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Application. See how patiently your Saviour suffered! He was falsely accused, but He answered not a word! He was mocked at and scoffed, but yet He was silent! And yet you are impatient and angry the moment anything disagreeable is said or done to you! Imitate your Lord for the future, and do not return evil for evil. Whenever you feel moved to anger, or impatience, keep silence and say to yourself: “O Jesus, I will bear this for love of Thee!”

Chapter LXXIV.

JESUS IS SCOURGED, CROWNED WITH THORNS, AND CONDEMNED TO DEATH.

[Mat. 27, 11. Mark 15, 1. Luke 23, 1. John 18, 33.]

PILATE well knew that it was through envy^[1] that the chief priests and the ancients had brought our Saviour before him, and therefore he wished to save^[2] Jesus from their hands. So he went out to the people again and said: “You have a custom8 that I should release to you one of the prisoners^[3] at the Pasch. Will you, therefore, that I should release to you Jesus or Barabbas?”^[4] Now this Barabbas was a murderer, who had been taken prisoner in a sedition of the people. Immediately the people, instigated by the chief priests and the ancients, cried out: “Away^[5] with this Man, and release unto us Barabbas!”

↑ Envy. At the respect in which Jesus was held by the people.
↑ Wished to save. Moreover, his wife, whose name was Procla, and who, though a Gentile, was much impressed by the Jews’ faith in one God, and had an ardent longing for the truth, sent to her husband, saying: “Have thou nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of Him.” This warning, given through his wife, strengthened Pilate's desire to set Jesus free.
↑ Prisoners. Belonging to their own country.
↑ Jesus or Barabbas. By putting this choice Pilate abandoned the path of rectitude, for he classed together Jesus whom he knew to be innocent, and the notorious criminal who was indeed worthy of death.
↑ Away. “Put Him out of the way! Kill Him!” So intense was their hatred of Jesus that they would not even bring themselves to pronounce His Name. They impetuously demanded that the criminal should be pardoned, and that He who was innocent should be condemned.

[1] Envy. At the respect in which Jesus was held by the people.

[2] Wished to save. Moreover, his wife, whose name was Procla, and who, though a Gentile, was much impressed by the Jews’ faith in one God, and had an ardent longing for the truth, sent to her husband, saying: “Have thou nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of Him.” This warning, given through his wife, strengthened Pilate's desire to set Jesus free.

[3] Prisoners. Belonging to their own country.

[4] Jesus or Barabbas. By putting this choice Pilate abandoned the path of rectitude, for he classed together Jesus whom he knew to be innocent, and the notorious criminal who was indeed worthy of death.

[5] Away. “Put Him out of the way! Kill Him!” So intense was their hatred of Jesus that they would not even bring themselves to pronounce His Name. They impetuously demanded that the criminal should be pardoned, and that He who was innocent should be condemned.

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