sceptre. And this
they found without difficulty: a reed, probably used as a
walking-stick, being thrust into His right hand. Thus was the mock
king dressed up. And then, as on occasions of state they had seen
subjects bow the knee to the emperor, saying, "_Ave, Caesar!_" so they
advanced one after another to Jesus and, bending low, said, "Hail, King
of the Jews!" But, after passing with mock solemnity, each turned and,
with a burst of laughter, struck Him a blow, using for this purpose the
reed which He had dropped. And, though I hardly dare to repeat it,
they covered His face with spittle!

What a spectacle! It might have been expected that those who were
themselves poor and lowly, and therefore subject to the oppression of
the powerful, would have felt sympathy and compassion for one of their
own station when crushed by the foot of tyranny. But there is no
cruelty like the cruelty of underlings. There is an instinct in all to
wish to see others cast down beneath themselves; and, especially, if
one who has aimed high is brought low, there is a sense of personal
exultation at his downfall. Such are the base passions which lie at
the bottom of men's hearts; and the dregs of the dregs of human nature
were revealed on this occasion.

What must it have been to Jesus to look on it--to have it thrust on His
sight and into contact with His very person, so that He could not get
away? What must it have been to Him, with His delicate bodily organism
and sensitive mind, to be in the hands of those rude and ruthless men?
It was, however, necessary, in order that He might fully accomplish the
work which He had come to the world to perform. He had come to redeem
humanity--to go down to the very lowest depths to seek and to save the
lost; and, therefore, He had to make close acquaintance with human
nature in its worst specimens and its extremest degradation. He was to
be the Saviour of sinners as bad and degraded as even these soldiers;
and, therefore, He had to come in contact with them and see what they
were.

Thus have I passed as lightly as was possible over the details; nor
would my readers wish me to dwell on them further. But it will be
profitable to linger on this spot a little longer, in order to learn
the lessons of the scene.

First, notice in the conduct of the tormentors of Jesus the abuse of
one of the gifts of God. In the conduct of the Roman soldiers from
first to last the most striking feature is