The plan by which alone man's salvation could be secured, involved all heaven in its infinite sacrifice. The angels could not rejoice as Christ opened before them the plan of redemption, for they saw that man's salvation must cost their loved Commander unutterable woe. In grief and wonder they listened to His words as He told them how He must descend from heaven's purity and peace, its joy and glory and immortal life, and come in contact with the degradation of earth, to endure its sorrow, shame, and death. He was to stand between the sinner and the penalty of sin; yet few would receive Him as the Son of God. He would leave His high position as the Majesty of heaven, appear upon earth and humble Himself as a man, and by His own experience become acquainted with the sorrows and temptations which man would have to endure. All this would be necessary in order that He might be able to succor them that should be tempted. Hebrews 2:18. When His mission as a teacher should be ended, He must be delivered into the hands of wicked men and be subjected to every insult and torture that Satan could inspire them to inflict. He must die the cruelest of deaths, lifted up between the heavens and the earth as a guilty sinner. He must pass long hours of agony so terrible that angels could not look upon it, but would veil their faces from the sight. He must endure anguish of soul, the hiding of His Father's face, while the guilt of transgression --the weight of the sins of the whole world--should be upon Him.

Han skulle stå mellem synderen og syndens straf; men kun få ville tage imod ham som Guds Søn. Han ville forlade sin høje stilling som Himmelens majestæt, komme ned til jorden og ydmyge sig som menneske og ved egen erfaring gøre sig bekendt med de sorger og fristelser, mennesket ville komme til at gennemgå. Alt dette var nødvendigt, for at han kunne komme dem til hjælp, som fristes. Heb. 2, 18. Når hans gerning som lærer var til ende, skulle han overgives i onde menneskers hænder og udsættes for enhver tænkelig forhånelse og tortur, som Satan kunne tilskynde menneskene til at tilføje ham. Han skulle dø den allermest grusomme død, løftet op mellem himmel og jord som en skyldig synder. Han skulle tilbringe mange timer i så frygtelig lidelse, at englene ikke kunne udholde at se på det, men ville skjule deres ansigt. Han skulle udholde sjæleangst, og Faderen ville skjule sit ansigt for ham, mens overtrædelsens syndebyrde - vægten af hele verdens synd - hvilede på ham.