The assignment before him represented a tremendous responsibility; so very much was involved. By remaining faithful he would prove false Satan’s claim, recorded in the case of Job, that under privation, suffering, and test, God’s servants would deny Him. (Job 1:6-12; 2:2-6) As the firstborn Son, Jesus, of all God’s creatures, could give the most conclusive answer to that charge and the finest evidence in favor of his Father’s side in the larger issue of the rightfulness of Jehovah’s universal sovereignty. Thereby he would prove to be “the Amen . . . , the faithful and true witness.” (Re 3:14) If he failed, he would reproach his Father’s name as none other could.

Jesus himself said that all the prophecies concerning the Messiah were certain of realization, “must be fulfilled.” (Lu 24:44-47; Mt 16:21; compare Mt 5:17.) Yet this certainly did not relieve God’s Son of the weight of responsibility, nor did it eliminate his freedom of choice​—either to be faithful or unfaithful. The matter was not one-sided, resting solely with the Almighty God, Jehovah. His Son must do his part to make the prophecies come true. God assured the certainty of the prophecies by his wise choice of the one to fill the assignment, “the Son of his love.” (Col 1:13) That his Son still retained and exercised his own free will while a human on earth is clear. Jesus spoke of his own will, showed that he was voluntarily submitting himself to his Father’s will (Mt 16:21-23; Joh 4:34; 5:30; 6:38), and consciously worked toward the fulfillment of his assignment as laid out in his Father’s Word. (Mt 3:15; 5:17, 18; 13:10-17, 34, 35; 26:52-54; Mr 1:14, 15; Lu 4:21)