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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 3
Upon arriving at the place of execution, the condemned were bound
to the instruments of torture. While the two thieves wrestled in the
hands of those who stretched them upon the cross, Jesus made no
resistance. The mother of Jesus looked on with agonizing suspense,
hoping that he would work a miracle to save himself. Surely He who
had given life to the dead would not suffer himself to be crucified.
What torture must this woman have endured as she witnessed the
shame and suffering of her son, yet was not able to minister to him in
his distress! Bitter grief and disappointment filled her heart. Must she
give up her faith that he was the true Messiah? Would the Son of God
allow himself to be thus cruelly slain? She saw his hands stretched
upon the cross—those dear hands that had ever dispensed blessings,
and had been reached forth so many times to heal the suffering. And
now the hammer and nails were brought, and as the spikes were driven
through the tender flesh and fastened to the cross, the heart-stricken
disciples bore away from the cruel scene the fainting form of the
mother of Christ.
Jesus made no murmur of complaint; his face remained pale and
serene, but great drops of sweat stood upon his brow. There was
no pitying hand to wipe the death-dew from his face, nor words of
sympathy and unchanging fidelity to stay his human heart. He was
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treading the wine-press all alone; and of all the people there was none
with him. While the soldiers were doing their fearful work, and he
was enduring the most acute agony, Jesus prayed for his enemies—
“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” His mind was
borne from his own suffering to the crime of his persecutors, and the
terrible but just retribution that would be theirs. He pitied them in their
ignorance and guilt. No curses were called down upon the soldiers
who were handling him so roughly, no vengeance was invoked upon
the priests and rulers who were the cause of all his suffering, and were
then gloating over the accomplishment of their purpose, but only a
plea for their forgiveness—“for they know not what they do.”
Had they known that they were ting to exquisite torture one who
had come to save the sinful race from eternal ruin, they would have
been seized with horror and remorse. But their ignorance did not
remove their guilt; for it was their privilege to know and accept Jesus
as their Saviour. They rejected all evidence, and not only sinned against
Heaven in crucifying the King of Glory, but against the commonest