Jesus Christ as a Human

CHRIST’S BIRTH:

Isaiah 7:
14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,and shall call his name Immanuel.

Matthew 1:
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
21 And she shall bring forth a son,and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child,and shall bring forth a son,and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Luke 1:
26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27 To a virginespoused to a man whose name was Joseph,of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son,and shalt call his name JESUS.
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34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

Galatians 4:
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman,made under the law,

CHRIST’S LINEAGE:
Luke 1:
35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of theeshall be called the Son of God.

Luke 1:
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son,and shalt call his name JESUS.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest;and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacobfor ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Galatians 4:
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman,made under the law,
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Hebrews 2:
17 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

Romans 1:
3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

CHRIST BECAME FLESH:
John 1:
1 IN the beginning was the Word,and the Wordwas with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
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14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,(and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

Romans 8:
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh,God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

1 Timothy 3:
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh,justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Hebrews 2:
14 Forasmuch then asthe children are partakers of flesh and blood,he alsohimself likewise took part of the same;that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

1 Peter 3:
18 For Christalso hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh,but quickened by the Spirit:

Romans 1:
3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord,which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

CHRIST IN THE LIKENESS:

Romans 8:
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Sonin the likeness of sinful flesh,and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

Philippians 2:
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God,thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant,and wasmade in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man,he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Hebrews 2:
17 Wherefore in all things it behoved himto be made like unto his brethren,that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

CHRIST’S EXPERIENCES:
Matthew 4:
2 And when he had fastedforty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

John 4:
6 Now Jacobs well was there. Jesus therefore,being wearied with his journey,sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.

John 11:
35 Jesus wept.

John 19:
28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.

Hebrews 4:
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;but was in all points tempted like as we are,yet without sin.

Matthew 8:
17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities,andbare our sicknesses.

Hebrews. 2:
18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted,he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Matthew 26:
38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death:tarry ye here, and watch with me.

Hebrews 12:
4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood,striving against sin.

Isaiah 52:
14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:

Matthew 27:
41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him,with the scribes and elders, said,
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50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
Hebrews 13:
20 Now the Godof peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus,that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

CHRIST WILL ALWAYS BE HUMAN:
Luke 24:
36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them,and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
37 But they were terrified and affrighted,and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
38 And he saidunto them,Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
39 Behold my hands and my feet,that it is I myself:handle me, and see; for aspirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
40 And when he had thus spoken,he shewed them his hands and his feet.
41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
43 And he took it, and did eat before them.
50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands,and blessed them.
51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

Acts 1:
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus,which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

NOTE:
According to Luke 24:36 through 51 above; Christ, after His resurrection, was still human. Christ had hands, feet, a mouth, flesh, and bones. The disciples could see, hear, and touch Him. Acts 1:11 states that the same Jesus that ascended into heaven would return.

1 John 3:
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear,we shall be like him;for we shallsee him as he is.

NOTE:
If Christ is not in a Spirit form and we are going to be like Him, then we are not going to be in a Spirit form either. We are going to be able to see, feel, smell, hear, walk, talk, think, eat, and much, much more while we are in Heaven. We are really going to be able to enjoy what Jesus has prepared for us there.

John 3:
16 God so loved the world, that Hegave His only begotten Son.

NOTE:
When God gave His Son to us apparently it was not just a loan.

We Have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous

Isaiah 53:
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors: and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Romans 8:
34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died,yea rather, that is risen again,who is even at the right hand of God,who also maketh intercession for us.

Hebrews 2:
17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, thathe might be a merciful and faithful high priestin things pertaining to God,to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

Hebrews 3:
1 WHEREFORE, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priestof our profession, Christ Jesus;

NOTE:
Notice in the following texts that because Christ is our High Priest we may come boldly before the throne of grace to obtain mercy.

Hebrews 4:
14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest,that is passed into the heavens,Jesus the Son of God,let us hold fast our profession.
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;but was in all points tempted like as we are,yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace,that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 6:
20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus,made an high priestfor everafter the order of Melchisedec.

Hebrews 7:
24 But this man, (Christ Jesus) because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him,seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the peoples: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

Hebrews 8:
1 NOW of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest,who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
2 A minister of the sanctuary,and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.

Hebrews 9:
11 But Christ being come an high priestof good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place,having obtained eternal redemption for us.

1 John.2:
1 MY little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:


NOTE:
Christ is now in Heaven interceding for each one of us. He is our Lawyer, our High Priest, our Advocate before the throne of His Father. Christ is today, in Heaven, pleading our case, making intersession for us. Can you think of anyone you would rather have than the One who loves you so much that He was willing to die in your place? Christ, on the cross, was punished in your place. He served your death sentence so that you might have a chance to choose to live.


If you have not already accepted the gift that Jesus came to give, may you choose Christ today and choose to live.

Jesus,shall so come

... this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go

What promise is made to those who look for the appearing of Christ?
"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." Hebrews 9:28.

How many will receive a reward when He comes?
"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works." Matthew 16:27.

Did the disciples think that death would be the second coming of Christ?
"Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?" John 21:21-23.

If death is not the coming of Christ, how will He come?
"And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;"Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Acts 1:9-11 (Rev. 14:14).

Now then , just how many will behold Him when He comes?
"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen." Revelation 1:7.

What wonderful demonstration will accompany the Lord's coming?
"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first." 1 Thessalonians 4:16.

What will then take place?
"Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." 1 Corinthians 15:52. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

Have not the martyrs of old gone to their reward?
"And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." Hebrews 11:39,40.

When were the disciples to be recompensed?
"And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." Luke 14:14.

How is this to be brought about?
"If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself." John 14:3.

What was Enoch's belief about this event?
"And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him." Jude 1:14,15.

What was Job's hope when in the depths of affliction?
"For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me." Job 19:25-27.

How did David express himself on this point?
"Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth." Psalms 96:13.

Did Daniel teach this same sentiment?
"And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." Daniel 12:1.

In what splendor will the Saviour come?
"For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels." Luke 9:26.

When Christ, at the transfiguration, represented His future glory, how did He appear?
"And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light." Matthew 17:2.

What is the appearance of an angel?
"His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude." Daniel 10:6.

What is the appearance of the glory of God Himself?
"And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake." Ezekiel 1:27,28.

For what was Paul waiting when in his Roman dungeon?
"Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." 2 Timothy 4:8.

How will the Saviour be seen of those who are finally permitted to behold Him?
"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." 1 John 3:2.

What description does the beloved John give of His appearance?
"His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; "And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. "And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength." Revelation 1:14-16.

When He shall have gathered together His elect (Matt. 24:31), if we are among them, what shall we hear from the Saviour?
"Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:" Matthew 25:34.

HE Will Return

What wonderful promise did Jesus make concerning His Second Advent?
"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." John 14:1-3.

What will follow the signs of Christ's coming?
"And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory." Luke 21:27.

At His ascension, how was Christ's return promised?
"And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Acts 1:10,11.

With what words does Paul express the blessed hope of Christ's Second Advent for His people?
"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." Titus 2:13.

What does Peter say about this awaited event?
"For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty." 2 Peter 1:16.

When He returns, will most of the inhabitants of earth be prepared to meet Him?
"And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." Matthew 24:30.
"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen." Revelation 1:7.

Why will many not be prepared for this important event?
"But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 24:48-51.

What will the world be doing when Christ returns in the clouds of heaven for His own?
"But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matthew 24:37-39.
"Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed." Luke 17:28-30.

Who is it that blinds men to the message about salvation through Jesus Christ?
"In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." 2 Corinthians 4:4.

How important is it that we now prepare our lives to meet Christ when He returns?
"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." 1 John 3:2.

Will the return of Christ be a time of reward?
"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works." Matthew 16:27.
"And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Revelation 22:12.

Who will receive the promised salvation when Christ returns?
"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." Hebrews 9:28.

What strong motivation should His return have on our lives right now?
"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." 1 John 3:2,3.

To whom are these crowns of life promised?
"For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." 2 Timothy 4:6-8.

What will the waiting ones say when Jesus comes the second time?
"And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation." Isaiah 25:9.

Has the exact time of Christ's coming been revealed?
"But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." Matthew 24:36.

In view of this fact, how does Christ tell us to prepare for that glorious event?
"Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." Matthew 24:42.

What warning has Christ given that we might not be taken by surprise when He returns?
"And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." Luke 21:34-36.

What special attribute should the waiting ones develop?
"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." James 5:7,8.

HE is Risen!!

[This is a chapter from the wonderful book Desire of Ages. This chapter based on Matt. 28:2-4, 11-15.]

