for self just as the shadows of this night of gloom comes on?

11 There is no honored seat at heaven’s feast except for him who humbly takes the lowest seat.

12 And then the Lord arose and took a basin full of water and a towel, and bowing down, he washed the feet of all the twelve and dried them with the towel.

13 He breathed upon them and he said, And may these feet walk in the ways of righteousness forevermore.

14 He came to Peter and was about to wash his feet, and Peter said, Lord, would you wash my feet?