But now the words of Jesus were unmistakable. He was to live, a humble, homeless wanderer, and to die the death of a malefactor. Sadness oppressed their hearts, for they loved their Master; but doubt also harassed their minds, for it seemed incomprehensible that the Son of God should be subjected to such cruel humiliation. They could not understand why he should voluntarily go to Jerusalem to meet the treatment which he told them he should there receive. They were deeply grieved that he should resign himself to such an ignominious fate, and leave them in greater darkness than that in which they were groping before he revealed himself to them. The thought suggested itself to their minds that they might take him by force to a place of security, but they dared not attempt this as he had repeatedly denounced all such projects as the suggestions of Satan. In the midst of their gloom they could not refrain from comforting themselves occasionally with the thought that some unforeseen circumstance might avert the fearful doom that awaited their Lord. Thus they sorrowed and doubted, hoped and feared, for six long, gloomy days. {2SP 325.2}

Men Jesu ord ved denne anledning kunne ikke misforståes. Han skulle leve som en ringe, hjemløs fremmed og dø som en forbryder. Sorg nedtrykkede deres hjerte; thi de elskede deres Mester. Men tvivl plagede dem; thi det syntes ubegribeligt for dem, at Guds Søn skulle blive genstand for en så grusom fornedrelse. De kunne ikke forstå, hvorfor han af (326) egen fri vilje skulle gå op til Jerusalem for at blive behandlet således, som han fortalte dem, at det ville ske. De var dybt bedrøvede over, at han skulle hengive sig selv til en så grusom død og forlade dem i større mørke, end de var i, før han åbenbarede sig for dem. De tænkte på, at de med magt ville føre ham til et sted, hvor han var fri for fare. Men de turde ikke forsøge det; thi han havde ofte forkastet alle sådanne planer som forslag fra Satan. Midt i deres sorg kunne de dog ikke undlade engang imellem at trøste sig selv med, at en eller anden uventet begivenhed ville afværge den forfærdelige skæbne, som ventede deres Herre. Således sørgede og tvivlede, håbede og frygtede de i seks lange, mørke dage.