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The Story of Jesus
ous throng. And now that the final scene was reached, and she saw the
thieves bound to the cross, what an agony of suspense she endured!
Would He who had given life to the dead suffer Himself to be
crucified? Would the Son of God suffer Himself to be thus cruelly
slain? Must she give up her faith that He was the Messiah?
She saw His hands stretched upon the cross—those hands that had
ever been reached out to bless the suffering. The hammer and the nails
were brought, and as the spikes were driven through the tender flesh,
the heart-broken disciples bore from the cruel scene the fainting form
of the mother of Jesus.
The Saviour made no murmur of complaint; His face remained pale
and serene, but great drops of sweat stood on His brow. His disciples
had fled from the dreadful scene. He was treading the winepress alone;
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and of the people there were none with Him. (
Isaiah 63:3
.)
As the soldiers were doing their work, the mind of Jesus passed
from His own sufferings to the terrible retribution that His persecutors
must one day meet. He pitied them in their ignorance, and prayed:
“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”
Christ was earning the right to become the advocate for men in the
Father’s presence. That prayer for His enemies embraced the world. It
took in every sinner who had lived or should live, from the beginning
of the world to the end of time.
Whenever we sin, Christ is wounded afresh. For us He lifts His
pierced hands before the Father’s throne, and says, “Forgive them; for
they know not what they do.”
As soon as Christ was nailed to the cross, it was lifted by strong
men, and with great violence thrust into the place prepared for it. This
caused intense suffering to the Son of God.
Pilate then wrote an inscription in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, and
placed it upon the cross, above the head of Jesus, where all might see
it. It read:
“Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews.”
The Jews requested that this might be changed. The chief priests
said:
“Write not, The King of the Jews; but that He said, I am King of
the Jews.”