ing, this bleeding, broken body would appeal to the sympathy of the Jews. A scarlet robe was thrown upon Him, a crown of thorns pressed upon His head and a reed placed in His hands. The robe was a symbol of royalty, the crown of kingship, and the reed of authority. They perhaps placed Him upon some rude seat and passed before Him and saluted Him as king of the Jews, smiting Him with their hands. Prophesy had declared it would be so. " H e was wounded for our trans- gressions, He was bruised for our in- iquities, the chastisement (scourging) of our peace was upon Him and with His stripes we are healed," Isa. 53:5. Covered with blood, bruised and with- ered by the scourging, Pilate presented Him to the people. ' ' Behold the ma n , '' Jno. 19:5. " A "man of sorrows and ac- quainted with g r i e f ." He was " d e : spised and rejected of me n ." " H e was despised and we esteemed Him n o t , " Isa. 53:3. The garb of mock- ery could not hide the real kingly bear- ing of the Son of God, but the cruel hatred of the Jews was not satisfied. They cried, " C r u c i fy H i m ." The Christ and the Cross. "And they crucified Him." Within the walls of the modern city, but outside of the ancient eity on Cal- vary, He was crucified. He carried the cross outside the city gate, Jno. 19:17, Num. 6:15-35, 1 Kings 21:21:32, Heb. 13:11. He was hanged upon a tree. It was a part of the reproach of a criminal that he bear his own cross to the place of execution. Cursed is everyone that hangeth upon a t r e e ," Gal. 3:13. The Cross is the lowest depths of Christ s humiliation. The Cross, is the death of the Curse. " H e was made a curse for us "• This awful cup He shrank from drinking, Matt. 26:39. It was on this cross that He bore our sin, 1 Pet 2:24. He was made sin for us. The title given to Him is the only ac- cusation. He is .Jesus the King of the Jews For being such He is associated with two robbers. They mocked Him. They reviled Him. Not the rabble only but the religious rulers. The staid chief priests, scribes and elders. Could human depravity go any deeper? No one mocks the two thieves. Yet the
Man whose sin made it necessary. Satan whose hatred prompted its per- formance. Jesus whose obedience suffered it. Father whose love provided it. In the light of these actors every de- tail should be studied. PILATE'S PRISONERS. "Whether of the twain." Pressed by the Jewish rulers, Pilate was in desperate straits. The mes- sage from his wife concerning her dream filled him with superstitious dread and he sought by strategy to evade the real issue. He introduced the two noted prisoners, Jesus Barabbas and Jesus Christ in hopes that they would select the robber; but the chief priests and elders were not to be foiled and insisted upon the crucifixion of Jesus. Pilate washed his hands, Deut. 21:67, Psa. 26:6, but could not wash his conscience. Pilate was after all but ^ secondary in the matter of guilt, the L3*d Jesus thus f ar acquitting Pilate a n d \ p u t t i ng the blame where it be- longed John 19:11. " T h ou couldest have n». power at all against me except it were given thee from above; there- fore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater s i n ." The Jews were responsible and assumed the guilt. " H i s blood upon us and upon our children." They have never been able to escape the awful consequences of that great sin through the centuries, and throughout the world His blood has been crying out against them. The heart of man is revealed in this choice and it shadows the coming one of whom Jesus spoke in Jno. 5:43, and Paul speaks in 2 Thess. 2:7-11. Three years and a half of ministry blessed by its beneficence and benevo- lence in which the glory of the Father was revealed in every act, was reward- ed by His own people with the sen- tence of death. THE ROBE AND THE REED. " A scarlet robe and a reed in His hand.'' Hered's soldiers had clothed Him with a gorgeous robe. Pilate had Him scourged. This no doubt was because He took the place of Barabbas. Pilate may have hoped that after the scourg-
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