tioned by St. Luke, wlien he sent Him back to Pilate (Luke xxiii. 11), a circumstance which Jolin has not recorded. In any case we need not doubt that the " robe " was some shabby, cast- off garment. It is worth remembering that this brilliant color, scarlet or purple, would make our blessed Lord a most conspic- uous object to every eye, when He was led through the streets from Herod, or brought forth from Pilate's house to the assem- bled multitude of Jews. — Once more we should call to mind the symbolical nature of this transaction also. Our Lord was clothed with a robe of shame and contempt, that we might be clothed with a spotless garment of righteousness, and stand in white robes before the throne of God.
d.~-[And said, Hail, King of the Jews/] This again was evi- dently done to pour contempt upon our Lord, The words of the soldiers were spoken in contemptuous imitation of the words addressed to a Roman Emperor, on his assuming Impe- rial power: "Hail, Emperor! aoe Imperator / " It was as much as saying, " Thou a King indeed 1 Thou and thy king- dom are alike base and contemptible."
Hengstenberg observes, " It was the kingdom of the Jews it- self that »,he soldiers laughed at. They regarded Jesus as the representative of the Messianic hope of the Jews. They would turn to ridicule tliese royal hopes, which were known far in the heathen world, more especially as they aspired to the do- minion of the whole earth."
Let us not fail to remark at this point that ridicule, scorn, and contempt, were one prominent portion of our blessed Mas- ter's suiferings. Any one who knows human nature, must know that few things are more difficult to bear than ridicule, especially when we know that it is undeserved, and when it is for religion's sake. Those who have to endure such ridicule may take comfort in the thought that Christ can sympathize with them ; for it is a cup which He Himself drank to the very dregs. Here again He was our Substitute, He bore contempt, that we might receive praise and glory at the last day.
Henry remarks, " If at any time we are ridiculed for well- doing, let us not be ashamed, but glorify God ; for thus we are partakers of Christ's sufferings,"
[And they smote. ..hands.] The words so rendered would be equally well translated, " they gave Him blows with a rod or stick." The same Greek word in the singular is so translated in the marginal reading of John xviii, 23, When we compare Matt, xxvii. 27, 30, where it says the soldiers took a reed and smote Him with it on the head, it seems highly probable that this was the action here recorded. According to Matthew, the soldiers put the reed in our Lord's hand as a mock sceptre ; and when, as Lampe observes, " He refused to retain it in His right hand, because He came to suffer indignities, but not to perform them," they snatched it out of His hand, and brutally struck