Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.
Pilate put the question to the Lord, "Art Thou the King of the Jews?" He wanted to hear from Christ's own lips whether He pretended to the earthly crown of a kingdom, over which the Roman power held sway. But Our Lord had no kingdom on this earth, and He answered, "For this was I born, and for this came I into the world, that I should give testimony to the truth." Pilate did not want to be convinced of the truth, and he answered indifferently, "What is truth?" The Lord came into this world to spread the truth of the Gospel; He wished to teach us that truth which makes us truly free. The Lord wishes to show us the way in which we should walk in order to reach Him. But the world is not anxious for such enlightenment, any more than Pilate. For nineteen hundred years the Church of God has been teaching truth. But the world does not accept the teaching of Jesus as truth; the world is too proud to receive this humble teaching. And yet Our Lord's voice rings clear, "Every one that is of the truth, heareth My voice."
Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.
Pilate went out to consult with the Jews, the accusers of Christ, and he told them that he found no cause of death in Christ. He admitted that there might be some rebellion which ought to be punished, and that he would administer a severe punishment and then would set Him free. See Our Lord, humbly standing before this unjust judge; see the soldiers, as soon as the order was given, tear off His garments, drag Him over to the column of marble, and there bind Him. Then they take the stout cords, on the ends of which are leaden balls with spikes, and whirling them over their heads, they let them fall cruelly on Christ's shoulders. The blood spurts from every wound, and soon the place about the column is covered with blood. The crime of that flagellation was so great that no human words can express it. In what a dreadful state Our Lord was left after it was over--how exhausted! From the soles of His feet to the crown of His head there was no sound spot in Him.
Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.
When the Lord had been scourged, the soldiers platted a crown of thorns and placed it on His head, pressing it down, striking the crown with sticks that they might save their hands from wounds, and then they put a purple garment on Him. All this was done to mock Him, because He said He was a king: the crown of royalty He bore on His head, and the purple garment which kings generally wore covered His body. They carried out their derision still farther; they bent their knees before Him, and having blindfolded Him, they struck Him in the face, asking Him to point out who was the one that had given Him the blow. O loving face of Jesus! upon which the angels desired to gaze; look with pity on poor humanity that dost treat Thee so cruelly; look with pity on our inordinate desires to satisfy the demands of our passions. Ah, Thou knowest who hast heaped these insults upon Thee! In Thy omnipresence Thou seest the sins which we commit. The Jews, indeed, treated Thee as a mock king, and like a fool, whilst poor mankind in its ignorance hast prepared all these torments for Thee.