Jesus was scourged mercilessly by the Roman soldiers. This act was accomplished with a whip made of strips of leather having rough pieces of metal tied at the ends of the strips. Often the resultant deep gashes opened the flesh to the very bone.
The vertebral column is one of the most sensitive members of the body through which the nerves pass. He who damages this column damages the man himself. This scourging was a preparation for the body to become, before crucifixion, weak and losing a great quantity of blood. A scourged man was considered half dead.
After the torture, the soldiers were allowed to mock Jesus. They did to him what they wished, for the hour of crucifixion had not come yet. They brought him into the fortress of Antonia of the four thick towers, which was situated at the north temple court, where the Roman troops were quartered, overlooking and surrounding the temple area to curb any outbreak of violence in the city.
The Roman cohort, which was put at that time in Jerusalem, contained approximately 500-1000 soldiers and officers. The soldiers who were charged with torturing Jesus called their friends laughing and saying: “Today, we have a stranger who claims to be the King of the Jews. He wished to stir up the people. So, let us worship to him. He also said that he was the Son of God. So, let us worship to him.”
None of the mockers believed in Jesus’ call and glory, but they saw his bloodstained robe, his torn back, and his silent isolation. Some ran and brought the same kind of the robe worn by the Roman governor. They platted a crown of thorns, and put it upon his head mockingly. Thorns came deep into his front. How great were the sufferings that Jesus bore!
Jesus maintained royal silence without any crying. They were not satisfied in torturing his body, but they also tortured his soul with their blasphemy, saying: “Hail, unsuccessful King of the Jews! March on, hero without an army, riding an ass without a political plan, miraculously Healer, who is not able to heal himself.”
Some bowed the knee before him, and made a jest of doing homage to him. They did not know what they did, for the devil had blinded their eyes, and they blasphemed in the midst of their mock-homage. To complete their shame, they took a reed and smote him on the head and the back. They had already put a scepter in his hand to deride his pretensions of being a king.
Jesus did not carry a king’s scepter made of gold and ivory with his right hand, nor did he carry a golden globe with his left hand, but became an image of mockery. Heathen men smote him and spat in his face. Did anyone spit in your face, in your eyes? What was your reaction? Look, how Jesus responded? He loved his enemies, blessed those who cursed him, and bore the hatred of men without complaint. He overcame the whole world in himself.
After they had emptied all the mockery, and grudge of their human hearts, they took the royal robe off from him, and put his own bloodstained raiment on him, not knowing that this one-piece-garment indicated the office of the true High Priest who was on his way to reconcile God to men, giving his life for love. They did not recognize that the King of Kings purchased to himself a people who wear his characteristics: meekness and love, humility and glory, forgiveness and holiness.