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The Desire of Ages
Satan led the cruel mob in its abuse of the Saviour. It was his
purpose to provoke Him to retaliation if possible, or to drive Him to
perform a miracle to release Himself, and thus break up the plan of
salvation. One stain upon His human life, one failure of His humanity
to endure the terrible test, and the Lamb of God would have been an
imperfect offering, and the redemption of man a failure. But He who
by a command could bring the heavenly host to His aid—He who
could have driven that mob in terror from His sight by the flashing
forth of His divine majesty—submitted with perfect calmness to the
coarsest insult and outrage.
Christ’s enemies had demanded a miracle as evidence of His divin-
ity. They had evidence far greater than any they had sought. As their
cruelty degraded His torturers below humanity into the likeness of
Satan, so did His meekness and patience exalt Jesus above humanity,
and prove His kinship to God. His abasement was the pledge of His
exaltation. The blood drops of agony that from His wounded temples
flowed down His face and beard were the pledge of His anointing with
“the oil of gladness” (
Hebrews 1:9
.) as our great high priest.
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Satan’s rage was great as he saw that all the abuse inflicted upon
the Saviour had not forced the least murmur from His lips. Although
He had taken upon Him the nature of man, He was sustained by a
godlike fortitude, and departed in no particular from the will of His
Father.
When Pilate gave Jesus up to be scourged and mocked, he thought
to excite the pity of the multitude. He hoped they would decide that
this was sufficient punishment. Even the malice of the priests, he
thought, would now be satisfied. But with keen perception the Jews
saw the weakness of thus punishing a man who had been declared
innocent. They knew that Pilate was trying to save the life of the
prisoner, and they were determined that Jesus should not be released.
To please and satisfy us, Pilate has scourged Him, they thought, and if
we press the matter to a decided issue, we shall surely gain our end.
Pilate now sent for Barabbas to be brought into the court. He then
presented the two prisoners side by side, and pointing to the Saviour
he said in a voice of solemn entreaty, “Behold the Man!” “I bring Him
forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in Him.”
There stood the Son of God, wearing the robe of mockery and
the crown of thorns. Stripped to the waist, His back showed the long,