When Judas had reported to the priests the words of Jesus in regard to his approaching death, they had ridiculed the idea of his foreknowledge of events. All his predictions had been so far fulfilled, and they felt no surety that his entire prediction would not come to pass. If Jesus rose from the dead, they feared that their lives would pay the penalty of their crime. They could not sleep, for they were more troubled about Jesus in death than they had been during his life. They had then thought that their only hope of prosperity and influence was in silencing his reproving voice; now they trembled in view of the miraculous power he had possessed. {3SP 178.1}

Da Judas havde fortalt præsterne, hvad Jesus havde sagt angående sin kommende død, spottede de over, at han kendte til, hvad der skulle foregå i fremtiden. Men hans forudsigelser var alle blevet opfyldte til denne tid, og de frygtede for, at alt det, han havde forudsagt, skulle ske. De var bange for, at de kom til at bøde for sin forbrydelse mod livet, dersom Jesus opstod fra de døde. De kunne ikke sove; thi de var mere bange for Jesus, da han var død, end de var, medens han levede. Da troede de, at den eneste måde, hvorpå de kunne vinde fremgang og indflydelse, var at bringe hans irettesættende stemme til tavshed; men nu bævede de, når de tænkte på den vidunderlige kraft, han besad.