By this time the news of the condemnation of Jesus had spread through all Jerusalem, striking terror and anguish to thousands of hearts, but bringing a malicious joy to many who had been reproved by the teachings of the Saviour. The priests had been bound by a promise not to molest any of his disciples if Jesus were delivered up to them; so all classes of people flocked to the scene of outrage, and Jerusalem was left almost empty. Nicodemus, and Joseph of Arimathea, had not been summoned to the Sanhedrim council, and their voices had nothing to do with condemning Jesus. They were present at his crucifixion, but unable to change or modify his terrible sentence. {3SP 149.1}

På denne tid havde rygtet om Jesu dødsdom udbredt sig over hele Jerusalem og bragt forfærdelse og smerte til mange tusinde hjerter. Men det vakte en ondskabsfuld glæde hos mange, som var blevet irettesatte af Frelseren. Præsterne havde bundet sig selv med et løfte, at de ikke ville skade nogen af Jesus disciple, dersom han blev overleveret til dem. Alle folkeklasser forsamlede sig derfor til den grusomme scene, og Jerusalem blev næsten tom. Nikodemus og Josef af Arimatæa var ikke blevet kaldt til rådet, og de havde ikke givet deres stemme til at fordømme Jesus. De var til stede ved korsfæstelsen, men var ude af stand til at formilde eller forandre den forfærdelige dom.