Heaven beheld the Victim betrayed into the hands of the murderous mob, and with mockery and violence hurried from one tribunal to another. It heard the sneers of His persecutors because of His lowly birth. It heard the denial with cursing and swearing by one of His best-loved disciples. It saw the frenzied work of Satan, and his power over the hearts of men. Oh, fearful scene! the Saviour seized at midnight in Gethsemane, dragged to and fro from palace to judgment hall, arraigned twice before the priests, twice before the Sanhedrin, twice before Pilate, and once before Herod, mocked, scourged, condemned, and led out to be crucified, bearing the heavy burden of the cross, amid the wailing of the daughters of Jerusalem and the jeering of the rabble.

Himmelen så, hvordan sonofferet blev forrådt og overgivet til den mordlystne hob og med hån og vold slæbt fra den ene domstol til den anden. Den hørte hans bødler spotte ham på grund af hans ringe herkomst. Den hørte fornægtelsen under eder og forbandelser fra en af hans mest elskede disciple. Den så Satans afsindige rasen og hans magt over menneskehjerter. Ak, hvilket frygteligt syn! Frelseren grebet ved midnatstid i Getsemane, slæbt hid og did fra paladser til retssale; to gange krævet til regnskab af præsterne, to gange af rådet, to gange af Pilatus og én gang af Herodes; spottet, pisket, dømt og ført bort for at blive korsfæstet; bære korsets tunge byrde, medens Jerusalems døtre jamrede og pøbelen hånede ham.