Welcome back to the course Seeking Jesus. My name is John Hilton. Many years ago, I heard a story that had a lasting impact on me. Here's the story, authored by Rand Packer.
When I was 14, I went camping with some friends. As we sat in a circle talking, one of the guys reached into his pack and pulled out a can of beer. Everyone went silent as he popped the lid and held it high above his head. If any of you are men, he bellowed, you'll have a drink with me. Tilting the can to his lips, he took a large swallow.
All the eyes were on the can. as the boy next to him received it in his waiting hand. He didn't hesitate.
He took a swig with great bravado in front of all of us. The can then moved to the next boy in the circle. He had not come to be tempted. He thought he was just going camping.
As he held the can, I could sense the frantic debate going on in his mind. I could almost hear his cries pleading for his mother to come save him, but she was nowhere to be found. Try as he did, he could not handle the pressure. He took a drink and hurriedly passed the can to my friend, my example, Rick.
My heart was pounding as I realized that I was the next one in the circle to receive the can. I didn't know how I was going to get out of this one. Rick held the can.
He looked at me, and I looked at Rick. Rick put down the can, reached into his backpack, and grabbed something. He raised a purple can into the air for all to see.
If any of you are men, Rick yelled, you'll have a drink of grape soda with me. Rick popped the lid, brought the can to his lips, tilted his head back dramatically as he drank from it. Then he passed it back in the direction from which the beer had come. As the grape soda was passed, Rick grabbed the beer can and threw it as far as he could.
When I first heard this story, I could picture myself there as a young man feeling intense pressure to do something I knew was wrong. I don't know whether peer pressure is a part of your life today, but we all face challenges, sometimes significant ones. In today's class, we'll join Christ in his trials before Caiaphas and Pilate.
We'll see individuals who buckle under extreme pressure, and we'll see individuals who buckle under extreme pressure. peer pressure and one who sets a supreme example for all of us of staying true, even in immense difficulty. Our previous class ended with Christ's arrest in Gethsemane.
Picking up in Matthew 26, verse 57, we read, And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in and sat with the servants to see the end. The phrase, the high priest's palace, reminds us that Caiaphas and the chief priests lived in mansions.
And the description of Peter sitting with the servants to see the end touches my heart. You and I know how this story is going to unfold, but try to imagine yourself as Peter, who sees his whole world collapsing. As Jesus is on trial before Caiaphas and other Jewish authorities, they bring false witnesses to testify against him.
But their testimony doesn't agree. After some time, Caiaphas says to Jesus, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said. Nevertheless, I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Notice how Caiaphas reacts.
He tears his clothes and says, He has spoken blasphemy. What further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye?
Clearly, the Savior's response was provocative. What was it about Christ's words that caused Caiaphas to tear his clothes? To answer that question, let's return to Daniel chapter 7, a passage we looked at in an earlier video. In Daniel's vision, after seeing four terrible beasts, Daniel says, I saw one, like the Son of Man, came with the clouds of heaven, and there was given him dominion. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away.
In the Savior's response to Caiaphas, Jesus connects himself to the Son of Man of Daniel 7. In essence, he's saying, I'm the Messiah. That's what causes Caiaphas to tear his clothes and say, this is blasphemy. In response to Caiaphas'question, what think ye?
The Jewish authorities answered and said, he is guilty of death. Remember that in Jesus'time and culture, blasphemy was a capital offense. Now, let's pause for a moment and go back a few hours to the Last Supper.
At the Last Supper, Jesus had said, all ye shall be offended because of me this night. Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. I emphasize that phrase because it highlights an aspect of human nature. Have you ever been in a situation where somebody tells you to be extra careful and you think, oh, even though everyone else might need to exercise caution, I don't need to. I am so strong, so powerful.
This is a common tendency, and it's important to remember that all of us can stumble. In this case, Jesus said to Peter, Verily I say unto thee, that this night before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice. Sometimes people suggest that Jesus is commanding Peter to deny him three times, because in English, the phrase thou shalt has a connotation of giving a command.
