Trial of Christ
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upon the head, causing the thorns to penetrate his temples, sending the
trickling blood down his face and beard.
It was difficult for the angels to endure the sight. They would have
delivered Jesus out of their hands; but the commanding angels forbade
them, and said that it was a great ransom that was to be paid for man;
but it would be complete, and would cause the death of him who had
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the power of death. Jesus knew that angels were witnessing the scene
of his humiliation. I saw that the feeblest angel could have caused that
multitude to fall powerless, and delivered Jesus. He knew that if he
should desire it of his Father, angels would instantly release him. But
it was necessary that Jesus should suffer many things of wicked men,
in order to carry out the plan of salvation.
There stood Jesus, meek and humble before the infuriated mul-
titude, while they offered him the meanest abuse. They spit in his
face—that face which they will one day desire to be hid from, which
will give light to the city of God, and shine brighter than the sun—but
not an angry look did he cast upon the offenders. He meekly raised
his hand, and wiped it off. They covered his head with an old gar-
ment; blindfolded him, and then struck him in the face, and cried out,
Prophesy unto us who it was that smote thee. There was commotion
among the angels. They would have rescued him instantly; but their
commanding angel restrained them.
The disciples had gained confidence to enter where Jesus was, and
witness his trial. They expected that he would manifest his divine
power, and deliver himself from the hands of his enemies, and punish
them for their cruelty towards him. Their hopes would rise and fall as
the different scenes transpired. Sometimes they doubted, and feared
they had been deceived. But the voice heard at the mount of transfigu-
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ration, and the glory they there witnessed, strengthened them that he
was the Son of God. They called to mind the exciting scenes which
they had witnessed, the miracles they had seen Jesus do in healing the
sick, opening the eyes of the blind, unstopping the deaf ears, rebuking
and casting out devils, raising the dead to life, and even rebuking the
wind, and it obeyed him. They could not believe that he would die.
They hoped he would yet rise in power, and with his commanding
voice disperse that blood-thirsty multitude, as when he entered the
temple and drove out those who were making the house of God a place
of merchandise; when they fled before him, as though a company of