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Spiritual Gifts. Volume 1
Satan and his angels were tempting Pilate, and trying to lead him on
to his own ruin. They suggested to him that if he did not take any part
in condemning Jesus, others would; the multitude were thirsting for his
blood; and if he did not deliver Jesus to be crucified, he would lose his
power and worldly honor, and would be denounced as a believer on the
impostor, as they termed him. Pilate, through fear of losing his power
and authority, consented to the death of Jesus. And notwithstanding he
placed the blood of Jesus upon his accusers, and the multitude received
it, crying, His blood be on us and on our children, yet Pilate was not
clear; he was guilty of the blood of Christ. For his own selfish interest,
and love of honor from the great men of earth, he delivered an innocent
man to die. If Pilate had followed his conviction, he would have had
nothing to do with condemning Jesus.
The trial and condemnation of Jesus were working on the minds of
many; and impressions were being made which were to appear after
his resurrection; and many were to be added to the Church whose
experience and conviction should be dated from the time of Jesus’
trial.
[57]
Satan’s rage was great as he saw that all the cruelty which he had
led the chief priests to inflict on Jesus had not called forth from him
the least murmur. I saw that, although Jesus had taken man’s nature, a
power and fortitude that was God-like sustained him, and he did not
depart from the will of his Father in the least.
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