The night of the first day of the week had worn slowly away. The darkest
hour, just before daybreak, had come. Christ was still a prisoner in His
narrow tomb. The great stone was in its place; the Roman seal was unbroken;
the Roman guards were keeping their watch. And there were unseen watchers.
Hosts of evil angels were gathered about the place. Had it been possible,
the prince of darkness with his apostate army would have kept forever sealed
the tomb that held the Son of God. But a heavenly host surrounded the
sepulcher. Angels that excel in strength were guarding the tomb, and waiting
to welcome the Prince of life.

"And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord
descended from heaven." Clothed with the panoply of God, this angel left the
heavenly courts. The bright beams of God's glory went before him, and
illuminated his pathway. "His countenance was like lightning, and his
raiment white as snow: and for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became
as dead men."

Now, priests and rulers, where is the power of your guard? Brave soldiers
that have never been afraid of human power are now as captives taken without
sword or spear. The face they look upon is not the face

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of mortal warrior; it is the face of the mightiest of the Lord's host. This
messenger is he who fills the position from which Satan fell. It is he who
on the hills of Bethlehem proclaimed Christ's birth. The earth trembles at
his approach, the hosts of darkness flee, and as he rolls away the stone,
heaven seems to come down to the earth. The soldiers see him removing the
stone as he would a pebble, and hear him cry, Son of God, come forth; Thy
Father calls Thee. They see Jesus come forth from the grave, and hear Him
proclaim over the rent sepulcher, "I am the resurrection, and the life." As
He comes forth in majesty and glory, the angel host bow low in adoration
before the Redeemer, and welcome Him with songs of praise.

An earthquake marked the hour when Christ laid down His life, and another
earthquake witnessed the moment when He took it up in triumph. He who had
vanquished death and the grave came forth from the tomb with the tread of a
conqueror, amid the reeling of the earth, the flashing of lightning, and the
roaring of thunder. When He shall come to the earth again, He will shake
"not the earth only, but also heaven." "The earth shall reel to and fro like
a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage." "The heavens shall be
rolled together as a scroll;" "the elements shall melt with fervent heat,
the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." But "the
Lord will be the hope of His people, and the strength of the children of
Israel." Heb. 12:26; Isa. 24:20; 34:4; 2 Peter 3:10; Joel 3:16.

At the death of Jesus the soldiers had beheld the earth wrapped in darkness
at midday; but at the resurrection they saw the brightness of the angels
illuminate the night, and heard the inhabitants of heaven singing with great
joy and triumph: Thou hast vanquished Satan and the powers of darkness; Thou
hast swallowed up death in victory!

Christ came forth from the tomb glorified, and the Roman guard beheld Him.
Their eyes were riveted upon the face of Him whom they had so recently
mocked and derided. In this glorified Being they beheld the prisoner whom
they had seen in the judgment hall, the one for whom they had plaited a
crown of thorns. This was the One who had stood unresisting before Pilate
and Herod, His form lacerated by the cruel scourge. This was He who had been
nailed to the cross, at whom the priests and rulers, full of
self-satisfaction, had wagged their heads, saying, "He saved others; Himself
He cannot save." Matt. 27:42. This was He who had been laid in Joseph's new
tomb. The decree of heaven had

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loosed the captive. Mountains piled upon mountains over His sepulcher could
not have prevented Him from coming forth.

At sight of the angels and the glorified Saviour the Roman guard had fainted
and become as dead men. When the heavenly train was hidden from their view,
they arose to their feet, and as quickly as their trembling limbs could
carry them, made their way to the gate of the garden. Staggering like
drunken men, they hurried on to the city, telling those whom they met the
wonderful news. They were making their way to Pilate, but their report had
been carried to the Jewish authorities, and the chief priests and rulers
sent for them to be brought first into their presence. A strange appearance
those soldiers presented. Trembling with fear, their faces colorless, they
bore testimony to the resurrection of Christ. The soldiers told all, just as
they had seen it; they had not had time to think or speak anything but the
truth. With painful utterance they said, It was the Son of God who was
crucified; we have heard an angel proclaiming Him as the Majesty of heaven,
the King of glory.

The faces of the priests were as those of the dead. Caiaphas tried to speak.
His lips moved, but they uttered no sound. The soldiers were about to leave
the council room, when a voice stayed them. Caiaphas had at last found
speech. Wait, wait, he said. Tell no one the things you have seen.

A lying report was then given to the soldiers. "Say ye," said the priests,
"His disciples came by night, and stole Him away while we

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slept." Here the priests overreached themselves. How could the soldiers say
that the disciples had stolen the body while they slept? If they were
asleep, how could they know? And if the disciples had been proved guilty of
stealing Christ's body, would not the priests have been first to condemn
them? Or if the sentinels had slept at the tomb, would not the priests have
been foremost in accusing them to Pilate?

The soldiers were horrified at the thought of bringing upon themselves the
charge of sleeping at their post. This was an offense punishable with death.
Should they bear false witness, deceiving the people, and placing their own
lives in peril? Had they not kept their weary watch with sleepless
vigilance? How could they stand the trial, even for the sake of money, if
they perjured themselves?

In order to silence the testimony they feared, the priests promised to
secure the safety of the guard, saying that Pilate would not desire to have
such a report circulated any more than they did. The Roman soldiers sold
their integrity to the Jews for money. They came in before the priests
burdened with a most startling message of truth; they went out with a burden
of money, and on their tongues a lying report which had been framed for them
by the priests.

Meanwhile the report of Christ's resurrection had been carried to Pilate.
Though Pilate was responsible for having given Christ up to die, he had been
comparatively unconcerned. While he had condemned the Saviour unwillingly,
and with a feeling of pity, he had felt no real compunction until now. In
terror he now shut himself within his house, determined to see no one. But
the priests made their way into his presence, told the story which they had
invented, and urged him to overlook the sentinels' neglect of duty. Before
consenting to this, he himself privately questioned the guard. They, fearing
for their own safety, dared not conceal anything, and Pilate drew from them
an account of all that had taken place. He did not prosecute the matter
further, but from that time there was no peace for him.

When Jesus was laid in the grave, Satan triumphed. He dared to hope that the
Saviour would not take up His life again. He claimed the Lord's body, and
set his guard about the tomb, seeking to hold Christ a prisoner. He was
bitterly angry when his angels fled at the approach of the heavenly
messenger. When he saw Christ come forth in triumph, he knew that his
kingdom would have an end, and that he must finally die.

785

The priests, in putting Christ to death, had made themselves the tools of
Satan. Now they were entirely in his power. They were entangled in a snare
from which they saw no escape but in continuing their warfare against
Christ. When they heard the report of His resurrection, they feared the
wrath of the people. They felt that their own lives were in danger. The only
hope for them was to prove Christ an impostor by denying that He had risen.
They bribed the soldiers, and secured Pilate's silence. They spread their
lying reports far and near. But there were witnesses whom they could not
silence. Many had heard of the soldiers' testimony to Christ's resurrection.
And certain of the dead who came forth with Christ appeared to many, and
declared that He had risen. Reports were brought to the priests of persons
who had seen these risen ones, and heard their testimony. The priests and
rulers were in continual dread, lest in walking the streets, or within the
privacy of their own homes, they should come face to face with Christ. They
felt that there was no safety for them. Bolts and bars were but poor
protection against the Son of God. By day and by night that awful scene in
the judgment hall, when they had cried, "His blood be on us, and on our
children," was before them. Matt. 27:25. Nevermore would the memory of that
scene fade from their minds. Nevermore would peaceful sleep come to their
pillows.

When the voice of the mighty angel was heard at Christ's tomb, saying, Thy
Father calls Thee, the Saviour came forth from the grave by the life that
was in Himself. Now was proved the truth of His words, "I lay down My life,
that I might take it again. . . . I have power to lay it down, and I have
power to take it again." Now was fulfilled the prophecy He had spoken to the
priests and rulers, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it
up." John 10:17, 18; 2:19.

Over the rent sepulcher of Joseph, Christ had proclaimed in triumph, "I am
the resurrection, and the life." These words could be spoken only by the
Deity. All created beings live by the will and power of God. They are
dependent recipients of the life of God. From the highest seraph to the
humblest animate being, all are replenished from the Source of life. Only He
who is one with God could say, I have power to lay down My life, and I have
power to take it again. In His divinity, Christ possessed the power to break
the bonds of death.

