The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 601

Vers. 26----,34.-Preparations for the Orucifixion. I. '1'1IE SOOUR<lING, 1. le had beien predicted. "I gave my back to the smiters," Isaiah said in the spirit of prophecy; and again, in words very solemn and very precious to sin-laden consciences "By his stripes we are healed." The Lord himself had told his disciples beforehand that he should suffer this cruel indignity (eh. xx. 19). The circumstances of the Lord's sufferings were revealed to t.he I?rophets ages before the time. This fact shows their solemn importance and deep spiritual signifies.nee. We should meditate in awe and adoring love on all those touching details which the Holy Ghost so long before made known to the prophets, that men should see the day of Christ by faith, and should anticipate the saving power of his atonement. 2. The intention of Pilate. Pilate had hoped to substitute the scourge for the cross. He had at first pronounced the Lord inuocent. Then when the chief priests had stirred up the people and there were sians of gathering tumult., he thought of the act of grace usual o.t the Passover as a me~ns for releasing him. Now when the frenzy of the excited crowd bad become uncon- trollable, he resorted to the scourge as a means for saving his life. "I will chastise him, and let him go" (Luke :xxiii. 22). He thought that the hatred of the chief priests might be satisfied, that the pity of the crowd might be moved by the anguish of the scourge. It was a pitiful exhibition of weakness. He would commit what seemed the lesser crime to avoid the greater. But sin ever leads on to sic, We may not do evil that good may come; we may not follow the multitude to do evil. The Christian must sometimes stand alone against an angry multitude if he knows that what is required of him is wrong in the sight of God. 3. The severity of the punish• mcnt. It was a sickening sight. The shame was cruel; the torture terrible. Holy Scripture records it in a few simple words. Ancient writers give us harrowing descriptions of the sufferings of Christian martyrs under the horrible lash. We must remember the Divine dignity of the awful Sufferer. We are treading on holy ground; we must approach these last scenes of the Lord's Passion with reverence and godly fear. He is God, and he is suffering for us. We must draw near with deep sympathy for him, and with humble contrition, remembering our many and grievous offences which brought this agony upon him. And we must come with the deepest gratitude, with fervent love; for these his bitter pains manifest tbe unutterable strength and tender• ness of his great love for us. II. 'l'nE MOCKERY. 1. The scarlet robe. The Lord bad already been derided by the attendants of the chief priests, and afterwards by Herod ; now the Roman soldiers were guilty of the like brntal insults. It was a scene of studied and gratuitous cruelty, which shows the depth of wickedness of which human nature is capable. The Lord haci done them no wrong; some of them, at least, bad beard the trial, and knew that be was innocent. But he was in their hands; he was to be put to death; and they would have their wicked pleasure ; they would make sport of hie agonies. They gathered round him the whole cohort to share their cruel game. They had heard of bis claims to royal dignity; they put on him a scarlet robe, some cast-off military mantle, in imitation of the imperial purple. 2. The crown of thorns. They plattcd a crown of thorns to represent the wreath of laurel worn by the Caisars at Rome; they pressed it down, with its sharp spines, upon that holy bead. They ~nt B reed fo~ a mock sceptre iuto his bound hands; and then the whole cohort, eoldier after soldier, passed before him, each bowing the knee in pretended homage, each addressing him 1Vith the derisive title, "Hail, King of tLe Jews I" When !hey were wearied of this wicked sport, these bitter taunts, they spat upon that gracious face; they took the reed and smote him on that thorn-crowned head, till. tired in turn of these insulting outr~ges, they took off the scarlet robe and put !us ?Wn raiment on hi_m, and led_ him away to crucify him. And he who suffered all this bitter mockery wa~ mdeed a King- King of kings, and Lord of lords. At any moment throughou~ hlB long protracted agony he might, by one word, one look, have swept his torturers mto utter death. Ho suffered in silence, patient:y, calmly, setting us an example of meekness, of holy endurance. If the Lord most holy bore the80 outrageous insults, we sinful men may well take it JJatiently when we are called to suffer wrong when men speak 111 of us. oJt. xxvu. 1-66.J THE GOHPEL ACCORDING TO ST, MATTHEW. 607