"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 749 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.

Hvis du er Guds Søn, sagde de, så stig ned af korset. Lad ham frelse sig selv, bevis han er Guds Kristus, den udvalgte I fristelsens ørken havde Satan erklæret: Hvis du er Guds Søn, så sig, at stenene dér skal blive til brød. Hvis du er Guds Søn, så styrt dig ned fra templets tinde. Matt. 4,3. 6. Og Satan var sammen med sine engle i menneskeskikkelse til stede ved korset. Dødsfjenden og hans hærskare gjorde fælles sag med præsterne og rådsherrerne. Folkets lærere havde ophidset den uvidende folkemængde til at afsige dom over én, som mange af dem aldrig havde set, før de blev ansporet til at fremkomme med vidnesbyrd imod ham.