Practical Observations.

1. Think of the love of Him who endured these things from those he came to save, and when he had the power to destroy them in a moment if he would!

2. While thou pourest down thy drunken carouses, thou givest thy Savior a portion of gall; while thou despisest his poor servants, thou spittest in his face; while thou puttest on thy proud dresses, and liftest up thy vain heart with high conceits, thou settest a crown of thorns on his head; while thou wringest and oppressest his poor children, thou whippest him and drawest blood from his hands and feet.—Bishop Hall.

3. They put a reed in his hands as a mock sceptre. Even in the midst of the mockery the truth made itself felt. Herod recognizes his innocence by a white robe, the Roman soldiery his royalty by the sceptre and crown of thorns; and that has become the highest of all crowns.—Cook.

4. Pilate consented to do a deed of injustice rather than suffer the loss of an office and perhaps of his life. Three years later he lost the office and was sent into exile. He tried to “save his life and lost it.” For 1800 years he has been pilloried in the estimation of the world. But the prisoner he scourged, suffered to be mocked and crucified, has become the King of men, and rules over a world-wide and eternal empire. “I came to be a king,” said he, and he is King forever. 283