Christ arose from the dead as the first fruits of those that slept. He was
the antitype of the wave sheaf, and His resurrection took place on

786

the very day when the wave sheaf was to be presented before the Lord. For
more than a thousand years this symbolic ceremony had been performed. From
the harvest fields the first heads of ripened grain were gathered, and when
the people went up to Jerusalem to the Passover, the sheaf of first fruits
was waved as a thank offering before the Lord. Not until this was presented
could the sickle be put to the grain, and it be gathered into sheaves. The
sheaf dedicated to God represented the harvest. So Christ the first fruits
represented the great spiritual harvest to be gathered for the kingdom of
God. His resurrection is the type and pledge of the resurrection of all the
righteous dead. "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so
them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him." 1 Thess. 4:14.

As Christ arose, He brought from the grave a multitude of captives. The
earthquake at His death had rent open their graves, and when He arose, they
came forth with Him. They were those who had been co-laborers with God, and
who at the cost of their lives had borne testimony to the truth. Now they
were to be witnesses for Him who had raised them from the dead.

During His ministry, Jesus had raised the dead to life. He had raised the
son of the widow of Nain, and the ruler's daughter and Lazarus. But these
were not clothed with immortality. After they were raised, they were still
subject to death. But those who came forth from the grave at Christ's
resurrection were raised to everlasting life. They ascended with Him as
trophies of His victory over death and the grave. These, said Christ, are no
longer the captives of Satan; I have redeemed them. I have brought them from
the grave as the first fruits of My power, to be with Me where I am,
nevermore to see death or experience sorrow.

These went into the city, and appeared unto many, declaring, Christ has
risen from the dead, and we be risen with Him. Thus was immortalized the
sacred truth of the resurrection. The risen saints bore witness to the truth
of the words, "Thy dead men shall live, together with My dead body shall
they arise." Their resurrection was an illustration of the fulfillment of
the prophecy, "Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the
dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead." Isa. 26:19.

To the believer, Christ is the resurrection and the life. In our Saviour the
life that was lost through sin is restored; for He has life in Himself

787

to quicken whom He will. He is invested with the right to give immortality.
The life that He laid down in humanity, He takes up again, and gives to
humanity. "I am come," He said, "that they might have life, and that they
might have it more abundantly." "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I
shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall
be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." "Whoso eateth
My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up
at the last day." John 10:10; 4:14; 6:54.

To the believer, death is but a small matter. Christ speaks of it as if it
were of little moment. "If a man keep My saying, he shall never see death,"
"he shall never taste of death." To the Christian, death is but a sleep, a
moment of silence and darkness. The life is hid with Christ in God, and
"when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with
Him in glory." John 8:51, 52; Col. 3:4.

The voice that cried from the cross, "It is finished," was heard among the
dead. It pierced the walls of sepulchers, and summoned the sleepers to
arise. Thus will it be when the voice of Christ shall be heard from heaven.
That voice will penetrate the graves and unbar the tombs, and the dead in
Christ shall arise. At the Saviour's resurrection a few graves were opened,
but at His second coming all the precious dead shall hear His voice, and
shall come forth to glorious, immortal life. The same power that raised
Christ from the dead will raise His church, and glorify it with Him, above
all principalities, above all powers, above every name that is named, not
only in this world, but also in the world to come.

(788)

The Trial of Jesus

The arrest of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane took place soon after midnight of the 14th day of Nisan, according to the Hebrew calendar, or on April 7, according to Roman time. The Hebrews began their day at sunset and the Romans at midnight. We have reason to believe that the men who arrested Jesus were part of the temple guard, a Roman military detachment that policed the temple grounds because Jewish riots often started in that area. As the arrest took place, Jesus told Peter that He could call for "twelve legions" of angels to help Him. A Roman legion averaged 6,000 men, and some contained 9,000. Between 75,000 and 100,000 mighty angels "that excel in strength" would, at the request of Christ, have come to help Him.

The Arrest of Jesus
According to Hebrew law, the arrest of Jesus was illegal on four separate counts. (1) All legal proceedings, including arrests, were forbidden at night. It was a well-established and inflexible rule of Hebrew law that arrests and trials leading to capital punishment [death], could not occur at night. Dupin the famous French lawyer explicitly states that the trial of Jesus was illegal, but the arrest was also, because both were held at night (Walter M. Chandler, The Trial of Jesus, volume 1, pages 226-227).

(2) The use of a traitor, and thus an accomplice, in effecting an arrest or securing a conviction was forbidden by Hebrew law. "Turning state's evidence" was illegal in Hebrew jurisprudence (Leviticus 19:16-18). "The testimony of an accomplice is not permissible by rabbinic law, . . and no man's life, nor his liberty, nor his reputation can be endangered by the malice of one who has confessed himself a criminal" or accomplice of the one judged--S. Mendelsohn, The Criminal Jurisprudence of the Ancient Hebrews, page 274.

"The ancient Hebrews forbade the use of accomplice testimony . . . The arrest of Jesus was ordered upon the supposition that He was a criminal: this same supposition would have made Judas, who had aided, encouraged, and abetted Jesus in the propagation of His faith, an accomplice. If Judas was not an accomplice, Jesus was innocent, and His arrest an outrage, and therefore illegal. --Chandler, The Trial of Jesus, vol. 1, pp. 228 -229.

(3) The arrest was not the result of a legal summons. "His capture was not the result of a legal mandate from a court whose intentions were to conduct a legal trial for the purpose of reaching a righteous judgment." --Chandler, vol. 2, p. 237. "This arrest . . . was the execution of an illegal and factious resolution of the Sanhedrin . . . There was no idea of apprehending a citizen in order to try him upon a charge which after sincere and regular judgment might be found just or unfounded; the intention was simply to seize a man and do away with him." --Giovanni Rosadi, The Trial of Jesus, p. 114.

(4) According to Hebrew law it was illegal to bind an uncondemned man. (John 18:12-13). Thus, in connection with the midnight arrest of Jesus in Gethsemane, there took place the first four of a series of more than a score of illegal acts that made the entire proceeding the greatest travesty on justice in all the annals of mankind.

The Preliminary Hearings
Jesus, after being securely bound by the temple guard in Gethsemane, was taken to the palace of Annas. Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, had been appointed high priest by the Roman legate Quirinus in the year 6 A.D. Seven years later he was discharged from his high office by the Roman procurator Valerius Gratus for imposing and executing capital sentences which had been forbidden by the imperial government. Although he was now only an ex-high priest, he was still the most powerful man in the affairs of the Jews, He still presided over the Sanhedrin at times, and practically dictated its decisions. The office of high priest remained in his family for fifty years. Josephus, the historian tells us that Annas was "haughty, audacious, and cruel." At the time Jesus was brought before him, Annas may have been president of the Sanhedrin; that position was not always held by the high priest. The Sanhedrin was the Jewish supreme court in the time of Jesus. It was also called "the Council of Seventy."

Jesus was examined by two preliminary hearings before being tried before the supreme Jewish tribunal, the Sanhedrin. The first was before Annas, and took place shortly after midnight. This was followed by another before Caiaphas, who was probably seated with a few members of the Sanhedrin who, with him and Annas, considered themselves bitter enemies of Jesus. In these hearings Jesus was closely questioned regarding His disciples and His teachings. John 18:19-24 probably gives the questioning before Annas. It was hoped that Jesus would make some statement on which an indictment could be based, charging Him with blasphemy against God, or sedition against the government, or both.

This was the first of a series of six trials constituting the world's master judicial burlesque or travesty on justice. Jesus was condemned by two separate tribunals, one Hebrew and the other Roman. Each of the two court trials was divided into three parts, the first trial being Christ's hearings before Annas, Caiaphas, and the Sanhedrin. The second trial was before Pilate, Herod, and Pilate again. In the preliminary hearings before Annas and Caiaphas it was hoped that Jesus would incriminate Himself, and thus furnish evidence which would convict Him before the Jewish tribunal.

After appearing before Annas, Jesus was led away to a hearing before Caiaphas (Matthew 26:57). Only John mentions the first hearing before Annas (John 18:13-14, 24). It is estimated that Jesus was brought before Caiaphas at about 2 a. m. Joseph Caiaphas had been appointed to the office of high priest by Valerius Gratus in the year 18 A.D. He remained high priest for many years, the longest of any of the family of Annas. The name "Caiaphas" means "the oppressor," and Rosadi declares that "his intellectual caliber was below mediocrity," and that the power he wielded was only nominal--Annas was the real power behind the priesthood in those days. Caiaphas was deposed by Vitellius after the fall of Pilate in 36 A.D.

The preliminary hearings before Annas and Caiaphas were illegal on four separate counts. (1) They were a violation of the rule of law that forbade all proceedings by night. M. Dupin, the French advocate, in speaking of these hearings said: "Now the Jewish law prohibited all proceedings by night; [this] therefore, was another infraction of the law."