In fact, President Kimball gave a talk one time when he suggested this was a possibility. Note that he didn't say it was the case, he said it was a possibility. It's interesting though that if we look at the Greek, Jesus is not speaking in the command form. Professor Eric Huntsman wrote, While arguments based on grammar remain inconclusive, they incline against the possibility that Jesus had issued a command to Peter.
The context and a straightforward reading of the texts support the traditional interpretation that Jesus was predicting what Peter would do. For our purposes, we'll consider this a prophecy, not a command. But if you're interested in digging more into this topic, Professor Huntsman wrote an entire article about it, and I posted it on the course website. So now Christ is on trial, and Peter is warming his hands by the fire.
To help us imagine this scene, consider a model of what the palatial mansions at the time of Christ looked like. This isn't necessarily the place where Christ was on trial, but it's probably similar to this model. The right-hand portion of the image would have been a roofed area. It was a large meeting place where a group like the Sanhedrin, a council of Jewish authorities, could have met together. Adjacent to this large room, still a part of the same home, is an open courtyard where fires could be lit.
Can you see Peter in an open courtyard warming his hands by the fire? And then, just a few feet away, Jesus is in an adjacent room in the palace on trial before Caiaphas. In Mark chapter 14, we notice a powerful juxtaposition.
Picking up the account about where we left off, we read, Some began to spit on Jesus, to blindfold him, and to strike him, saying, Prophesy! The guards also took him over and beat him. While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by.
When she saw Peter warming himself, she stared at him and said, You also were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth. But he denied it, saying, I do not know or understand what you are talking about. And he went out into the forecourt.
Can you sense the irony? In the very moment that servants are smacking Jesus and saying, Prophesy! Prophesy! A prophecy that Jesus had literally made just a few hours previously is being fulfilled a few feet away as Peter denies Christ.
This painting of Peter's denial highlights a detail described only by Luke. In Luke 22, we read, A little later someone else, on seeing him, said, You also are one of them. But Peter said, Man, I am not.
Then about an hour later still, another kept insisting, Surely this man also was with him, for he is a Galilean. But Peter said, man, I do not know what you are talking about. At that moment, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. The Lord turned and looked at Peter.
Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times. And he went out and wept bitterly. This image captures the phrase, the Lord looked at Peter.
Can you imagine that moment? Maybe their eyes locked for a split second. How do you feel if you're Jesus? How do you feel if you're Peter?
Although Peter denies Christ at this moment, he will go on to be a great defender of the faith. That's a hopeful message for each of us. President Gordon B. Hinckley taught, Now if there be any within the sound of my voice today who by word or act has denied the faith, I pray that you may draw comfort and resolution from the example of Peter, who though he had walked daily with Jesus, In an hour of extremity, he denied both the Lord and the testimony which he carried in his own heart. But he rose above this and became a mighty defender and a powerful advocate.
So, too, there is a way for you to turn about. Remember, Jesus reaches out to strengthen those who stumble. Now, if we step back and look at an approximate timeline of the final 24 hours of Christ's life, we have the Last Supper, then the Savior's suffering in Gethsemane, his arrest and trial before Caiaphas and the Jewish authorities.
Consider how exhausted Jesus must have been, likely having gone 24 hours without sleep, in addition to all the suffering and abuse he's experienced. That takes us to early Friday morning when Jesus is then brought before Pilate to be tried. Pilate normally lived in Caesarea, which is about 80 miles northwest of Jerusalem.
But this week, Pilate was in Jerusalem, probably to help keep the peace at Passover. During the Passover, tens of thousands or more pilgrims flocked to Jerusalem. Remember that Passover commemorates a time of liberation from the Egyptians. Passover is a time to celebrate deliverance from your foreign oppressors, which at this point were the Romans. So there was likely some tension in the air.
As an aside, in Caesarea, scholars have discovered a stone inscription with Pilate's name on it that dates to the time he was governor. This is one of the few archaeological artifacts that both dates to the time of the New Testament and specifically includes the name of an individual mentioned. in the New Testament.
