the desire of ages-第160节

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it　expedient　that　one　man　should　die　to　save　the　nation。　Now　their　hypocrisy　was　revealed。　In　order　to　destroy　Christ；　they　had　been　ready　to　sacrifice　even　their　national　existence。

The　priests　saw　what　they　had　done；　and　asked　Pilate　to　change　the　inscription。　They　said；　〃Write　not；　The　King　of　the　Jews；　but　that　He　said；　I　am　King　of　the　Jews。〃　But　Pilate　was　angry　with　himself　because　of　his　former　weakness；　and　he　thoroughly　despised　the　jealous　and　artful　priests　and　rulers。　He　replied　coldly；　〃What　I　have　written　I　have　written。〃

A　higher　power　than　Pilate　or　the　Jews　had　directed　the　placing　of　that　inscription　above　the　head　of　Jesus。　In　the　providence　of　God　it　was　to　awaken　thought；　and　investigation　of　the　Scriptures。　The　place　where　Christ　was　crucified　was　near　to　the　city。　Thousands　of　people　from　all　lands　were　then　at　Jerusalem；　and　the　inscription　declaring　Jesus　of

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Nazareth　the　Messiah　would　come　to　their　notice。　It　was　a　living　truth；　transcribed　by　a　hand　that　God　had　guided。

In　the　sufferings　of　Christ　upon　the　cross　prophecy　was　fulfilled。　Centuries　before　the　crucifixion；　the　Saviour　had　foretold　the　treatment　He　was　to　receive。　He　said；　〃Dogs　have　compassed　Me：　the　assembly　of　the　wicked　have　enclosed　Me：　they　pierced　My　hands　and　My　feet。　I　may　tell　all　My　bones：　they　look　and　stare　upon　Me。　They　part　My　garments　among　them；　and　cast　lots　upon　My　vesture。〃　Ps。　22：16…18。　The　prophecy　concerning　His　garments　was　carried　out　without　counsel　or　interference　from　the　friends　or　the　enemies　of　the　Crucified　One。　To　the　soldiers　who　had　placed　Him　upon　the　cross；　His　clothing　was　given。　Christ　heard　the　men's　contention　as　they　parted　the　garments　among　them。　His　tunic　was　woven　throughout　without　seam；　and　they　said；　〃Let　us　not　rend　it；　but　cast　lots　for　it；　whose　it　shall　be。〃

In　another　prophecy　the　Saviour　declared；　〃Reproach　hath　broken　My　heart；　and　I　am　full　of　heaviness：　and　I　looked　for　some　to　take　pity；　but　there　was　none；　and　for　comforters；　but　I　found　none。　They　gave　Me　also　gall　for　My　meat；　and　in　My　thirst　they　gave　Me　vinegar　to　drink。〃　Ps。　69：20；　21。　To　those　who　suffered　death　by　the　cross；　it　was　permitted　to　give　a　stupefying　potion；　to　deaden　the　sense　of　pain。　This　was　offered　to　Jesus；　but　when　He　had　tasted　it；　He　refused　it。　He　would　receive　nothing　that　could　becloud　His　mind。　His　faith　must　keep　fast　hold　upon　God。　This　was　His　only　strength。　To　becloud　His　senses　would　give　Satan　an　advantage。

The　enemies　of　Jesus　vented　their　rage　upon　Him　as　He　hung　upon　the　cross。　Priests；　rulers；　and　scribes　joined　with　the　mob　in　mocking　the　dying　Saviour。　At　the　baptism　and　at　the　transfiguration　the　voice　of　God　had　been　heard　proclaiming　Christ　as　His　Son。　Again；　just　before　Christ's　betrayal；　the　Father　had　spoken；　witnessing　to　His　divinity。　But　now　the　voice　from　heaven　was　silent。　No　testimony　in　Christ's　favor　was　heard。　Alone　He　suffered　abuse　and　mockery　from　wicked　men。

