Claim. Jesus’s prayer at the cross — “not as I will, but as thou wilt” — is read as the decisive act of filial piety that secured spiritual restoration in spite of his physical defeat.
Elaboration. SMM treats Gethsemane and Golgotha as the loyalty moment: “He fulfilled his duty of filial piety and loyalty when he prayed, ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.’ That meant that Satan was unable to invade the standard of devotion even if Jesus died, and through this he could resurrect spiritually and set the standard for the spiritual Israel” (CSG 14.4 §3, 19-207, 1968.1.7). At “the peak of death” he “determined to fulfill his duty of filial piety and loyalty to God until the very end, and in so doing, he died a noble death peacefully in a higher position than anyone in the satanic world” (50-201, 1971.11.7). The key was the prayer for enemies — “This became the shield which made it impossible for Satan to invade any further. God loved Jesus, and Jesus loved God, and this love mobilized the power of Jesus’ resurrection.” The cross is read as filial fidelity under maximum pressure.
See also. csg-jesus-as-the-archetype-of-loyalty-and-filial-piety