one ruler to another must have entailed on our Lord, should be remembered in estimating the whole amount of His sufferings.
11. — {With his men of warJ] The Greek word so rendered, means literaUy, " his armed force," or " guards." Of course we cannot suppose that Herod had a large army with him. The soldiers around him were only his body guard or escort.
[Set him at nought,,. mocked. ..gorgeous robe.] It is evident that Herod regarded our Lord as little better than a foolish, fanatical and contemptible person, — a person to be mocked and ridiculed, but not to be feared. The gorgeous, or shining robe put on Him, was probably such as candidates for high office used to wear. It was intended to ridicule His supposed claim to be a King, and to show that Herod thought it absurd. Thus was our Lord made " a scorn of men, and the outcast of the people." (Psalm xxii. 6.)
[Sent him again to Pilate.] It is worthy of remark that we are specially told that neither the ruler of (ralilee, nor the ruler of Judeea, could find any fault in our Lord. In Galilee most of His miracles had been wrought, and much of His time spent. Yet the ruler of Galilee had nothing to lay to His charge. He was to be crucified as " a lamb without blemish or spot."
12. — [Pilate and Herod were made friends.] It is doubtless true that neither Pilate nor Herod were afraid of Christ, or were animated by any special feeling of hatred towards Him per- sonally. But it is no less true that they agreed in despising Him, and insulting Him, and were utterly unbelieving as to His claim to faith and respect. Their reconciliation therefore on the oc- casion of His trial, is a fact that is very significant and instruc- tive.
It is certain that the circumstance struck the apostles very much. They regarded it as a fulfilment of part of the second Psalm. They mentioned in prayer to God the union of Pilate, Herod, and the Jews against their Master. See Acts iv. 23 — 30.
I mention this, because there is a disposition in some quar- ters, now-a-days, to deny the significance of the reconciliation of Pilate and Herod, and the correctness of the lesson commonlv drawn from it. The comment of the Holy Ghost on the transr action outweighs all the reasonings of man.
Theophylact remarks on this verse, that "It is matter of shame to Christians, that while the devil can persuade wicked men to lay aside their enmities, in order to do harm. Christians cannot even keep up friendship in order to do good."