(2) Hebrew law prohibited a judge or a magistrate, sitting alone, from questioning an accused person judicially, or to sit in judgment on his legal rights, either by day or by night. No one-judge courts were allowed--their smallest sessions had three and their largest, seventy-one judges. "Be not a sole judge, for there is no sole judge but One [God]."--a well-known saying in the Jewish Mishna. It was believed that God alone was capable of judging without counsel.

(3) Private preliminary hearings--no matter how many judges were present--were specifically forbidden by Jewish law. "A principle perpetually reproduced in the Hebrew Scriptures relates to the two conditions of publicity and liberty. An accused man was never subjected to private or secret examination, lest, in his perplexity, he furnish damaging testimony against himself." --Joseph Salvador, Histoire des Institutions de Moise, p. 365-366. It was to obtain such evidence that Jesus was questioned in these two preliminary hearings. Although many modern countries have such preliminary hearings to decide if the accused should be tried, no such rule was known in Hebrew law.

(4) The striking of Jesus by the officer during the hearing before Annas (John 18:22) was "an act of brutality which Hebrew jurisprudence did not tolerate . . . It was an outrage upon the Hebrew sense of justice and humanity which in its normal state was very pure and lofty." --Chandler, vol. 1, p. 245. In His reply to the smiter (John 18:23), "Jesus planted Himself squarely upon His legal rights as a Jewish citizen. It was in every word [that He there spoke] the voice of pure Hebrew justice."--Chandler, Vol. 1, p. 246. Such an act--a court officer striking a defendant in a court trial--would be illegal in any court in the world. Christ was acting within His legal rights when He refused to answer the questions of the high priest. His statement was an appeal for the legal testimony of witnesses.

Annas and Caiaphas lived virtually under the same roof in the palace of the high priest with only a courtyard between their residences. It was in this courtyard that the rabble awaited the outcome of the hearings before Annas, Caiaphas, and the Sanhedrin. A maid, one of the servants of the palace, kept the door of the courtyard. She it was who admitted John and Peter. It was there that Peter later was to deny his Lord before a rooster began his early-morning crowing. (John 18:15-18, Luke 22:54-62).

The Trial before the Sanhedrin
We witness many illegal incidents in this trial of Jesus before the Jewish high court, the Sanhedrin. (1) Hebrew law demanded two sessions of the Sanhedrin in case of condemnation, to be held a day apart. In the case of a capital [death sentence] trial, sentence could not be pronounced until the afternoon of the second day. The Hebrew trial of Jesus was thus illegal for it was concluded within one day; the entire proceedings taking place the fourteenth of Nisan, the first lunar month of the Jewish year. Here is what the law says: "In pecuniary [money fines] cases a trial may end the same day it began. In capital [death sentence] cases acquittal [declaring innocent] may be pronounced the same day, but the pronouncing of sentence of death must be deferred until the following day in the hope that some argument may meanwhile be discovered in favor of the accused "--Mishna, sect. 8, "Sanhedrin," p. 32 (and also found in sect. 4, p. 1).

It is evident from Mark 14:53 and 15:1 and other passages that there were two separate sessions of the Sanhedrin, and that they were both held the same night.

The first was held very early in the morning before daylight, with only a portion of the members present, probably a quorum composed of the bitterest enemies of Jesus. With Caiaphas they had been up all night in their concern to do away with this Man whom they so much hated. The second session was held at break of day with "the elders and scribes and the whole council" present. The morning session was probably an attempt to give a semblance of legality to the proceedings to make them conform to the Hebrew law requiring at least two trials. But being held the same day and only a few hours apart, they were nothing more than a subterfuge.

Repeatedly, these men trampled upon Hebrew law in their effort to destroy Jesus, and the few pretenses of legality that they did observe were due to the fact that their examinations would be followed by a Roman court hearing.

(2) The fact that the first of these trials was a night trial invalidated both, and was itself illegal. Like the Romans (and most modern civilizations), the Jews prohibited all legal proceedings by night. Night trials would encourage secret sessions which were forbidden. All who wished should be able to attend it, for someone might have testimony or evidence in favor of the defendant. Also it is well-known that men do not think well and make wise decisions at night. It is unfortunate that today many churches hold night meetings to decide legal matters, when the courts of the land refuse to do so.

In the Hebrew system, "criminal cases can be acted upon by the various courts during daytime only, by Lesser Synhedrions from the close of the morning service till noon, and by the Greater Synhedrion till evening."--Mendelsohn, The Criminal Jurisprudence of the Ancient Hebrews, p. 112. "Let a capital offense be tried during the day, but suspend it at night."--from the Mishna. Maimonides, a famous Jewish writer of many centuries ago, explained the reason for this: "The reason why the trial of a capital offense could not be held at night is because, as oral tradition says, the examination of such a charge is like diagnosing of a wound--in either case a more thorough and searching examination can be made by daylight."--Maimonides, "Sanhedrin," IIl.

(3) The Hebrew trial and condemnation of Jesus was illegal because it took place before the morning sacrifice. "The Sanhedrin sat from the close of the morning sacrifice to the time of the evening sacrifice."--Talmud, Jerus., "Sanhedrin," C.I. fol. 19. "No session of court could take place before the offering of the morning sacrifice."--M.M. Lemann, Jesus Before the Sanhedrin, p. 109. "Since the morning sacrifice was offered at the dawn of day, it was hardly possible for the Sanhedrin to assemble until the hour after that time."--Mishna, "Tamid, or of the Perpetual Sacrifice," C. Ill. The reason for this rule of Hebrew law was that no man was considered competent to act as a judge in any question--capitol or otherwise--until sacrifice and prayers had been offered to the great Judge of heaven. The Hebrew trials of Jesus were entirely over soon after the break of day, and hence before the morning sacrifice.

(4,5) The trial of Jesus was illegal because it was held on the day before the Seventh-day Sabbath,--and it was also held the day before a Jewish ceremonial holy-day--the Passover. Hebrew courts were not permitted to meet on the weekly Seventh-day Sabbath nor on the day before it occurred. In addition, court trials were not permitted on a festival or ceremonial sabbath, such as the Passover, nor on the day before it took place. The trial of Jesus occurred on the day before both the weekly Sabbath and the Yearly Passover, which was a ceremonial sabbath. Therefore, for both of these reasons, the trial of Jesus was unlawful by Jewish law. "Court must not be held on the Sabbath, or on any holy day"--is the Talmudic law in the matter. And of course, the trial of a capital punishment case could not be commenced on the day before the Seventh-day Sabbath or before a ceremonial sabbath, because in case of conviction there must be a second trial the following day--on the Sabbath or on the holy-day. "They shall not judge on the eve of the Sabbath, nor on that of any festival."--Mishna, "Sanhedrin," IV, 1. "No court of justice in Israel was permitted to hold sessions on the Sabbath or any of the seven Biblical holidays [see Leviticus 23]. In cases of capital crime, no trial could be commenced on Friday or the day previous to any holiday, because it was not lawful either to adjourn such cases longer than overnight, or to continue them on the Sabbath or holiday."--Rabbi Wise, The Martyrdom of Jesus, p. 67. The trial and execution of Jesus was not only on the day of the "preparation" of the weekly Sabbath, but also the day preceding the Passover sabbath. Because the Passover sabbath and the Seventh-day Sabbath came together on that particular year, the day was considered by the Jews to be a "double sabbath" or a "high day" (John 19:31). In a double sense the proceedings against Jesus were thus illegal.

(6) During the hour or two between the two Sanhedrin court trials, the Jewish leaders permitted the rabble to spit upon, torment and persecute Jesus, the Uncondemned. (Mark 14:65, Luke 22:63-65 and the Old Testament prophecies of this: Psalm 18:4, 69:12, Isaiah 50:6). The laws of most nations presume a person to be innocent until he is proven guilty, and prior to a final sentence of condemnation, he is entitled to and given every possible protection by the court from ill treatment. The permitting of a small riot over the person of Jesus, between the two court hearings, was totally illegal by Hebrew law.

(7) The Hebrew court trials of Christ never produced any acceptable testimony of witnesses against Jesus. And yet sentence of condemnation was pronounced. This was illegal. Let us consider this:

According to Mark 14:55-64, two separate charges were brought against Jesus in this court of law. The first was sedition, or a raising of discontent against the Jewish and Roman governments through inflammatory speeches and actions. But this charge had to be abandoned because the witnesses could not agree (Mark 14:55-57,59). Their testimony against Jesus was so mutually contradictory and false that even the wicked judges who had bribed them to give it had to reject what they said.

