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Spiritual Gifts. Volume 1
sun, and will seek to flee from before it. Instead of that shout of brutal
triumph, in terror they will wail because of him. Jesus will present
his hands with the marks of his crucifixion. The marks of this cruelty
he will ever bear. Every print of the nails will tell the story of man’s
wonderful redemption, and the dear price that purchased it. The very
men who thrust the spear into the side of the Lord of life, will behold
the print of the spear, and will lament with deep anguish the part they
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acted in marring his body. His murderers were greatly annoyed by
the superscription, The King of the Jews, placed upon the cross above
his head. But then they will be obliged to see him in all his glory and
kingly power. They will behold on his vesture and on his thigh, written
in living characters, King of kings, and Lord of lords. They cried to
him mockingly, as he hung upon the cross, Let Christ the King of
Israel descend from the cross, that we may see and believe. They will
behold him then with kingly power and authority. They will demand
no evidence then of his being the King of Israel; but overwhelmed with
a sense of his majesty and exceeding glory, they will be compelled to
acknowledge, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
The shaking of the earth, the rending of the rocks, the darkness
spread over the earth, and the loud, strong cry of Jesus, It is finished,
as he yielded up his life, troubled his enemies, and made his murderers
tremble. The disciples wondered at these singular manifestations; but
their hopes were all crushed. They were afraid the Jews would seek
to destroy them also. Such hate manifested against the Son of God
they thought would not end there. Lonely hours the disciples spent
in sorrow, weeping over their disappointment. They expected that he
would reign a temporal prince; but their hopes died with Jesus. They
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doubted in their sorrow and disappointment whether Jesus had not
deceived them. His mother was humbled, and even her faith wavered
in his being the Messiah.
But notwithstanding the disciples had been disappointed in their
hopes concerning Jesus, yet they loved him, and respected and hon-
ored his body, but knew not how to obtain it. Joseph of Arimathea,
an honorable counsellor, had influence, and was one of Jesus’ true
disciples. He went privately, yet boldly, to Pilate and begged his body.
He dared not go openly; for the hatred of the Jews was so great that the
disciples feared that an effort would be made by them to prevent the
body of Jesus having an honored resting place. But Pilate granted his