Him witli it on tlie bead. This appears to me a reasonable and Batisfactory supposition, and makes it most likely that the blow- here was not " with the hand."
If the blows were inflicted on the head, whether with hand or reed, we can readily conceive what acute bodily pain they might occasion to a head crowned with thorns. The thorns would be driven into the skin, till the blood ran down the face and forehead and neck of our Lord. Truly " He was bruised for our iniquities." (Isaiah liii. 5.)
4,,— [Pilate therefore went forth, etc.] This verse opens a new ' scene of the painful story of the passion. The scourging being over, and the mockery of the soldiers having gone on as long as Pilate thought it worth while, the Roman Governor went forth outside the palace where he lived, to the Jews, who were waiting to hear the result of his private interview with our Lord. We must remember that, under the influence of hypo- critical scrupulosity, they would not go inside the Gentile Gov- ernor's house, lest forsooth they should be " defiled," and were therefore waiting in the court outside. Now Pilate comes out of his palace and speaks to them. The words of the verse seem to show that Pilate came out first, and that our Lord was led out behind him. — "Behold I am bringing Him oui side again, that you may know that I can find no fault or cause of con- demnation in Him, and no ground for your charge that He is a stirrer up of sedition and a rebel King. He is only a weak, harmless fanatic, who lays claim to no kingdom of this world, and I bring Him forth to you as a poor, contemptible person worthy of scorn, but not one that I can pronounce worthy of death. I have examined Him myself, and I inform you that I can see no harm in Him."
It seems to me quite plain that Pilate's private interview with our Lord has completely satisfied the Gov^ernor that He was a harmless, innocent person, and made him feel a strong desire to dismiss Him unhurt ; and he secretly hoped that the Jews would be satisfied when they saw the prisoner whom they liad accused brought out beaten and bruised, and treated with scorn and contempt, and that they would not press the charge any further. How thoroughly this cowardly double-dealing man was disappointed, and what violence he had to do to his own conscience, we shall soon see.
It is very noteworthy that the expression, " I find no fault in Him," is used three times by Pilate, in the same Greek words, in St. John's account of the passion. (John xviii. 88 ; xix. 4-6.) It was meet and right that he who had the chief hand in slay- ing the Lamb of God, the Sacrifice for our sins, should three "times publicly declare that he found no spot or blemish in Him. He was proclaimed a Lamb without spot or fault, after a search- ing examination, by him that slew Him.
5.—[Then...Jesusfort7i...t7i07'7is...robe.'] The language of this sen-
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