I highlight this inscription as a reminder that Pilate is a real person. Because we know the storyline of Christ's trial so well, it's easy just to glide past Pilate. But I hope that by the end of this class, you feel like you know him better.
It appears that Pilate became prefect or governor of Judea in about AD 26. Christ's crucifixion likely occurred in AD 30 or 33, in the middle of Pilate's tenure. According to John's account, Pilate closely questioned Jesus. He asked the Savior, Are you the King of the Jews?
Jesus answered, Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me? Pilate replied, I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me.
What have you done? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.
But as it is, my kingdom is not from here."At this point, Pilate may have been puzzled. The Jewish authorities accused Jesus of claiming to be a king, insinuating a revolt against Rome. But Jesus said his kingdom was from another place. What could this mean? Pilate asked him, so you are a king? Jesus answered, you say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice. In this conversation, we see that Jesus is not on trial before Pilate. Pilate is on trial before Jesus. Christ had previously declared, I am the truth, and now tells Pilate that if Pilate were on the side of truth, he would listen to the Savior's voice. Pilate fails to acknowledge the capital T Truth standing in front of him. and instead ironically asks, what is truth? Pilate returned outside to the Jewish authorities and proclaimed, I find no case against him. At this point in the narrative, we learn that a custom allowed Pilate to release a prisoner during the Passover. Pilate offered the people a choice. He would release either Jesus, the son of God, or Barabbas, a notorious prisoner, one who had been put in prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city and for murder. Some ancient manuscripts of Matthew. refer to Barabbas as Jesus Barabbas. They give Barabbas the first name of Jesus, which was a common Jewish male name at the time. Thus, Pilate asks, do you want me to release to you Jesus Barabbas or Jesus the Messiah? One possible meaning of the word Barabbas is son of the father. Perhaps Matthew is emphasizing the choice between Jesus, son of the lowercase f father, or Jesus, son of the capital F father. Now, to you and me, when Pilate says, who do you want, Jesus or Barabbas, the choice is obvious, because we're focused on Christ's atoning sacrifice. But perhaps some in the crowd weren't thinking about spiritual salvation. They were fixated on temporal salvation. For nearly 100 years, Rome had ruled over Jerusalem. Taxes were high, and many people desperately wanted to throw off their Roman overlords. Barabbas had been part of an insurrection in the city, which some may have supported. A rebellion against Rome was what they wanted. Maybe some believed Barabbas was a freedom fighter who could lead a revolt. But Jesus of Nazareth? He had performed some miracles, but he hadn't done anything about Roman oppression. Perhaps because some members of the crowd focused on the wrong problem—temporal instead of spiritual salvation—they chose the wrong solution. Metaphorically speaking, we often choose between Jesus and Barabbas—between a spiritual approach, redemption through Christ, and a worldly one—revolution through Barabbas. In a sense, Pilate says to each of us, what do you want? Advice from worldly experts or counsel from prophets? More time on social media or more time ministering? To buy a luxury item you don't really need or to pay a more generous fast offering? Unlike the choice offered by Pilate, our options are not always mutually exclusive. Nevertheless, how often do we choose Barabbas over Jesus? One of the most powerful lessons I've ever learned about Barabbas comes from a pastor in Seattle named Judah Smith. His speaking style is different from what you might hear in a typical sacrament meeting, but I find his words on this topic to be powerful. So in this moment, Pilate thinks, I hold the destinies of these two men in my hand. I know the Jews have a tradition that on a holy day, I will release one of the prisoners on death row. Pilate stands on this audacious stage, who now presents Jesus, son of the living God, versus Barabbas, the thug and rebel. He says, alright, who do you want? This is blasphemy! This is, this is... gone too far. There's no comparison. This is a rightful prisoner, a man who should be on death row. He's a rebel against Rome. He leads a rebellion. He murders people. He's a bad man. He's a thug and he's a crook. He deserves the chains and he deserves the crucifixion. Jesus, what has he done but heal, restore, deliver, set free. Open blind eyes, open deaf ears, heal the lame and the leper. What has Jesus done? Who do you want? We want Barabbas. Yeah, give us Barabbas. People say give us Barabbas, the