〃If　Thou　be　the　Son　of　God；〃　they　said；　〃come　down　from　the　cross。〃　〃Let　Him　save　Himself；　if　He　be　Christ；　the　chosen　of　God。〃　In　the　wilderness　of　temptation　Satan　had　declared；　〃If　Thou　be　the　Son　of　God；　command　that　these　stones　be　made　bread。〃　〃If　Thou　be　the　Son　of　God；　cast　Thyself　down〃　from　the　pinnacle　of　the　temple。　Matt。　4：3；　6。　And　Satan　with　his　angels；　in　human　form；　was　present　at　the

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cross。　The　archfiend　and　his　hosts　were　co…operating　with　the　priests　and　rulers。　The　teachers　of　the　people　had　stimulated　the　ignorant　mob　to　pronounce　judgment　against　One　upon　whom　many　of　them　had　never　looked；　until　urged　to　bear　testimony　against　Him。　Priests；　rulers；　Pharisees；　and　the　hardened　rabble　were　confederated　together　in　a　satanic　frenzy。　Religious　rulers　united　with　Satan　and　his　angels。　They　were　doing　his　bidding。

Jesus；　suffering　and　dying；　heard　every　word　as　the　priests　declared；　〃He　saved　others；　Himself　He　cannot　save。　Let　Christ　the　King　of　Israel　descend　now　from　the　cross；　that　we　may　see　and　believe。〃　Christ　could　have　come　down　from　the　cross。　But　it　is　because　He　would　not　save　Himself　that　the　sinner　has　hope　of　pardon　and　favor　with　God。

In　their　mockery　of　the　Saviour；　the　men　who　professed　to　be　the　expounders　of　prophecy　were　repeating　the　very　words　which　Inspiration　had　foretold　they　would　utter　upon　this　occasion。　Yet　in　their　blindness　they　did　not　see　that　they　were　fulfilling　the　prophecy。　Those　who　in　derision　uttered　the　words；　〃He　trusted　in　God；　let　Him　deliver　Him　now；　if　He　will　have　Him：　for　He　said；　I　am　the　Son　of　God；〃　little　thought　that　their　testimony　would　sound　down　the　ages。　But　although　spoken　in　mockery；　these　words　led　men　to　search　the　Scriptures　as　they　had　never　done　before。　Wise　men　heard；　searched；　pondered；　and　prayed。　There　were　those　who　never　rested　until；　by　comparing　scripture　with　scripture；　they　saw　the　meaning　of　Christ's　mission。　Never　before　was　there　such　a　general　knowledge　of　Jesus　as　when　He　hung　upon　the　cross。　Into　the　hearts　of　many　who　beheld　the　crucifixion　scene；　and　who　heard　Christ's　words；　the　light　of　truth　was　shining。

To　Jesus　in　His　agony　on　the　cross　there　came　one　gleam　of　comfort。　It　was　the　prayer　of　the　penitent　thief。　Both　the　men　who　were　crucified　with　Jesus　had　at　first　railed　upon　Him；　and　one　under　his　suffering　only　became　more　desperate　and　defiant。　But　not　so　with　his　companion。　This　man　was　not　a　hardened　criminal；　he　had　been　led　astray　by　evil　associations；　but　he　was　less　guilty　than　many　of　those　who　stood　beside　the　cross　reviling　the　Saviour。　He　had　seen　and　heard　Jesus；　and　had　been　convicted　by　His　teaching；　but　he　had　been　turned　away　from　Him　by　the　priests　and　rulers。　Seeking　to　stifle　conviction；　he　had　plunged　deeper　and　deeper　into　sin；　until　he　was　arrested；　tried　as　a　criminal；　and　condemned　to　die　on　the　cross。　In　the　judgment　hall　and　on　the　way　to　Calvary　he　had　been　in　company　with　Jesus。　He　had　heard　Pilate　declare；　〃I　find　no　fault　in　Him。〃　John　19：4。　He　had　marked　His

