It was incumbent on Pilate to set Jesus free, and arrest his accusers. This would not do, rather he twisted the facts and searched for a compromise. So he ordered Jesus to be flogged. Such a punishment was terrifying and exhausting. The lashes carried bits of bone and led that cut into the skin. When the soldiers roughly manhandled Jesus they tied him to a pillar with bared back and rained blows on his body. His skin and flesh were torn, in unutterable pain. Many thus tortured died in the process. Our innocent Lord suffered much in body and soul.
Then the soldiers, to keep up the mockery, took the lacerated body of Jesus. These soldiers lived in fear of Jewish terrorists, not daring to march out at night. This then was their chance to avenge themselves by torturing someone called the king of the Jews. On him was poured all the malice they felt towards this restless people. One of them ran and plucked a branch from a thorn bush, making it into a crown to place on Christ’s brow. The pressure of this crown of thorns made the blood gush out. Others came with worn clothes that belonged to the officer, and wrapped it around him. The blood mixed with the purple dye, till Jesus seemed to be covered in gore. Added to this, he was kicked and punched brutally. Some bowed before him, as if preparing him for coronation. The likelihood that these imperial troops represented various European nations means that many of the world’s tribes shared in this mockery and blasphemy directed at the Lamb of God.