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Humble Hero
them away from the temple courts, and soldiers were stationed to
keep back the crowds with their sick and dying.
Sadness crushed the sufferers in their disappointment. The sick
were dying for lack of Jesus’ healing touch. No doctors could help.
There was no skill like that of Him who lay in Joseph’s tomb.
To thousands of minds came the conviction that a great Light
had gone out of the world. Without Christ, the earth was darkness.
Many whose voices had joined in the cry, “Crucify Him, crucify
Him!” now realized the disaster that had fallen on them.
When the people learned that the priests had put Jesus to death,
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they began to make inquiries. The details of His trial were kept as
private as possible, but reports about the inhumanity of the priests
and rulers circulated everywhere. People of intellect called on these
priests and rulers to explain the prophecies concerning the Messiah.
While trying to frame some falsehood in reply, they became like
madmen. They could not explain the prophecies that pointed to
Christ’s sufferings and death.
The priests knew that they were meeting the strong criticism of
the people. The ones they had influenced against Jesus were now
horrified by their own shameful work. These priests trembled for fear
that Christ Himself would rise from the dead and appear before them
again. They remembered that He had said, “Destroy this temple,
and in three days I will raise it up.”
John 2:19
. Judas had told them
the words Jesus spoke on the last journey to Jerusalem: “The Son of
Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they
will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles ... to
crucify. And the third day He will rise again.”
Matthew 20:18, 19
.
They remembered that so far Christ’s predictions had been fulfilled.
Who could say that this also would not happen as predicted?
They longed to shut out these thoughts, but they could not. The
image of Christ would intrude on their minds, serene and uncom-
plaining before His enemies, enduring their taunts and abuse without
a complaint. An overpowering conviction came to them that He
was the Son of God. At any time He might stand before them, the
accused to become the accuser, the slain demanding justice in the
death of His murderers.
Though they would not step over a Gentile’s threshold for fear
of defilement, on the Sabbath they held a council concerning the