So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion. And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. And they began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.
Comment: When you are watching some things on TV, or even reading about them you close your eyes or turn off the volume or go out of the room because you are so shocked and disgusted and angry by what man can do to man. Here is such a scene. The man wielding the whip was big and muscular; the whip had many tails on it (possibly nine) which had pieces of bone or some other ‘biting’ pieces studded along it to tear the skin; usually they had 39 lashes. He was beaten over the head, spat upon and taunted. The soldiers had to have their ‘fun’ before they led him out to die. And this Man was the guiltless (declared by God and Pilate) Son of God, being laughed at as the ‘King of the Jews’ when He is, as presented in the Bible. the Creator and the King of kings and Lord of lords!
Prayer: I don’t want to open my eyes to such terrible injustice and cruelty, Lord. But help to me realize that He went through it all for me.
As I read it! 
Thank you Barry for your comments on this passage. A terrible terrible crime was being committed to the One who came to save the world from sin. “He was pierced for our (my) transgressions, He was crushed for our (my) iniquities; the punishment which brought us (me) peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are (I am) healed.” Isaiah 53:9. Thank you Lord Jesus for dying for me.
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