It was customary for the high priest to visit the criminals who were sentenced to death before their execution to hear their confession and repentance before their entrance into the heart of death, and to grant them a general pardon on basis of the continuous sacrifices offered in the temple for their salvation from the coming wrath of God.
Jesus did not confess any sin on the cross. He did not shed tears of repentance, but prayed for his enemies asking forgiveness for them, for they did not know what they did. The hypocritical professors of godliness who heard his vicarious prayer considered it as the most horrible blasphemy, haughtiness, and hardheartedness. So, they were filled with anger and contempt, and they despised the Crucified bitterly.
The sufferings in the body increased, yet the pricks of mockery pricked the heart. Satan tempted Jesus to save himself, and those who passed by him who was nakedly hanged shook their heads and repeated the summary of the complaint before the religious court that he said he would tear down the temple personally and build it back up in three days.
They did not remember his true words, nor did they understand that he meant by his body the temple of God, but they thought of the empty temple built with dead stones, which seemed to them as a guarantee of God’s presence in the midst of the nation.
The devil used the blind mockers, and instigated them to the false calling of hell: “Come down from the cross! Save yourself! Destroy the initiated reconciliation! Put an end to your substitutional sufferings for all men. Spring for yourself, and consume your enemies!” If he had done or wished to do that, then Satan would have triumphed, and God would have lost his creatures completely.
The leaders of the people together with the representatives of the nation accorded with the cries of the hardhearted, and defamed the redemptive mission of Jesus. He gave his life a ransom for many, walked night and day in towns and villages, and healed multitudes of people. The legal experts and scribes called his healings demonic procedures. Therefore, they intended, through their mockery, to pluck out of his followers their faith in his divine power; so, they mocked the Crucified using his full Christian titles, and called him the Christ anointed without a power, and the King of Israel who had no army and people. They expected a great divine king who would deliver them from the Romans.
To them, Jesus of Nazareth appeared weak. He was hanged as a blasphemer by the transgressors and the occupation authority. It appeared to them that God was not with him, but his wrath had destroyed him.
In order that he might prove his power, they insisted on him, in the spirit of Satan, to come down from the cross that their eyes might be opened to his Messiahship and divinity, and that they might recognize him in his power, and believe in him after such impossible miracle. They called themselves priests and experts in the Law, while they were blind to the ministry of reconciliation, which took place amidst them, and they did not observe that they were bad instruments in the hands of the devil.
Jesus overcame these attacking great temptations. He did not come down from the cross, but completed the salvation. Then, how could some professors of religion say that Jesus was raised to heaven while another one was crucified in his place? The leaders of the Jews thought of this when the love and faithfulness of Jesus had broken them. To them Christ was in the likeness of a crucified one. In fact, he was crucified. He remained hanged to the cross, and he accomplished the reconciliation of the world with God.
Those who were hanged on both sides participated in cursing Jesus, for he was not prepared to save himself and then to bring them down, join them into his army, and lead them altogether to victory. Yet, one of them understood gradually and saw that Jesus did not mock his mockers, but blessed those who cursed him, loved those who hated him, and prayed for his enemies. Then he understood clearly that Christ was not a liar, but was different from the others. He was indeed a King, Lord, and the triumphant Son of God. He immediately recognized him, believed in him, and came into his expanses.
The fanatic professors of religion separated themselves from their King, and raced to celebrate their great Passover on Saturday under the protection of their paschal lambs. They did not observe the true Lamb of God. His truth is still hidden from their eyes even today. In their blindness, they left their High Priest and their Reconciler to God.