The minute particularity is very noteworthy, scourging, plucking the
beard, shame, all sorts of taunts and buffets on the face, and the last
indignity of spitting. Clearly, then, He is not only to suffer
persecution, but is to be treated with insult and to endure that
strange blending, so often seen, of grim infernal laughter with grim
infernal fury, the hyena's laugh and its ferocity. Wherever it occurs,
it implies not only fell hate and cruelty, but also contempt and a
horrible delight in triumphing over an enemy. It is found in all
corrupt periods, and especially in religious persecutions. Here it
implies the rejection of the Servant.
The prophecy was literally fulfilled, but not in all its traits. This
may give a hint as to the general interpretation of prophecy and may
teach that external fulfilment only points to a deeper correspondence.
The most salient instance is in Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem riding
on an ass, which was but a finger-post to guide men's thoughts to His
fulfilling the ideal of the Messianic King. And yet, the minute
correspondences are worth noticing. What a strange, solemn glimpse they
give into that awful divine omniscience, and into the mystery of the
play of the vilest passions as being yet under control in their
extremest rage!
We must note the remarkable prominence in the narratives of the
Passion, of signs of contempt and mockery; Judas' kiss, the purple
robe, the crown of thorns, 'wagging their heads,' 'let be, let Elias
come,' etc.
Think of the exquisite pain of this to Christ. That He was sinless and
full of love made it all the worse to bear. Not the physical pain, but
the consciousness that He was encompassed by such an atmosphere of
evil, was the sharpest pang. We should think with reverent sympathy of
His perfect discernment of the sinful malignant hearts from which the
sufferings came, of His pained and rejected love thrown back on itself,
of His clear sight of what their heartless infliction of tortures would
end in for the inflicters, of His true human feeling which shrank from
being the object of contempt and execration.