Roman soldiers come up here. And they put the key in and they unlock it from his chains and shackles. And he walks down the platform, welcomed by all of his thug friends. Yeah, the people love me. Yeah, that's right, I don't even know who this Jesus guy is. But all I know is my people love me. There seems to be no conscience in Barabbas. There's no record of him turning to Jesus and saying, I owe you everything now, for you have set me free. No, I don't see any of that in Barabbas. And God knew that. Jesus stood there silent for he knew the will of the Father. He said it's fine Father Let him have Barabbas for Jesus knew that the Father would have to treat Jesus like Barabbas So he could treat Barabbas like Jesus Barabbas thought it was the people that set him free. No, no, no, no. It was the love of the Heavenly Father The story last one is, that's me, that's you, that's us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. God sent his son for Barabbas. Even the one he knew would walk away from Jesus and his free gift and never come back. He loves them. And the nerve, the call, the audacity of believers to think. I got saved by grace, but now that I'm in this deep, dark place of bondage, I'm gonna work hard to get myself out. What? That's the opposite of the gospel. Are you bound? Are you held under the power of this temptation, this sin? Do you feel like it's controlling you? What are you going to do? I'm going to shake myself free. Stop it! No, you won't! You're no match for the powers of hell and the urges of sin. You will not overcome it and you will never overcome it. You'll just be another statistic. There's no answer within yourself. Your own merits, your own goodness. your own discipline, your own devotion will not save your marriage and will not save your kids. There's only one. And he's the one that took your place. He's the one that stood silently on the platform with Pilate. and said, yes, let him have Barabbas. Take me. I see him. I see him walking to the post to be whipped. As I stand a free man, all the attention is turned now. And I feel the love of God saying, go, son, live your life. I'll pay the price. Where did we get off thinking that we were going to set ourselves free? Amen. It's still Jesus. It'll always be Jesus. It'll never stop being the power of Jesus. If His blood is sufficient for your salvation, His blood is sufficient to sustain you through every challenge and every sin and every temptation. Jesus is enough! In Barabbas, we see a powerful personalization of Paul's phrase, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Barabbas represents each of us. We have sinned, fallen short, and are guilty. But Christ stands in our place, bears the punishment that we should face. His crucifixion allows us to live a new life. Jesus really is enough. Even after Barabbas was set free, Pilate continued to insist that Jesus was innocent. The Jewish authorities said to Pilate,"'If you release this man, you are no friend of the emperor. Everyone who claims to be a king sets himself against the emperor.'"Those words turned the tide, and Pilate condemned Jesus to death. Although Pilate was more powerful than the Jewish authorities, he ultimately caved in to their request. Why were these words so threatening? Let's explore Pilate's backstory to understand this crucial moment when Pilate passes judgment on Jesus. Ancient historians, including Josephus, writing in about 90 AD, and Philo, writing in about 40 AD, shared stories that give insight into Pilate's character and provide valuable context for his role in Christ's trial. Here's the first story told by Josephus. On one occasion, Pilate transferred some of his soldiers from Caesarea to Jerusalem and violated Jewish law by attaching images of the emperor to their military standards. Many Jews felt this action violated the commandment against graven images and traveled to Caesarea. asking Pilate to remove the standards from Jerusalem. After six days of continual protest, Pilate summoned the dissenters to an arena. With his army present, Pilate threatened to kill the people if they did not return home. To Pilate's shock, the people bowed down, stretched out their necks, and waited for death. That was not what Pilate was expecting. He doesn't want to write Tiberius and say, Dear Emperor, I just slaughtered thousands of your subjects. Josephus writes, overcome with astonishment at such intense religious zeal. Pilate gave orders for the immediate removal of the standards from Jerusalem. So, the conclusion to this first story is that Jews protest Pilate's actions, and they win. Sometime thereafter, Pilate spent money from the temple treasury to build an aqueduct to bring water to Jerusalem. Apparently, he did so without the approval of the people, for when they heard of it, they began protesting. Pilate refused to listen. Instead, he had his soldiers, disguised in Jewish