These indignities Jesus is said to have suffered, not at the hands of a Jewish mob, but at the hands of a Roman court, from which the Jews had absented themselves and whose proceedings they could not witness nor directly influence. Every lawyer knows that for more than two thousand years the Roman court has been the world's model for dignity and fairness. That an innocent and defenseless prisoner was subjected to these insults and brutalities in a Roman court, presided over by a Roman governor, none but a slave of superstition can believe. 331 When was he scourged? Matthew and Mark: Before he was executed. "And when he [Pilate] had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified" (Matt. xxvii, 26; Mark xv, 15). John: Before the termination of his trial (xix, 1-16). Scourging was frequently inflicted by the Romans before execution, but never before the prisoner was convicted and sentenced. The "Bible Dictionary" concedes the illegal and unusual character of the scourging mentioned by John. "In our Lord's case, however, this infliction seems neither to have been the legal scourging after sentence nor yet the examination by torture" (Acts xxii, 24). 332 What custom is said to have been observed at the Passover? All: The release of a prisoner by the Roman governor (Matt. xxvii, 15; Mark xv, 6; Luke xxiii, 17; John xviii, 39). "Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would." There is no historical authority whatever for this alleged custom. It was a custom that the Roman government in Judea could not with safety adopt. The Jews were a subject people, waiting and hoping for an opportunity to throw off the Roman yoke. To release to them "whomsoever they desired" (Mark xv, 6) might be to release a political prisoner whose liberty would endanger the government itself. This story was probably suggested by a custom of the Roman emperors who released a prisoner at their birthday festivals. 333 They demanded and obtained the release of Barrabas. Who was Barrabas? John: A robber. "Now Barrabas was a robber" (xviii, 40). Mark and Luke: A murderer. "Barrabas (who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison)" (Luke xxiii, 18, 19; Mark xv, 7). 334 By whom was Jesus clad in mockery? Matthew, Mark and John: By Pilate's soldiers (Matt. xxvii, 27, 28; Mark xv, 16, 17; John xix, 1, 2). Luke: By Herod and his soldiers. "And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe" (xxiii, 11). 335 What was the color of the robe they put on him? Matthew: "They stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe" (xxvii, 28). Mark and John: "They put on him a purple robe" (John xix, 2; Mark xv, 17). 336 When did this occur? John: During his trial (xix, 1, 2, 12-16). Matthew and Mark: After Pilate had delivered him to be crucified (Matt. xxvii, 26-28; Mark xv, 15-17). 337 Describe the mocking of Jesus.