Pilate was now really desirous of liberating Jesus; but being a weak and wavering man, totally deficient in moral courage, he knew not how to resist the clamors of the Jews. They endeavored to goad him to gratify them by the menace, “If thou let this man go, thou art not Cæsar’s friend. Whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Cæsar.” Pilate was not on very good terms with the imperial government. He knew that any report that he was unfaithful to Cæsar might cost him his office. Pilate still persisted, “I find no fault in this man. And they were more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.” Pilate caught at this allusion to Galilee, and hoped that there was a new chance to extricate himself from his difficulties. As a Galilean, Jesus belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction; and it so chanced that Herod was at that time in Jerusalem. He therefore sent him under a guard to Herod. A band of chief priests and scribes accompanied the prisoner to this new tribunal, and vehemently accused him. Herod, with his men at war, set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. It was now about twelve o’clock at noon. Pilate presented Jesus to the Jews, saying scornfully, “Behold your King!” A scene of tumult and clamor ensued, the rulers crying out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Then Pilate said, “Ye have brought this man unto me as one that perverteth the people; and behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: no, nor yet Herod; for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. I will therefore chastise him and release him.”[70] Still the clamor rose, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate was seriously troubled. While these scenes had been transpiring, his wife had sent a messenger to him, saying,―― “Have thou nothing to do with that just man; for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.” But Pilate had force of character only in wickedness. In violation of every dictate of his judgment, he surrendered Jesus to his foes. “When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person. See ye to it.” The Jews replied, “His blood be on us and on our children.” Pilate then, having released Barabbas, again ordered Jesus to be scourged, and delivered him to the Jews to be crucified. The soldiers led Jesus into the common hall of the palace, and summoned all their comrades to take part in the awful tragedy in which they were engaged. First they stripped Jesus, then put on him a scarlet robe, placed a crown of thorns upon his head, put a reed in his hand, and bowed the knee before him, and derisively exclaimed, “Hail, King of the Jews!”