ACC ~ Matthew 27 v26

THEY SCOURGED JESUS

CHRYSOSTOM: Why did Pilate have Jesus whipped? Either as one presumably condemned, or to please the crowd, or as if he were willing to give their judgment some sort of standard legal expression. And yet he ought to have resisted them. For indeed even before this he had said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” [1] There were many reasons that Pilate and the others might have held back: the signs and the miracles, the great patience of the one who was suffering these things, and above all his benign silence. For since both by his defense of himself and by his prayers, he had shown his humanity, again he now shows his glory and the greatness of his nature, both by his silence and by his indifference to what they said. This might have led them to marvel. But neither Pilate nor the crowd takes sufficient note of these evidences. THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 86.2. [2]

[1] Jn 18:31.

[2] PG 58:766; NPNF 1 10:513.

HE RELEASED BARABBAS

JEROME: Barabbas the robber, who had provoked a riot among the crowds and committed murder, was released to the Jewish people. … Now Jesus, having been delivered up by the Jews, was absolved of guilt by Pilate’s wife and was called a just man by the governor himself. Moreover, the centurion declared that he was truly the Son of God. [1] The learned reader may be hard pressed to explain the fact that Pilate washed his hands and said, “I am innocent of the blood of this just man,” [2] and later handed over the scourged Jesus to be crucified. It is important to realize that Jesus was dealt with according to Roman law, which decreed that whoever is to be crucified must first be beaten with whips. Thus Jesus was handed over to the soldiers for scourging, and their whips did their work on that most sacred body and that bosom which held God. This came about so that, in keeping with the words “many cords of sins” [3] and with the whipping of Jesus, we might be free from scourging. As holy Scripture says to the just man: “The whip did not draw near to your tabernacle.” [4] COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 4.27.24. [5]

[1] Mt 27:54.

[2] Mt 27:24.

[3] Ps 32:10 (31:10 LXX).

[4] Ps 91:10 (90:10 LXX).

[5] CCL 77:267-68.

THEY STRUCK HIM

APOLLINARIS: The floggings [are] for the sins of the world, because the sinner is flogged many times, according to the prophecy that says, “I gave my back to the whips.” [1] And so is fulfilled [the saying] that the righteous [will give himself] for sinners. The height of goodness is also fulfilled when “the righteous [suffered] for the unrighteous,” [2] so that “by his wounds we might be healed,” as Isaiah says. [3] FRAGMENT 138. [4]

[1] Is 50:6.

[2] 1 Pet 3:18.

[3] Is 53:6.

[4] MKGK 49.