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godlike　bearing；　and　His　pitying　forgiveness　of　His　tormentors。　On　the　cross　he　sees　the　many　great　religionists　shoot　out　the　tongue　with　scorn；　and　ridicule　the　Lord　Jesus。　He　sees　the　wagging　heads。　He　hears　the　upbraiding　speeches　taken　up　by　his　companion　in　guilt：　〃If　Thou　be　Christ；　save　Thyself　and　us。〃　Among　the　passers…by　he　hears　many　defending　Jesus。　He　hears　them　repeat　His　words；　and　tell　of　His　works。　The　conviction　comes　back　to　him　that　this　is　the　Christ。　Turning　to　his　fellow　criminal　he　says；　〃Dost　not　thou　fear　God；　seeing　thou　art　in　the　same　condemnation？〃　The　dying　thieves　have　no　longer　anything　to　fear　from　man。　But　upon　one　of　them　presses　the　conviction　that　there　is　a　God　to　fear；　a　future　to　cause　him　to　tremble。　And　now；　all　sin…polluted　as　it　is；　his　life　history　is　about　to　close。　〃And　we　indeed　justly；〃　he　moans；　〃for　we　receive　the　due　reward　of　our　deeds：　but　this　Man　hath　done　nothing　amiss。〃

There　is　no　question　now。　There　are　no　doubts；　no　reproaches。　When　condemned　for　his　crime；　the　thief　had　become　hopeless　and　despairing；　but　strange；　tender　thoughts　now　spring　up。　He　calls　to　mind　all　he　has　heard　of　Jesus；　how　He　has　healed　the　sick　and　pardoned　sin。　He　has　heard　the　words　of　those　who　believed　in　Jesus　and　followed　Him　weeping。　He　has　seen　and　read　the　title　above　the　Saviour's　head。　He　has　heard　the　passers…by　repeat　it；　some　with　grieved；　quivering　lips；　others　with　jesting　and　mockery。　The　Holy　Spirit　illuminates　his　mind；　and　little　by　little　the　chain　of　evidence　is　joined　together。　In　Jesus；　bruised；　mocked；　and　hanging　upon　the　cross；　he　sees　the　Lamb　of　God；　that　taketh　away　the　sin　of　the　world。　Hope　is　mingled　with　anguish　in　his　voice　as　the　helpless；　dying　soul　casts　himself　upon　a　dying　Saviour。　〃Lord；　remember　me；〃　he　cries；　〃when　Thou　comest　into　Thy　kingdom。〃

Quickly　the　answer　came。　Soft　and　melodious　the　tone；　full　of　love；　compassion；　and　power　the　words：　Verily　I　say　unto　thee　today；　Thou　shalt　be　with　Me　in　paradise。

For　long　hours　of　agony；　reviling　and　mockery　have　fallen　upon　the　ears　of　Jesus。　As　He　hangs　upon　the　cross；　there　floats　up　to　Him　still　the　sound　of　jeers　and　curses。　With　longing　heart　He　has　listened　for　some　expression　of　faith　from　His　disciples。　He　has　heard　only　the　mournful　words；　〃We　trusted　that　it　had　been　He　which　should　have　redeemed　Israel。〃　How　grateful　then　to　the　Saviour　was　the　utterance　of　faith　and　love　from　the　dying　thief！　While　the　leading　Jews　deny　Him；　and　even　the　disciples　doubt　His　divinity；　the　poor　thief；　upon　the

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brink　of　eternity；　calls　Jesus　Lord。　Many　were　ready　to　call　Him　Lord　when　He　wrought　miracles；　and　after　He　had　risen　from　the　grave；　but　none　acknowledged　Him　as　He　hung　dying　upon　the　cross　save　the　penitent　thief　who　was　saved　at　the　eleventh　hour。

The　bystanders　caught　the　words　as　the　thief　called　Jesus　Lord。　The　tone　of　the　repentant　man　arrested　their　attention。　Those　who　at　the　foot　of　the　cross　had　been　quarreling　over　Christ's　garments；　and　casting　lots　upon　His　vesture；　stopped　to　listen