[Illustration: CHRIST BEFORE PILATE.--John 19:14-16.]
Pilate's soldiers were very cruel, and they laughed at a poor man being called a king; so when they had beaten the blessed JESUS till He was bleeding all over, they took one of their old red soldiers' cloaks and threw it over Him; and they platted a crown of sharp thorns, and forced it upon His head; and they put a reed in his right hand, instead of a sceptre; and they bowed their knees, mocking Him by pretending to do Him honor.
He never spoke one word of anger all this time; and when Pilate saw His meek, brave, patient face, pale and faint with pain, and streaming with blood, he thought the people would pity Him; so he led Him out once more to the top of the steps of the judgment hall, and said, "Behold the man!" But the people were too mad to have any pity or feeling, and they only cried louder and louder still, "Crucify Him! crucify Him!"
Pilate was not brave enough to go against them all, even to save an innocent man; so all he did was to take water and wash his hands before them all, to show that he was clear of wishing it, and he said, "I am innocent of the blood of this just person." But the chief priests made the dreadful answer, "His blood be on us, and on our children!" meaning that they would take the guilt and punishment.
[Illustration: THE END OF JUDAS ISCARIOT.--Matt. 27:3-5.]
1. What plan had Pilate for saving our Lord? 2. Whom did he always set free at the feast? 3. Whom did he wish to set free? 4. But whom did the chief priests make them ask for? 5. Who was Barabbas? 6. What did they all cry out? 7. What kind of punishment was crucifying? 8. To whom would it naturally have belonged? 9. But who was going to bear the worst of punishments? 10. How did the soldiers treat our Lord? 11. Why did they mock Him? 12. What did they put on His head? 13. What did they dress Him in? 14. What did they put in His hand? 15. What did Pilate hope to do? 16. What did he say? 17. What was the cry in answer?
"They pierced my hands and my feet."--_Ps. 22:16._
WHEN the judgment was over, Pilate gave up our Lord to the four soldiers who were to crucify Him. His cross, a heavy beam of wood, with another fastened across it, was laid on His shoulders, that He might carry it to the place where He was to suffer--a place named Calvary, outside the walls of Jerusalem.