Page:Jesus of Nazareth the story of His life simply told (1917).djvu/364

 made four parts, to every soldier a part, and also His coat. Now, the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said then one to another: 'Let us not cut it, but let us cast lots for it whose it shall be,' that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saying: 'They have parted My garments among them, and upon My vesture they have cast lots.' And the soldiers indeed did these things."

Meantime the thieves, shrieking and blaspheming, had been crucified, and the three crosses raised into position and firmly fixed with wedges driven in all round. Then at last the enemies of Jesus were satisfied. The priests came up and stood before His cross and cried:

"Vah! Thou that destroyest the Temple of God and in three days dost rebuild it, save Thy ownself. If Thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross and we will believe."

The people came and stared, blaspheming like their rulers. One of the thieves cried out:

"If Thou be Christ, save Thyself and us."

But the other rebuked him and said: "We, indeed, receive the due reward of our deeds, but this Man hath done no evil."

And he said to Jesus:

"Lord, remember me when Thou shalt come into Thy Kingdom."

And Jesus said to him:

"Amen, I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with Me in Paradise."

Our Lord had always loved sinners. And now He gave these poor men grace to know that He who shared their disgrace and was put between them as the most guilty was the long-expected Messiah, the King of