clothing, surround the protesters. At a prearranged signal from Pilate, the soldiers attacked the Jews. Josephus concludes the story saying,"...large numbers of the Jews perished, some from the blows which they received, others trodden to death by their companions in the ensuing flight. Cowed by the fate of the victims, the multitude was reduced to silence."In this second story, Pilate wins, but only by violence. This third story is my favorite. It was written within a decade or two of Christ's crucifixion, and it's our earliest recorded account of Pilate. Pilate put gilded shields in Herod's palace, which was located in Jerusalem, with an inscription honoring Emperor Tiberius. The people, believing Pilate did this not so much to honor Tiberius as to annoy the multitude, were furious about the shields, believing they violated Jewish customs. The people sent Herod the Great's four sons, including Herod Antipas, to protest Pilate's actions. Pilate records that these important Jewish leaders shouted at Pilate, saying, Do not arouse sedition. Do not make war. Do not destroy the peace. You do not honor the emperor by dishonoring ancient laws. Do not take Tiberius as your pretext for outraging the nation. He does not wish any of our customs to be overthrown."When Pilate refused to act, the Jewish officials wrote a letter to Tiberius protesting the shields. Pilate said that Tiberius swiftly responded by writing to Pilate with a host of reproaches and rebukes for his audacious violation of precedent and bade him at once take down the shields.
Though the situation was resolved when Pilate removed the shields, the event caused further strain between Pilate and the Jewish people in his jurisdiction. With this background in mind, consider again the words from the Jewish authorities to Pilate,"'If you release this man, you are no friend of the emperor.'"Pilate was a political appointee who could be removed at will. Thus the statement,"'You are no friend of the emperor,'was not a thoughtless taunt, but rather a carefully crafted threat from the Jewish authorities. Their underlying message seemed to be, do you remember the last time we wrote Tiberius? Do you remember how mad he got? We will write him again and let him know of your support for this Jesus. Could Pilate afford another disagreement with the Jewish leadership? In the ultimate test of peer pressure, Pilate buckled. Rather than criticize Pilate, though, let's ask ourselves, what will you and I do when we feel pressure to turn away from Jesus? So far today, we've seen immense pressure put upon Peter. Immense pressure. pressure put upon Pilate, and they turn away from the truth. Is it possible that at some point in our lives, you and I will feel immense pressure to turn away from Jesus? When that happens, how will we respond? After Pilate passed his sentence, Christ was sent to be scourged or flogged. Let's talk briefly about the scourging. Dr. Frederick Zagubi wrote, Many people today conceive of the scourging as a mere beating with a whip-like object. In a sense, this is true, but it is like comparing an electric shock to a lightning bolt. The whip often had multiple tails with sharp objects such as metal or bones tied to each end, causing multiple lacerations with every stroke. Zagubi continues, The victim would writhe and twist in agony, falling to his knees, only to be jerked back on his feet time and time again until he could no longer stand up. The victim's breathing would be severely affected because the severe blows to the chest would cause excruciating rib pain every time he attempted to take a breath. Though scourging was terribly painful on its own, it also added to the crucifixion agony. When the victim was affixed to the cross, the wounds from scourging would be reopened. Moreover, people on crosses constantly shifted their position, and any movement on the course beams would aggravate their fresh wounds. Perhaps this can help us think about a passage from Isaiah 53. Christ was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. Could it be that the scourging is part of Christ's atoning sacrifice? Often we focus on Gethsemane and the crucifixion, but there are agonizing moments in between where Jesus is suffering and, as Isaiah says, with his stripes, or by his wounds, we are healed. The previous scourging and the coming crucifixion are incomprehensibly inhumane, but the Roman soldiers basically have no choice. They've been ordered to do these things. In contrast, the robe, the crown of thorns, the pretend scepter, and the accompanying abuse seems to come from their cruel imaginations. Their taunting provides us with three significant symbols—a robe, a crown, and a reed. Although these objects were meant to mockingly portray Jesus as a king, we can also see in them a representation of the love Jesus has for us. Matthew describes the soldiers giving Christ a red robe. What symbolism