We should also consider wether giving up His divinity would have still made the act worth wild. If Jesus was not God, what was the effect of the Cross? plenty of normal mortals have died in similar instances, how did Jesus help if he was just one of them?
Had Jesus invoked his divinity anywhere along the line, he would have been admitting that men could not accomplish what he'd set out to prove they could. He would have surrendered the battle then and there. Jesus was proving that men could follow the Will of God in all things and live a sinless life. In proving it and dying free of sin, he ransomed us all! That is why I continually say, he was a man. Had he not been, we'd all just be whistling dixie. Had he not been the Son of God, the same would be true. Had he not been 'God with us', the same would be true. He had to be three things at once, denying his divinity and denying the nature of man - following only God's will.
He relied on the Law and the will of God. Think about that. Christianity isn't a new phenomenon. It is an old one with a new sacrifice and a new direct handling of sin. That's all! Instead of relying on men, we now rely and trust only in God! That was the point of Jesus' sacrifice - a ransom once and for all, and taking men out of the loop. Salvation is now strictly between any individual and his God. No room for a magicsternum or a priesthood, or a bunch of philosophies, etc. Jesus preached Love for brother and the Law. He denounced tradition and rules of men. He denounced those who looked for outward signs. Jesus didn't replace the law, he fullfilled it. You guys are trying to add your own twists to it just as the Pharisees and Saducees had. Jesus called it what it was then. And I call it what it is now.
I wasn't talking about invoking his divinity, my point was about the fact the he was God on the Cross. It sounds like you are saying all God was doing was trying to prove that we can save ourselves.
That was the point of Jesus' sacrifice - a ransom once and for all, and taking men out of the loop.
This is contrary to your other statement above.
He denounced tradition and rules of men.
Like the authority of the Chair of Moses?
He denounced those who looked for outward signs.
Like the Magi? Or Thomas?