But according to Hebrew law the testimony of the witnesses must agree in all essential details or it must be rejected, and the defendant standing trial must be released at once. "If one witness contradicts another, the testimony is not accepted."--Mishna, "Sanhedrin," C. V. 2. Much of what the Jewish leaders seemed to be basing things on was hearsay evidence--but this too was forbidden under Jewish law. "Hearsay evidence was barred equally in civil as in criminal cases, no matter how strongly the witness might believe in what he heard and however worthy and numerous were his informants."--Rabbi Isaac M. Wise, The Martyrdom of Jesus.

And so the only hope of the enemies of Jesus was to bring about His condemnation through a change of charges from sedition against the government to blasphemy against God. But this switch over was to result in more illegalities.

(8) The accusation or charge or indictment against Christ was illegal on two counts--it was vague and indefinite. "The entire criminal procedure of the Mosaic code rests upon four rules: certainty in the indictment; publicity in the discussion; full freedom granted to the accused; and assurance against all dangers or errors of testimony."--Joseph Salvador, Histoire des lnstitutions de Moise, p. 365. This second charge was never clearly formulated in this court of law.

(9) An indictment against a person must deal with a definite crime, and the trial must be carried to completion on the basis of that charge. No prosecutor is ever permitted to change charges during the court proceedings because of a failure to prove the first charge on which the trial was based. When the false witnesses failed to prove these charge of sedition, Jesus should have been set at liberty and the case dismissed. But this was not done. Instead, the presiding judge suddenly shifted to a new charge, that of blasphemy.

(10) As we have seen above, not one witness could be found against Jesus, --but in Hebrew law, not one but at least two witnesses must come forward and convincingly testify before sentence of condemnation could be pronounced (Deuteronomy 17:6, 19:15, Numbers 35:30). And the testimony of these--at least two--witnesses must agree.

(11) The use of false witnesses was another serious infraction of Hebrew law. Such conduct not only disqualified the judge in the case from having further jurisdiction in that trial,--but on the basis of it he would also be relieved of his judgeship entirely. It also condemned the false witnesses involved to suffer the very penalty they sought to bring upon the accused. Those who testified against Jesus were themselves deserving of death.

Under Hebrew law false witnesses were very severely dealt with. Perjury placed a witness in a position fully as serious as that of the one he testified against. "Hebrew law provided that false witnesses should suffer the penalty provided for the commission of the crime which they sought by their testimony to fix upon the accused."--Chandler, The Trial of Jesus, vol. 1, p. 140. This rule is based on Deuteronomy 19:18-21.

(12) For some time before His trial, the Jewish authorities had Jesus constantly shadowed by hired informers, or spies. This also was unlawful (Luke 20:20). But in spite of this, when brought to witness against Him, their testimony was too contradictory to agree.

(13) Under Hebrew law, the judge was supposed to seek for evidence only in behalf of the accused. "The judges leaned always to the side of the defendant and gave him the advantage of every possible doubt."--Chandler, The Trial of Jesus, vol. 1 pp. 153-154. The Judge was not during the court trial to be searching for evidence that would convict the defendant. Benny declares that it was a maxim of the Jews that "the Sanhedrin was to save, not to destroy life." Other maxims recorded in the Mishna are: "Man's life belongs to God, and only according to the law of God may it be disposed of." "Whosoever preserves one worthy life is as meritorious as if he had preserved the world."

Hebrew law provided no lawyers either to defend or to prosecute. The judges were the defenders, and the witnesses the prosecutors. "The only prosecutors known to Talmudic criminal jurisprudence are the witnesses to the crime. Their duty is to bring the matter to the cognizance of the court, and to bear witness against the criminal. In capital cases, they are the legal executioners also. Of an official accuser or prosecutor there is nowhere any trace in the laws of the ancient Hebrews."--S. Mendelsohn, The Criminal Jurisprudence of the Ancient Hebrews, p. 110.

(14,15) To insure justice to the accused, under Hebrew law, the arguments must begin in his behalf. Nothing was permitted to be said against him till after at least one of the judges had spoken in his behalf. Neither of these two rules were followed in the case of Jesus, it would appear.

(16) The sentence against Jesus was unlawful because it was founded on His own confession (Mark 14:61.64). "Self accusation in cases of capital crime was worthless. For if not guilty he accuses himself of a falsehood; if guilty he is a wicked man, and no wicked man, according to Hebrew law, is permitted to testify, especially not in penal cases."--Rabbi Isaac M. Wise, The Martyrdom of Jesus, p. 74. Rabbi Wise is a learned Jewish rabbi of a century ago. The judges of Christ not only violated the law by acting as accusers, which only witnesses were to do, but in addition they illegally extracted a confession from Jesus and then used it as the basis for a death sentence.

"We hold it as fundamental, that no one shall prejudice himself. If a man accuses himself before a tribunal, we must not believe him, unless the fact is attested by two other witnesses . . for our law does not condemn upon the simple confession of the accused [alone]"--Hebrew law, quoted in M. Dupin, The Trial of Jesus Before Caiaphas and Pilate,

"We have it as a fundamental principle of our jurisprudence that no one can bring an accusation against himself. Should a man make confession of guilt before a legally constituted tribunal, such confession is not to be used against him unless properly attested by two other witnesses."--Maimonides, "Sanhedrin," IV, 2. Maimonides is an ancient Hebrew legal authority. "Not only is self-condemnation never extorted from the defendant by means of torture, but no attempt is ever made to lead him on to self-incrimination. Moreover, a voluntary confession on his part is not admitted in evidence, and therefore not competent to convict him, unless a legal number of witnesses [two or more] minutely corroborate his self-accusation." --S. Mendelsohn, The Criminal Jurisprudence of the Ancient Hebrews, p. 133.

(17) One of the strangest rules of law ever known was one in the Hebrew legal system: A person could not be convicted on a unanimous vote of the judges. "A simultaneous and unanimous verdict of guilt rendered on the day of the trial has the effect of an acquittal." --Mendelsohn, The Criminal Jurisprudence of the Ancient Hebrews, p. 141. "If none of the judges defend the culprit, i.e., all pronounce him guilty, having no defender in the court, the verdict of guilty was invalid and the sentence of death could not be executed."--Rabbi Wise, The Martyrdom of Jesus, p. 74. The reason for this rule is simple. It was the duty of the judges to defend the man, and at least one of them had to do it--or he had no one on his side to see that he received justice. Remember that under Hebrew law there were no defense lawyers. This was the work of the judges--and at least one of them had to do it.

"With the Anglo-Saxon jury a unanimous verdict is necessary to convict, but with the Hebrew Sanhedrin unanimity was fatal [to the case against the accused], and resulted in an acquittal - - Now if the verdict was unanimous in favor of condemnation it was evident that the prisoner had had no friend or defender in court [for by Jewish law, he had only the judges as his defendants] ."--Chandler, The Trial of Christ, vol. 1, pp. 280-281.

Scripture is clear--a unanimous verdict based solely on the testimony of Jesus was handed down by the Sanhedrin judges. "They answered and said. He is guilty of death." Matthew 26:66. "They all condemned Him to be guilty of death." Mark 14:64. This unanimous sentence was predicted over 600 years earlier (Isaiah 59:16, 63:3,5).

It is significant that throughout the trial, Jesus was silent when falsely accused and one might normally speak. --And then He spoke at a time when silence would have been His best defense. "The condemnation had already been decided upon before the trial - - Jesus knew it, and disdained to reply to what was advanced in the first place because it was false; [but] what was advanced in the second place He of His own accord and freely admitted, because in its material basis it was true. When a false and unjust charge was brought against Him, He held His peace, and He answered when no proof not even a false one, constrained Him to speak."--Giovanni Rosadi, The Trial of Jesus, p. 180.

Jesus was asked a direct question as to whether He was the Messiah. It would have been to His personal advantage to remain silent, and He would have been within His rights to do so, and we well know He could not have been compelled to speak if He did not want to. But silence at this time would have been a virtual denial of His identity and mission. In every case, Jesus was always true to the right.

(18) The trial was concluded by a judge that had been disqualified to conduct it. This too was illegal. Under the Mosaic code, if a high priest intentionally tore his clothing, he was automatically disqualified as high priest and was to receive the death sentence (Leviticus 10:6, 21:10). Caiaphas did this during the trial of Jesus. The official garments of the high priest were symbolic of the Messiah. Also such an act would reveal a rage that was beneath the dignity of the high priest. "An ordinary Israelite could, as an emblem of bereavement, tear his garments, but to the high priest it was forbidden, because his vestments, being made after the express orders of God, were figurative of his office."--M.M. Lemann, Jesus Before the Sanhedrin, p. 140.