might we see in the Savior wearing red? At the second coming, Christ shall be red in his apparel and his garments like him that treadeth in the wine vat. And his voice shall be heard, I have trodden the winepress alone, and none were with me. Twice in this description, Jesus emphasizes his solitary state. The red robe given to the Savior in derision reminds us that trials can become triumphs. Although Christ was once clothed in red and abandoned, he will come again clothed in red, this time accompanied by angels. Because he wore the red robe, each of us can be encircled around in the robe of his righteousness. What about the crown of thorns? The first time we see thorns in scripture is when Adam and Eve partake of the forbidden fruit and are driven out of the Garden of Eden. The Lord says, Cursed is the ground for thy sake. Thorns also and thistles shall I bring forth to thee. As a symbol of the fall, thorns entered the world, perhaps representing the results of transgression. In addition, Paul describes one of his afflictions as a thorn in the flesh. Thus, thorns could represent not only the results of sin, but also the temptations and trials we face. Given this context, the Savior, wearing the crown of thorns, was figuratively encircled by sin and weakness. When Paul begged the Lord to take away his thorn in the flesh, the Lord said, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. We can see in the crown of thorns a sign of strength. Because Jesus wore the crown of thorns, we do not need to be afraid of our personal thorns in the flesh, our challenges and weaknesses. His grace is sufficient for each of us. To complete their scornful depiction of Jesus as a king, the soldiers placed a reed in his right hand, representing a royal scepter. After giving Christ the reed, the soldiers physically abused him. They spat on him and mockingly said, Hail, King of the Jews! They snatched the reed from him and hit him on the head with it. The reed in the Savior's right hand reminds me that Christ had the power to stop the soldiers from hitting him, but he didn't use it. Probably I've just seen too many superhero movies, but in my mind's eye, I can imagine the Savior blinking. and then the reed starts spinning around and whacking all the soldiers. Jesus could have done that, but he didn't. He allowed himself to suffer. That's a powerful reminder for us when we wonder, how come God isn't helping me? Where's Jesus? I need help right now. Why is he not exercising his power on my behalf? We can remember that sometimes Jesus did not exercise his power on his own behalf. We learn from the reed in the Savior's right hand that Jesus has all power, but he uses it at the right time. As we reflect on these three symbols, think about Nephi's prophecy of Christ's experiences. He said, And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught. Wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth, or allows it. And they smite him, and he allows it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he allows it, because of his lovingkindness and his longsuffering towards the children of men. Ultimately, the robe, the crown, and the reed are symbols of Christ's love. After being walked by the soldiers, Christ began walking to the cross. Today the phrase, Via Dolorosa, Latin for the way of sorrows refers to the path Christ walked from Pilate's headquarters to the place of his crucifixion. The Gospels record two events that took place on the road to Calvary. Simon's carrying the cross and the Savior's words to the lamenting women. The first has to do with a man called Simon. In an earlier class, we talked about the value of doing a synopsis study. That is, a careful side-by-side analysis of how different Gospel accounts treat a specific event. Let's practice this with the account of Simon carrying the cross. Christ's cross. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all mention a man named Simon from North Africa, who assisted the Savior in carrying his cross to Golgotha. Matthew and Mark emphasized the fact that Simon was bearing his cross. Do we pause to consider the significance that the Son of God himself was served? Christ is indeed the ultimate example not only of serving others, but also of accepting service. Matthew and Mark both use the word compel to describe the fact that Simon was forced into service. Simon didn't choose to carry the Savior's cross. Likewise, we rarely get to pick the burdens we bear. But we can choose whether we become resentful or allow our crosses to draw us closer to Christ. Only Mark informs us that Simon is the father of Alexander and Rufus. Mentioning Simon's children by name suggests that they were known in Mark's Christian community. Perhaps Simon's carrying the Savior's cross influenced him and his children to become faithful Christians. How will our reactions to the unchosen crosses placed upon our shoulders