Having
at length executed the sentence of scourging, the executioners unbound the Lord
from the column, and with imperious and blasphemous presumption commanded Him
immediately to put on his garment.
The
Jews’ implacable fury at once planned another outrageous cruelty. They went to
Pilate and in the presence of his counsellors said: “This seducer and deceiver of the people, Jesus of Nazareth, in his
boasting and vanity, has sought to be recognized by all as the king of the
Jews. In order that his pride may be humbled and his presumption be confounded,
we desire your permission to place upon Him the royal insignia merited by his fantastic
pretensions.” Pilate yielded to the unjust demand of the Jews, permitting
them to proceed according to their intentions.
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| The barbaric crowning of Christ |
Thereupon
they took Jesus to the pretorium, where, with the same cruelty and contempt,
they again despoiled him of his garments and in order to deride Him before all
the people as a counterfeit king, clothed Him in a much torn and soiled mantle
of purple colour. They placed also upon his sacred head a cap made of woven
thorns, to serve Him as a crown (John 19, 2). This cap was woven of thorn
branches and in such a manner that many of the hard and sharp thorns would
penetrate into the skull,
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| The type they use in making the crown |
some of them to the ears and others to the eyes.
Hence one of the greatest tortures suffered by the Lord was that of the crown
of thorns. Instead of a scepter they placed into his hands a contemptible reed.
They also threw over His shoulders a violet coloured mantle, something of the
style of capes worn in churches; for such a garment belonged to the vestiture
of a king. In this array of a mock king the perfidious Jews decked out Him, who
by his nature and by every right was the King of kings and the Lord of lords
(Apoc. 19, 16). Then all the soldiers, in the presence of the priests and Pharisees,
gathered around Him and heaped upon Him their blasphemous mockery and derision.
Some of them bent their knees and mockingly said to Him: God save Thee, King of
the Jews. Others buffeted Him; others snatched the cane from his hands and
struck Him on his crowned head; others ejected their disgusting spittle upon
Him; all of them, instigated by furious demons, insulted and affronted Him in
different manners.
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|
The most innocent Jesus opened not his mouth in those great and many
injuries. Nor was the furious wrath of the Jews appeased, either by the mockery
and derision of the divine Master, or by the torments added to the contempt of
his most exalted Person
