e in this the final and most dreadful stage of Christ's mission,
to make Him doubt His divine Sonship, or, failing such, to taunt or
anger the dying Savior into the use of His superhuman powers for
personal relief or as an act of vengeance upon His tormentors? To
achieve such a victory was Satan's desperate purpose. The shaft failed.
Through taunts and derision, through blasphemous challenge and
diabolical goading, the agonized Christ was silent.

Then one of the crucified thieves, softened into penitence by the
Savior's uncomplaining fortitude, and perceiving in the divine
Sufferer's demeanor something more than human, rebuked his railing
fellow, saying: "Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same
condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our
deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss." His confession of guilt
and his acknowledgment of the justice of his own condemnation led to
incipient repentance, and to faith in the Lord Jesus, his companion in
agony. "And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into
thy kingdom."[1316] To the appeal of penitence the Lord replied with
such a promise as He alone could make: "Verily I say unto thee, To day
shalt thou be with me in paradise."[1317]

Among the spectators of this, the greatest tragedy in history, were some
who had come in sympathy and sorrow. No mention is found of the presence
of any of the Twelve, save one, and he, the disciple "whom Jesus loved,"
John the apostle, evangelist, and revelator; but specific record is made
of certain women who, first at a distance, and then close by the cross,
wept in the anguish of love and sorrow. "Now there stood by the cross of
Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas,
and Mary Magdalene."[1318]

In addition to the women named were many others, some of whom had
ministered unto Jesus in the course of His labors in Galilee, and who
were among those that had come up with Him to Jerusalem.[1319] First in
point of consideration among them all was Mary, the mother of Jesus,
into whose soul the sword had pierced even as righteous Simeon had
prophesied.[1320] Jesus looking with tender compassion upon His weeping
mother, as she stood with John at the foot of the cross, commended her
to the care and protection of the beloved disciple, with the words,
"_Woman, behold thy son!_" and to John, "_Behold thy mother!_" The
disciple tenderly led the heart-stricken Mary awa