affect us and those we love? Luke alone records that Simon carried the cross after, or in other words, while following Jesus. In this respect, Simon sets an example for each of us. He didn't just suffer with a trial doing the best he could on his own. He carried his cross while following Jesus. We can do likewise. When we struggle under the burdens of circumstances and sin, we can continue to move forward step by step following Christ. Of course, the largest difference among the Gospels is in John's account, in which Simon is not mentioned at all. Christ carries his own cross. This fits with the high Christology in John, where the Savior does not need help, knows all things, and is completely in control. John portrays a Jesus who needs no assistance from mortals. This type of synopsis study adds a rich layer of context as we learn from both Simon and Christ. Will we allow others to serve us? Can we remember that we and those we love might be blessed when we do good, even when we are compelled? Will we pick up our own crosses in the attitude of following Jesus? And on a day when it seems like we can't go on, will we remember a Savior who carried his own cross and know that he can help us carry ours? According to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus had not said a word since his initial interview with Pilate. However, on the road to Calvary, he breaks his silence to address a group of women who were following him. It probably doesn't surprise you to know that, given his emphasis on women, Luke is the only Gospel author to record this encounter. In fact, more than half the words Luke records Christ saying on the day of his death are addressed to these women. Christ turned to them and said, Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me. This is a powerful theme we've seen repeatedly in the Savior's life. When he's going through difficult times, he turns outward to help others. When Jesus fasts for 40 days and is tempted by the devil, he sends angels to go help John the Baptist. When Jesus was discouraged because of the death of John the Baptist, he wanted to be alone. But instead, he fed the 5,000. Before entering Gethsemane, Christ prayed for others. And now, when Jesus is walking to the cross, he stops to comfort a group of women. When Jesus is being nailed to the cross, he'll say, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. As Elder David A. Bednar said, Throughout his mortal ministry, and especially during the events leading up to and including the atoning sacrifice, the Savior of the world turned outward. In this same talk, Elder Bednar shared a powerful modern example of a woman who emulated the Savior's example of focusing on others amid personal tragedy. The woman, who was both a single mother and Relief Society president, had lost her only child in a tragic car accident. Elder Bednar states, On the day of her daughter's funeral, this Relief Society president received a phone call from an irritated sister in her ward. The complaining sister had a cold and did not feel well, and she basically chewed out the Relief Society president for not being thoughtful or compassionate enough to arrange for meals to be delivered to her home. Just hours before the funeral of her only child, this remarkable Relief Society president prepared and delivered a meal to the murmuring sister. She reached outward when most of us would have turned inward. As we strive to emulate the Savior's example, we can be enabled through Jesus to reach out to others, even in our own difficult circumstances. In our class today, we've traveled with the Savior from Gethsemane to Golgotha. Along the way, we've seen how Peter and Pilate turned away from Christ in the face of extreme pressure. We've also seen how Jesus Christ does not shrink from the work his Father sent him to do and did not turn his back on us. One message I hope you and I will remember from these hours of the Savior's suffering is encapsulated in these words from Elder Quentin L. Cook. If the grim realities you are facing at this time seem dark and heavy and almost unbearable, Remember that in the soul-wrenching darkness of Gethsemane and the incomprehensible torture and pain of Calvary, the Savior accomplished the atonement which resolves the most terrible burdens that can occur in this life. He did it for you, and He did it for me. And He did it because He loves us. I love those words. He did it for you. He did it for me. Why? Because He loves us. We'll talk more about that love in our next class, which will focus on the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Thanks for staying until the very end. I want to make sure that you know there are pre-class readings for each of these videos in the course, as well as additional resources like PowerPoints and quiz questions to explore. Click the link in the description to access these additional learning resources.