t. Luke, following the temptation of Christ in the wilderness, wrote that Satan retreated to wait for a more opportune time. (Luke 4:1-13)

Surely Satan was there in the crowd on this day that Jesus came into Jerusalem, just as he was there when Pontius Pilate offered the crowd asked the crowd to choose, Jesus or Barabbas. One could imagine that Satan was the first to call out, “Give us Barabbas!” 

In the painting, this character stands at the base of the monument to Caesar. He looks suspiciously at Jesus. He is confident that he is powerful enough to plan and carry out the execution of Jesus.

Be not fooled by a fool – Satan is the fool. He knows your sin. He is the accuser (Revelation 12:10, 11). Nevertheless, the fool was fooled. Satan executed his plan to kill Jesus and it was a seeming success. However, Satan failed.

Jesus willingly gave His life as a sacrifice in his own time (Matthew 27:50). He was the sacrifice offered to the Heavenly Father for the sin of the world. Satan’s “victory” at the cross was his crushing defeat. (Genesis 3:15)

On the other hand, Christ’s “defeat” on the cross was His decisive victory. Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead to reveal the stunning nature of the glorious victory seen by us at the cross.

Just when Satan thought he won, he lost. When Jesus died, he won. Through His life and sacrifice on the cross, He conquered sin, death, and the devil. “It is finished!” (John 19:28-30)