(19) By Hebrew law the balloting carried on here was illegal. In a criminal case the judges must vote one at a time, beginning with the youngest. Each in his turn had to arise and cast his vote and then state his reason for his decision. Both the vote and the reasons for it must be written down by the scribes before the next man stood up to give his sentence in the matter. Instead of this, Jesus was condemned by an acclamation--a single chorus of approval (Matthew 26:66, Mark 14:64).

"In ordinary cases the judges voted according to seniority, the oldest commencing; in a capital trial, the reverse order was followed [the youngest voted individually before the older ones]."--Phillip Berger Benny, The Criminal Code of the Jews, pp. 73-74.

"Let the judges each in his turn absolve or condemn."--Mishna, "Sanhedrin," XV. The decisions of each judge could not be recorded if this practice were not followed. "The members of the Sanhedrin were seated in the form of a semicircle at the extremity of which a secretary was placed, whose business it was to record the votes. One of these secretaries recorded the votes in favor of the accused, the other those against him." --Mishan "Sanhedrin," IV, 3.

(20) The verdict against Jesus was also illegal because it was not given in the place required by Hebrew law. It was believed that Deuteronomy 17:8-9 meant that the death sentence could only be pronounced in one certain place. For this, they chose a room in the Temple that was called "The Hall of Gazith," or "the hall of hewn stone." Mendelsohn tells us that outside of this judgment hall no capital trial could be conducted, and no capital sentence pronounced. Here is what the law says: "A sentence of death can be pronounced only so long as the Sanhedrin holds its sessions in the appointed place." --Maimonides, "Sanhedrin," XIV. A sentence in the Talmud declares: "After leaving the hall Gazith no sentence of death can be passed upon anyone soever. "--Talmud, Bab., Abodah Zarah, or of Idolatry, chap. 1, fol. 8.

It is evident from the record that Jesus was tried and condemned in the palace of Caiaphas on Mount Zion, and not in the hall of hewn stone. Edersheim, the Christian Jew, comments on. this: "There is truly not a tittle of evidence for the assumption of commentators, that Christ was led from the palace of Caiaphas into the council chamber. The whole proceedings took place in the former, and from it Christ was brought to Pilate."--Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, vol. 2, p. 556.

(21) The trial of Christ was illegal because it was based on bribery. The judges of Jesus had bribed Judas to deliver Him into their hands for a specified sum of money (Luke 22:3-6). Geikie says that the "thirty pieces of silver" was the price of a slave. Dwight L. Moody once said, "God sent His only-begotten Son to ransom man; and man offered thirty pieces of silver for Him."

The Mosaic code was very severe on those who wrested judgment through bribery (Exodus 23:1-8). Under Hebrew law, this included judges who gave bribes as well as received them. In all nations and in all ages, the giving or receiving of bribes by judges disqualifies them from office, and nullifies their verdict. In this case, the evidence of bribery was publicly given by Judas, in the midst of the judgment hall and in the sight of all the spectators, when he returned the bribe money and confessed his part in the matter (Matthew 27:1-6). According to Acts 1:19, this was done so publicly that "it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem."

(22) The condemnation of Jesus by the Sanhedrin was illegal because the judges were disqualified to pass sentence upon Him because of their hatred of Him. Benny, the noted Jewish legal expert, states the law of the Hebrews--and of all nations--when he says: "Nor under any circumstances, was a man known to be at enmity with the accused person permitted to occupy a position among his judges."--Philip Berger Benny, The Criminal Code of the Jews, p. 37. "Nor must there be on the judicial bench either a relation or a particular friend, or an enemy of either the accused or of the accuser."--Mendelsohn, The Criminal Jurisprudence of the Ancient Hebrews, p. 108. If a defendant has the slightest reason to suspect the enmity of a judge, he can demand that his case be brought before another judge.

And what is the record: Within the six months previous to the trial, there had been at least three meetings of the Sanhedrin, the highest council and court in the land,--specifically for the purpose of planning the death of Christ. The first of these three sessions is given us in John 7:37-53. The second occurred a few weeks before the trial, and is recorded in John 11:41-53. The third council meeting to plan His death took place just before Passover (Luke 22:1-3). And of course, their judicial enmity against Christ is also shown not only by the bribing of Judas, but also by the hiring of false witnesses. Jesus had been condemned, and even sentenced to die, before the trial ever began.

(23) The judges of Christ were also disqualified to listen to the case or to pass verdict on it because most of them had been dishonestly elected to office. Under Hebrew law, the members of the Sanhedrin must be chosen only because of high nobility of character. "The robe of the unfairly elected judge is to be respected not more than the blanket of the ass."--Mendelsohn, Hebrew Maxims and Rules, p. 182.

(24) In addition, they were to receive no salary or reward for their membership in the Sanhedrin. It is a well-known fact that many of the judges of Jesus were not only degenerate and corrupt in character, but that they had purchased their seats in the council, and were making merchandise of their offices. In fact, several of them had grown rich by this means. This was especially true of the family of Annas, the high-priest. The amount of information available to support these last two illegalities would fill most of this sheet of paper.

"Throughout the whole course of that trial [of Jesus before the Sanhedrin] the rules of the Jewish law of procedure were grossly violated, and the accused was deprived of rights, belonging even to the meanest (lowliest) citizen. He was arrested in the night, bound as a malefactor, beaten before His arraignment, and struck in open court during the trial; He was tried on a feast day, and before sunrise; He was compelled to criminate Himself, and this, under an oath of solemn judicial adjuration; and He was sentenced on the same day of the conviction. In all these particulars the law was wholly disregarded. "--Simon Greenleaf, The Testimony of the Evangelists Examined by the Rules of Evidence Administered in Courts of Justice, p. 566. Simon Greenleaf was professor of law at Harvard University at the beginning of the twentieth century and was considered to be one of the outstanding legal minds of his day.

"Grasping priests denounced Him, false witnesses accused Him, judges of bad faith condemned Him; a friend betrayed Him, no one defended Him; He was dragged with every kind of contumely and violence to the malefactor's cross, where He spoke the last words of truth and brotherhood among men. It was one of the greatest and most memorable acts of injustice. "--Giovanni Rosadi, The Trial of Christ, p. 1.

The Sufferings of Jesus

Through the day He labored earnestly to save men from destruction. He healed the sick, He comforted the mourning, and brought cheerfulness and hope to the despairing. He brought the dead to life. After His work was finished for the day, He went forth, evening after evening, away from the confusion of the city, and His form was bowed in some retired place, in supplication to His Father.

At times the bright beams of the moon shone upon His bowed form. And then again the clouds and darkness shut away all light. The dew and frost of night rested upon His head and beard while in the attitude of a suppliant. He frequently continued His petitions through the entire night. If the Saviour of men felt the need of prayer in our behalf, how much more should feeble, sinful mortals feel the necessity of prayer--fervent, constant prayer on their own account! When Christ was the most fiercely beset by temptation, He ate nothing. He committed Himself to God, and through earnest prayer, and perfect submission to the will of His Father, came off conqueror.

Into Dark Gethsemane
Jesus had often resorted to Gethsemane with His disciples for meditation and prayer. They were all well acquainted with this sacred retreat. Even Judas knew where to lead the murderous throng, that he might betray Jesus into their hands. Never before had the Saviour visited the spot with His heart so full of sorrow. It was not bodily suffering from which the Son of God shrank, and which wrung from His lips in the presence of His disciples these mournful words: "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." "Tarry ye here," said He, "and watch with Me." He was bowed to the earth with mental anguish, and in an agony He prayed to His heavenly Father. He felt the iniquity of sin, and the wrath of God against the violators of His holy law.

The Horror of Great Darkness
Could mortals view the amazement and sorrow of the angels as they watched in silent grief the Father separating His beams of light, love, and glory from His Son, they would better understand how offensive is sin in His sight. As the Son of God in the Garden of Gethsemane bowed in the attitude of prayer the agony of His spirit forced from His pores sweat like great drops of blood. It was here that the horror of great darkness surrounded Him. The sins of the world were upon Him. He was suffering in man's stead, as a transgressor of His Father's law. Here was the scene of temptation. The divine light of God was receding from His vision, and He was passing into the hands of the powers of darkness. In the agony of His soul He lay prostrate on the cold earth. He was realizing His Father's frown. The cup of suffering Christ had taken from the lips of guilty man, and proposed to drink it Himself, and, in its place, give to man the cup of blessing. The wrath that would have fallen upon man, was now falling upon Christ.

Grief and Agony
The disciples roused from their slumber to find their Master standing over them in a state of mental and bodily anguish such as they never before had witnessed. They saw the grief and agony of His pale face, and the bloody sweat upon His brow, for "His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men." The disciples were grieved that they had fallen asleep, so that they could not pray and sympathize with their suffering Lord. They were speechless with sorrow and surprise.

