Prove You Are the Messiah

Luke 23:35-37, 39 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. ³⁶ And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, ³⁷ And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself...... And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

Had Jesus listened to these words and come down off the cross, He would have saved physical bodies temporarily.  But because He stayed on the cross eternal life and a glorified body is available to all. 

They wanted Jesus to prove that He was the Messiah by exercising His power to come down off the cross.  Jesus proved He was the Messiah by staying on the cross.