But in the meantime, Christ will appear back in the land that Jacob’s father and family had left. There, just as the leaders of the people had killed prophets like Urijah and were prepared to kill Lehi and Jeremiah, the descendants of those priests will likewise kill the anointed Holy Christ. Jacob rightly does not blame all the people in Jerusalem, but primarily those priests involved with priestcrafts and iniquity (10:5). Nephi called them wicked shepherds. "Because of the wickedness of the pastors of my people," those who have been driven out have been broken off (1 Nephi 21:1). Years later, people like those wicked priests will reject Jesus in spite of—and perhaps because of—the "mighty miracles" (2 Nephi 10:4) he would perform. Those powerful signs and wonders would understandably have terrified people who did not think Jesus was the Son of God, figuring that Jesus must then have had a devil and that his miracles were powered by the Evil One. Likely the same angelic being who spoke along these lines to Jacob (10:3) later explained further to King Benjamin that Jesus’s opponents would actually condemn him, declaring him to have "a devil" (Mosiah 3:9).
From their point of view, death was the required legal penalty for performing miracles, signs, or wonders that led people away to follow other paths or to worship in unauthorized ways (see Deuteronomy 13:1–5), and the mode of execution for such an offense was crucifixion or "hanging on a tree" (Deuteronomy 21:22). And, indeed, as Jacob knew, no other nation had such laws as are found in Deuteronomy. For these reasons, Jacob could well have foreseen that in no other nation would a group of priestly leaders react with such awful fear and hostility against such beneficial miracles, signs, and wonders. But nevertheless, and amazingly, on the cross the Lord had the strength to forgive the soldiers who knew not what they were doing. In addition, it would seem, Jesus also would have soon held out forgiveness to all who were involved in any way in bringing about his death. They too must not have really known what they were doing either. Evidence of Jesus’s continued extension of mercy and willingness to forgive can be found in Jacob’s declaration that Christ has "covenanted with their fathers that [these people] shall [still] be restored in the flesh, upon the earth [when they] shall believe in me, that I am Christ" (10:7). He has not thrown them away or cast anyone off.
John W. Welch, "The Factor of Fear in the Trial of Jesus," in Jesus Christ: Son of God, Savior, ed. Paul H. Peterson, Gary L. Hatch, and Laura D. Card (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2002), 284–312.
John W. Welch, "Latter-day Saint Reflections on the Trial of Jesus," Clark Memorandum (Fall 2000): 2–13.