As the disciples waited for the fulfillment of the promise, they humbled their hearts in true repentance and confessed their unbelief. As they called to remembrance the words that Christ had spoken to them before His death they understood more fully their meaning. Truths which had passed from their memory were again brought to their minds, and these they repeated to one another. They reproached themselves for their misapprehension of the Saviour. Like a procession, scene after scene of His wonderful life passed before them. As they meditated upon His pure, holy life they felt that no toil would be too hard, no sacrifice too great, if only they could bear witness in their lives to the loveliness of Christ's character. Oh, if they could but have the past three years to live over, they thought, how differently they would act! If they could only see the Master again, how earnestly they would strive to show Him how deeply they loved Him, and how sincerely they sorrowed for having ever grieved Him by a word or an act of unbelief! But they were comforted by the thought that they were forgiven. And they determined that, so far as possible, they would atone for their unbelief by bravely confessing Him before the world. 37

Mens disciplene ventede på opfyldelsen af løftet, ydmygede de sig, i oprigtig anger og bekendte deres vantro. Når de erindrede sig de ord, som Kristus havde talt til dem før sin død, forstod de mere fuldt og helt deres betydning. Sandheder, som var gået i glemme for dem, dukkede atter frem i deres tanker, og de gentog dem for hinanden. De bebrejdede sig deres svigtende forståelse af Frelseren. Den ene begivenhed efter den anden i hans vidunderlige liv trådte efterhånden frem for dem i en lang rækkefølge. Når de genkaldte sig hans rene, hellige liv, forstod de, at de ikke kunne arbejde strengt nok, at intet offer ville være for stort, hvis de blot i deres liv kunne være vidnesbyrd om Kristi skikkelses skønhed. Oh, om de blot endnu engang kunne gennemleve de sidste tre år, tænkte de, hvor ville de så handle anderledes! Om de blot atter kunne se Mesteren, hvor ville de så oprigtigt stræbe efter at vise ham, hvor inderligt de elskede ham, og hvor oprigtigt de sørgede over nogensinde at have bedrøvet ham ved vantro ord eller tanker! Men de fandt trøst i denne tanke, at alt var dem tilgivet. Og de besluttede, at de så vidt det stod i deres magt, ville gøre bod for deres vantro ved modigt at bekende ham overfor verden.