Lecture 1 — The scourging and crowning

^19:1^ Then therefore, Pilate took Jesus and scourged him. [n. 2372]

^19:2^ And the soldiers, platting a crown of thorns, put it on his head; and they put a purple garment on him. [n. 2375]

^19:3^ And they came to him, and said: hail, king of the Jews; and they struck him. [n. 2377]

2371. Above, the Evangelist gave us an account of what Christ suffered from the Jews; here he describes what in particular he endured from the Gentiles. He suffered three things, as he had predicted: they will deliver him to the Gentiles, to be mocked and scourged and crucified (Matt 20:19).

First, he deals with the scourging of Christ;

second, with his mockery: and the soldiers, platting a crown of thorns, put it on his head;

and third, with his crucifixion: **Pilate therefore went out again, and said to them: behold, I am bringing him out to you **(John 19:4).

2372. He says, then, after all their shouting, Pilate took Jesus and scourged him, not with his own hands, but using his soldiers. He did this hoping that the Jews would be satisfied with these wounds and be softened so as no longer to demand his death.

For it is natural for our anger to subside if we see the one we are angry at humiliated and punished, as the Philosopher says in his Rhetoric. This is true of that anger which seeks to inflict a limited amount of harm; but this is not the case with that hatred which seeks the entire destruction of the one hated: an enemy . . . if he finds an opportunity his thirst for blood will be insatiable (Sir 12:16). Now the Jews hated Christ, and so his scourging did not satisfy them: all the day long I have been scourged (Ps 73:14); I gave my back to the smiters (Isa 50:6).

2373. Does this intention excuse Pilate for the scourging?

It does not; because of all those things which are evil in themselves, none can be made totally good by a good intention. Now to harm an innocent person, and especially the Son of God, is in the highest degree an evil in itself. Consequently, it cannot be excused by any intention.

2374. Now the Evangelist shows us Christ being ridiculed:

first, the mock honors paid to him;

second, the real dishonor showed him, and struck him.

They pay him mock honors by calling him a king, thus adverting to the charge lodged by the Jews, who said that he made himself king of the Jews. Therefore, they pay him the three honors given to a king, but in a derisive way.

First, we have a mock crown;

and then mock clothing

and mock acclamations.

2375. They mock him with a crown, because it is customary for kings to wear a crown of gold: a crown of gold upon his head (Sir 45:12). The Psalm mentions this: thou dost set a crown of fine gold upon his head (Ps 21:3). And the soldiers, platting a crown of thorns, put it on his head, the head of him who is a crown of glory to those who belong to him: in that day the Lord of hosts will be a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, to the remnant of his people (Isa 28:5). It was fittingly made of thorns, because by them he removes the thorns of sin, which pain us through remorse of conscience: break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns (Jer 4:3). These thorns also take away the thorns of punishment which burden us: thorns and thistles it will bring forth to you (Gen 3:18).

Was this crowning done by the governor’s order? Chrysostom says that it was not, but that the soldiers were bribed with money and did this to satisfy the Jews. On the other hand, Augustine says that this was done by the command or the permission of the governor, so that the hatred of the Jews would be satiated and Pilate could more easily release Jesus.

2376. Second, they mock him with clothing. The soldiers . . . put a purple garment on him, which was the sign of a royal dignity for the Romans. In Maccabees we read that when the Romans ruled they wore a crown and were clothed in purple (1 Macc 8:14). This clothing of Christ in purple fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah: why is your apparel red, and your garments like his that treads in the wine press? (Isa 63:2)

At the same time it indicates the sufferings of the martyrs, which stains red the entire body of Christ, that is, the Church.

2377. Third, they mock him in the way they address him. They came up to him, saying: **hail, king of the Jews! **It was the custom then, as it is now, for subjects to salute their king when they came into his presence: and when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom: long live the king! Long live the king! (2 Sam 16:16).

As for the mystical interpretation, those greet Christ mockingly who profess him with words but deny him with their deeds (Titus 1:16). Not everyone that says to me Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of heaven (Matt 7:21).

2378. Now he mentions the real dishonor shown to Christ, and struck him, in order to show that the honor they gave him was in mockery: I gave my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard (Isa 50:6); with a rod they strike upon the cheek the ruler of Israel (Mic 5:1).