Jesus said, “Thou sayest” (i.e., it is so) “I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” Pilate, having carelessly inquired “What is truth?” without waiting for any answer, turned to the Jews, and said, “I find in him no fault at all. But ye have a custom that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye, therefore, that I release unto you the King of the Jews?” There was then in prison a noted robber and murderer by the name of Barabbas. With one accord these Jewish rulers cried out, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Then Pilate, though he had already declared Jesus to be innocent, infamously ordered him to be scourged, that he might conciliate the favor of the Jews. It pales one’s cheek to think what it was to be scourged by the sinewy arms of the Roman soldiery.[68] After Jesus had undergone this terrible infliction without the utterance of a word, while fainting with anguish and the loss of blood, the ribald soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and forced it upon his brow, piercing the flesh with its sharp points, and crimsoning his cheeks with blood. A purple robe they threw over his shoulders, and placed a reed, in mockery of a sceptre, in his hand: derisively they shouted, “Hail, King of the Jews!” while they smote him with their hands. The infamous Pilate led Jesus forth thus, exhausted, bleeding, and held up to derision, to the Jews, saying at the same time, “Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.” But the rulers, clamorous for his blood, not satisfied with even this aspect of misery, cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate, wicked as he was, recoiled from the thought of putting one so entirely innocent to death. He therefore said impatiently and sarcastically, “Take ye him, and crucify him; for I find no fault in him.” This he said, knowing that the Jews had no legal power to do this. But they replied, “We have a law; and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.” Pilate was greatly troubled. The bearing of Jesus had deeply impressed him. He was fearful that there might be something divine in his character and mission. Turning to Jesus, he said, “Whence art thou?” (i.e., “What is thy origin and parentage?”) Jesus made no reply. Pilate then added,―― “Speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and power to release thee?” Jesus replied, “Thou couldst have no power at all except it were given thee from above. Therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.”[69]