The Curse of Sin
The Suffering Son of God leaves His disciples, for the power of darkness rushes upon Him with an irresistible force which bows Him to the earth. He prays as before, and pours out the burden of His soul with stronger crying and tears. His soul was pressed with such agony as no human being could endure and live. The sins of the world were upon Him. He felt that He was separated from His Father's love; for upon Him rested the curse because of sin. Christ knew that it would be difficult for man to feel the grievous ness of sin, and that close contact and familiarity with sin would so blunt his moral sensibility, that sin would not appear so dangerous to him, and so exceedingly offensive in the sight of God. He knew that but few would take pleasure in righteousness, and accept of that salvation which, at infinite cost He made it possible for them to obtain. While this load of sin was upon Christ, unrealized, and unrepented of by man, doubts rent His soul in regard to His oneness with His Father.

Longing for Sympathy
In this fearful hour of trial Christ"s human nature longed even for the sympathy of His disciples. A second time He rose from the earth and went to them and found them sleeping. This was not a deep sleep. They were in a drowse. They had a limited sense of their Lord's suffering and anguish. In tenderness Jesus stood for a moment bending over them, and regarding them with mingled feelings of love and pity. In these sleeping disciples He sees a representation of a sleeping church. When they should be watching, they are sleeping.

Determined to Conquer
Christ had told them before that these things would take place; but they did not understand Him. The scene of His sufferings was to be a fiery ordeal to His disciples, hence the necessity of watchful ness and prayer. Their faith needed to he sustained by an unseen strength, as they should experience the triumph of the powers of darkness. He knew the power which the prince of darkness used to paralyze the senses of His disciples at this time when they should be watching. At this crisis, when they would meet with a great loss, they are found asleep. Again the powers of darkness press upon Him with renewed force, bowing Him to the earth. He leaves His disciples with a determination to conquer the prince of darkness, that man may not be held in chains of hopeless despair. Giving His disciples one look of the tenderest compassion He left them and bowed a third time in prayer, using the same words as before. The divine Sufferer shuddered with amazement at this mysterious and terrible conflict.

Bridging the Abyss
Human minds cannot conceive of the insupportable anguish which tortured the soul of our Redeemer. The holy Son of God had no sins or griefs of His own to bear. He was bearing the griefs of others, for on Him was laid the iniquities of us all. Through divine sympathy He connects Himself to man, and submits as the representative of the race to be treated as a transgressor. He looks into the abyss of woe opened for us by our sins, and proposes to bridge the gulf with His own person. Those who cannot see the force of the sacred claims of God's law cannot have a clear and definite understanding of the atonement.

Anguish and Blood
It was soul anguish that wrenched from the lips of God's dear Son these mournful words: "Now is My soul troubled, My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death." Christ's soul was bearing a weight of anguish because of the transgression of God's law. He was overwhelmed with honor and consternation at the fearful work sin had wrought. His burden of guilt was so great because of man's transgression of His Father's law, that human nature was inadequate to bear it. His inexpressible anguish forced from His pores large drops of blood, which fell upon the ground and moistened the sods of Gethsemane.

The Awful Moment
The sufferings of martyrs can bear no comparison with the sufferings of Christ. The divine presence was with them in their physical sufferings. There was the hiding of the Father's face from His dear Son. Humanity staggered and trembled in that trying hour. It was soul anguish beyond the endurance of finite nature. It was woe condensed that brought from the trembling lips of the noble Sufferer these words: "Now is My soul troubled." "O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt." Again from His pale lips are heard these words: "O My Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, Thy will be done." The awful moment had come which was to decide the destiny of the world. Angels are waiting and watching with intense interest.

The Trembling Cup
The fate of the world is trembling in the balance. The Son of God may even now refuse to drink the cup apportioned to guilty man. He may wipe the blood sweat from His brow, and leave the world to perish in their iniquity. Will the Son of the infinite God drink the cup of humiliation and agony? Will the innocent suffer the curse of God to save the guilty? It was here the mysterious cup trembled in His hand, and the destiny of a ruined world was balanced. The world's Redeemer sees that the transgressors of His Father's law must perish under His displeasure. He sees the power of sin and the utter helplessness of man to save himself.

The Decision is Made
The woes and lamentations of a doomed world come up before Him, and His decision is made. He will save man at any cost to Himself. He has accepted His baptism of blood, that perishing millions through Him might gain everlasting life. He left the heavenly courts where all was purity, happiness, and glory, to save the one lost sheep, the one world which had fallen by transgression. He will not leave man in his sins. He will reach to the very depths of misery to rescue him. The sleeping disciples see not that their beloved Teacher is fainting. He falls to the earth, and is dying. Where are His disciples, to place their hands tenderly beneath the head of their suffering Master, and bathe that brow, marred indeed more than the sons of men? Our Saviour trod the winepress alone, and of all the people there was none with Him.

They Both Suffered
Christ suffered not alone. Saith He, "I and My Father are one." God suffered with His Son. The sacrifice that an infinite God has made in giving up His Son to reproach and agony cannot be comprehended by man. In giving His Son for the sins of the world, God has evidenced His boundless love to man. The angels who had learned to do Christ's will in heaven were anxious to comfort Him. But what can they do? Such sorrow, such agony, is beyond their power to alleviate. They have never felt the sins of a ruined world, and with astonishment they behold the object of their adoration subject to grief. Although the Father does not remove the cup from the trembling hand and pale lips of His Son, He sends an angel to give Him strength to drink it. The angel raises the Son of God from the cold ground, and brings Him messages of love from His Father. He is strengthened and fortified. He has the assurance that He is gaining eternal joys for all who will accept redemption.

A Quiet Acceptance
The fearful hour in Gethsemane is passed. Our divine Saviour has accepted the cup to drain it to the dregs. In behalf of man He has conquered in the hour of temptation. Serenity and calmness are now seen in the pale and bloodstained face. And the third time He comes to His disciples and finds them overcome with sleep. Sorrowfully and pityingly He looks upon them and says, "Sleep on now, and take your rest; behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners." Even while these words were upon His lips, He heard the footsteps of the mob that was in search of Him. Judas took the lead, and was closely followed by the high priest. Jesus aroused His disciples with these words: "Rise, let us be going; behold, he is at hand that doth betray Me." The countenance of Christ wore an expression of calm dignity. The traces of His recent agony were not visible as He walked forth to meet His betrayer.

The Hardened Mob
Jesus steps out in front of His disciples and inquires, "whom seek ye?" They answer, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus replies, "I am He." At these words the mob staggers backward; and the priest, the elders, the hardened soldiers, and even Judas, fall powerless to the ground, giving ample opportunity for Christ to release Himself if He chose. But He stands as one glorified amid that coarse and hardened band. As Jesus said, "I am He," the angel which had ministered unto Him in His anguish, moved between Him and the murderous mob. They see a divine light glorifying the Saviour's face, and a dove-like form overshadowing Him. Their sinful hearts are filled with terror. They cannot stand for a moment in the presence of divine glory, but fall as dead men to the ground.

The angel withdrew, and left Jesus standing calm and self-possessed, with the bright beams of the moon upon His pale face, and still surrounded by prostrate, helpless men, while the disciples were too much amazed to utter a word. As the angel removes, the hardened Roman soldiers start to their feet, and, with the priest and Judas, they gather about Christ as though ashamed of their weakness, and fearful that He would yet escape out of their hands. Again the question is asked by the world's Redeemer, "Whom seek ye?" Again they answer, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus answered, "I have told you that I am He. If, therefore, ye seek Me, let these go their way." In this hour of humiliation Christ's thoughts are not for Himself, but for His beloved disciples. He wishes to save them from any further trial of their strength.

Betrayal with a Kiss
Judas, the betrayer of our Saviour, does not forget his part, but comes close to Jesus, and takes His hand as a familiar friend, and bestows the traitor's kiss. Jesus says to him, "Friend, wherefore are thou come?" His voice trembled with sorrow as He addressed deluded Judas. "Betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?" This most touching appeal should have roused the conscience of Judas, and touched his stubborn heart: but honor, fidelity, and even human tenderness seem to have left him. He stood bold and defiant, showing no disposition to relent, He had given himself up to the control of Satan, to work wickedness, and he had no will to resist. Jesus did not resist the traitor's kiss. In this He gives us an example of forbearance, love, and pity that is without a parallel.

Though the murderous throng are surprised and awed by what they have seen and felt, their assurance and hardihood returns as they see the boldness of Judas in touching the person of Christ, whom so recently they had seen glorified. They lay violent hands upon Jesus, and bind those precious hands that had ever been employed in doing good.

