The apostasy of these professed followers of Christ at such a time, would have been more than the twelve could have endured in addition to their great grief and the terrible ruin of their fondest hopes. The example of those who turned from him, might, in that hour of horror, have carried all the rest with them. But Jesus brought about this crisis while he was still present to comfort and strengthen his chosen, and prepare them for what was to follow. When the hooting rabble scorned Him who was doomed to the cross, the disciples were not overwhelmed with surprise at this insult to their Master, for they had seen the fickleness of those who had once followed him. When those who had professed to love the Master turned from him in the time of his trouble, the disciples remembered that the same thing had occurred before, for less reason. They had tested the inconstant favor of the world, and hung not their faith upon the opinions of others. Jesus wisely prepared the minds of his faithful few for the great trial of his betrayal and death. {2SP 290.1}

Og når disse mennesker, som bekendte sig til at være Kristi efterfølgere, på en sådan tid faldt fra, så ville det havde været mere, end de tolv kunne have udholdt tilligemed den store sorg, som kom over dem ved tilintetgørelsen af deres kæreste håb. Deres eksempel, som vendte sig bort fra ham, kunne let i forfærdelsens time rive alle øvrige med. Men Jesus sørgede for, at der blev en adskillelse, medens han endnu var iblandt dem, så at han kunne trøste og styrke sine udvalgte og berede dem for det, som skulle komme over dem. Da den støjende skare forhånede ham, som var dømt til korsets død, blev disciplene ikke overvældet af forbavselse, fordi man forhånede deres Mester; thi de havde set, hvor uforstandige de mennesker var, som engang havde forfulgt ham. Da de, som havde bekendt sig til at elske Mesteren, vendte sig bort fra ham i farens tid, kom disciplene i hu, at de havde båret sig sådan ad før, da der var mindre grund til det. De havde prøvet verdens ustadige gunst og byggede ikke deres tro på andres meninger. Jesus beredte visselig sine få trofaste venners hjerte for den store prøve, som forestod dem ved hans forrådelse og død.