Forsook Him and Fled
When the disciples saw that Jesus did not deliver Himself from His enemies, but permitted Himself to be taken, they forsook Him and fled, leaving their Master alone. Christ had foreseen this desertion, and had told them in the upper chamber before it took place, of what they would do: "Behold the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered every man to his own, and shall leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me."

Wonder, O Heavens!
Wonder, O Heavens, and be astonished, O Earth! Behold the oppressor and the oppressed! A vast multitude enclose the Saviour of the world. Mockings and jeerings are mingled with the coarse oaths of blasphemy.

His lowly birth and humble life are commented upon by unfeeling wretches. His claim to be the Son of God is ridiculed by the chief priests and elders and the vulgar jest and insulting derision are passed from lip to lip. Satan was having full control of the minds of his servants. In order to do this effectually, he commences with the chief priests and elders, and imbues them with religious frenzy. They are actuated by the same satanic spirit which moves the most vile and hardened wretches.

The Path of Blood
There is a corrupt harmony in the feelings of all, from the hypocritical priests and elders down to the most debased. Christ, the precious Son of God, was led forth, and the cross was laid upon His shoulders. At every step was left blood which flowed from His wounds. Thronged by an immense crowd of bitter enemies and unfeeling spectators, He is led away to the crucifixion. "He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth."

Who can comprehend the love here displayed? The angelic host beheld with wonder and with grief Him who had been the majesty of heaven, and who had worn the crown of glory, now wearing the crown of thorns, A bleeding victim to the rage of an infuriated mob, who were fired to insane madness by the wrath of Satan.

Between Heaven and Earth
His sorrowing disciples follow Him at a distance, behind the murderous throng. He is nailed to the cross, and hangs suspended between the heavens and the earth. Their hearts are bursting with anguish as their beloved Teacher is suffering as a criminal. Close to the cross are the blind, bigoted, faithless priests and elders, taunting, mocking, and jeering: "Thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it in three days, save Thyself. If Thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking Him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; Himself he cannot save. If He be the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him; for He said, I am the Son of God."

"Father, forgive them."
Not one word did Jesus answer to all this. Even while the nails were being driven through His hands and the sweat drops of agony were forced from His pores, from the pale quivering lips of the innocent Sufferer a prayer of pardoning love was breathed for His murderers: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." All heaven was gazing with profound interest upon the scene. The glorious Redeemer of a lost world was suffering the penalty of man's transgression of the Father's law. He was about to ransom His people with His own blood. He was paying the just claims of God's holy law, that man might by His grace be enabled to obey it. This was the means through which an end was to be finally made of sin and Satan, and his vile host to be vanquished.

The Crushing Weight of Sin
Oh, was there ever suffering and sorrow like that endured by the dying Saviour! It was the sense of His Father's displeasure which made His cup so bitter. It was not bodily suffering which so quickly ended the life of Christ upon the cross. It was the crushing weight of the sins of the world, and a sense of His Father's wrath that broke His heart. The Father's glory and sustaining presence had left Him, and despair pressed its crushing weight of darkness upon Him, and forced from His pale and quivering lips the anguished cry: "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?"

The Horrid Sight
Jesus had united with the Father in making the world. Amid the agonizing suffering of the Son of God, blind and deluded men alone remain unfeeling. The chief priests and elders revile God's dear Son while in His expiring agonies. Yet inanimate nature groans in sympathy with her bleeding, dying Author. The earth trembles. The sun refuses to behold the scene. The heavens gather blackness. Angels have witnessed the scene of suffering until they can look on no longer, and hide their faces from the horrid sight. Christ is in despair! He is dying! His Father's approving smile is removed, and angels are not permitted to lighten the gloom of the terrible hour. They could only behold in amazement their loved Commander suffering the penalty of man's transgression of the Father's law.

A Terrible Future
Even doubts assailed the dying Son of God. He could not see through the portals of the tomb. Bright hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the tomb a conqueror, and His Father's acceptance of His sacrifice. The sin of the world with all its terribleness was felt to the utmost by the Son of God. The displeasure of the Father for sin, and its penalty which was death, were all that He could realize through this amazing darkness. He was tempted to fear that sin was so offensive in the sight of His Father that He could not be reconciled to His Son. The fierce temptation that His own Father had forever left Him, caused that piercing cry from the cross, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?"

Drinking of the Wrath
Christ felt much as sinners will feel when the vials of God's wrath shall be poured out upon them. Black despair like the pall of death will gather about their guilty souls, and then they will realize to the fullest extent the sinfulness of sin. Salvation has been purchased for them by the suffering and death of the Son of God. It might be theirs if they would accept of it willingly, gladly; but none are compelled to yield obedience to the law of God. If they refuse the heavenly benefit, if they choose the pleasures and deceitfulness of sin, they can have their choice, and at the end receive their wages, which is the wrath of God and eternal death. They will be forever separated from the presence of Jesus, whose sacrifice they had despised. They will have lost a life of happiness, and sacrificed eternal glory for the pleasures of sin for a season.

Trusting by Faith
Faith and hope trembled in the expiring agonies of Christ, because God had removed the assurance He had heretofore given His beloved Son of His approbation and acceptance. The Redeemer of the world then relied upon the evidences which had hitherto strengthened Him, that His Father accepted His labors and was pleased with His work. In His dying agony, as He yields up His precious life, He has by faith alone to trust in Him whom it has ever been His joy to obey. He is not cheered with clear, bright rays of hope on the right hand nor on the left. All is enshrouded in oppressive gloom. Amid the awful darkness which is felt even by sympathizing nature, the Redeemer drains the mysterious cup even to its dregs. Denied even bright hope and confidence in the triumph which will be His in the near future, He cries with a loud voice, "Lord, into Thy hands I commend My spirit." He is acquainted with the character of His Father, His justice, His mercy and great love. In submission He drops into the hands of His Father. Amid the convulsions of nature are heard by the amazed spectators the dying words of the Man of Calvary, "It is finished."

"It is Finished"
Jesus did not yield up His life till He had accomplished the work which He came to do, and exclaimed with His departing breath, "It is finished!" Satan was then defeated. He knew that his kingdom was lost. Angels rejoiced as the words were uttered, "It is finished." The great plan of redemption, which was dependent on the death of Christ, had been thus far carried out. And there was joy in heaven that the sons of Adam could, through the life of obedience, be finally exalted to the throne of God. Oh, what love! What amazing love! that brought the Son of God to earth to be made sin for us, that we might be reconciled to God, and elevated to a life with Him in His mansions in glory. And Oh! what is man that such a price should be paid for his redemption!

The Very Depths
Some have limited views of the atonement. They think that Christ suffered only a small portion of the penalty of the law of God, and that while the wrath of God was felt by His dear Son, they suppose that He had, through all His painful sufferings, the evidence of His Father's love and acceptance, and that the portals of the tomb before Him were illuminated with bright hope. Here is a great mistake. Christ's keenest anguish was a sense of His Father's displeasure. His mental agony because of this was of such intensity that man can have but faint conception of it.

Behold this Love
He was eternally rich, "yet for our sakes became poor, that we through His poverty might be made rich." He was clothed with light and glory, surrounded with hosts of heavenly angels waiting to execute His commands. Yet He put on our nature, and came to sojourn among sinful men. "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." Here is love that no language can express. Our souls should be enlivened, elevated, and enraptured with the theme of the love of the Father and the Son. "And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure." The followers of Christ should learn here to reflect back in some degree that mysterious love preparatory to joining all the redeemed in ascribing "Blessings, and honor, and glory, and power unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever."

Through all the ages we'll praise Him--
--Jesus the One who took our place



The Son of God consented to die in the sinner's stead, that man might, by a life of obedience, escape the penalty of the law of God. His death did not slay the law, lessen its holy claims, nor detract from its sacred dignity. The death of Christ proclaimed the justice of His Father's law in punishing the transgressor, in that He consented to suffer the penalty in order to save fallen man from its curse. The death of God's beloved Son on the cross shows the immutability of God's law. His death magnifies the law and makes it honorable, and gives evidence of its changeless character. From His own lips is heard, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." The death of the divine Son justified the claims of the divine law. In order to more fully realize the value of redemption, it is necessary to understand what it cost. In consequence of limited views of the sufferings of the divine Son of God, many place a low estimate upon the great work of the the atonement.

"God is love." And His matchless love manifested toward fallen man, in the gift of His beloved Son, amazed the holy angels. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." He was the Father's appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds." He was the "brightness of His glory, and the the express image of His person." and He upheld "all things by the word of His power." He possessed divine excellence and greatness. It pleased the Father that in Him all fullness should dwell. And Christ "thought it not robbery to be equal with God." Yet He "made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was make in the likeness of men. and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."