THE PROPHECY
"But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.
"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to His own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
"He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth.
"He was taken from prison and from judgment; and who shall declare His generation? For He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was He stricken." Isaiah 53 : 5 - 8, written 700 years B.C.
THE FULFILMENT
"The governor, finding it impossible to alter their choice, released unto them Barabbas. And as it was the general practice of the Romans to scourge those criminals they condemned to be crucified, Pilate ordered the blessed Jesus to be scourged before he delivered Him to the soldiers to be put to death. The soldiers, having scourged Jesus, and received the orders to crucify Him, carried Him into the pretorium, or common hall, where they added the shame of disgrace to the bitterness of His punishment; for, sore as He was by reason of the stripes they had given Him, they dressed Him in a purple robe, in de rision of His being king of the Jews. Having dressed Him in this robe of mockmajesty, they put a reed in His hand instead of a sceptre, and after platting a wreath of thorne, they put it on His head for a crown; forcing it down in so rude a manner that His temples were torn, and His face besmeared with His most precious blood. To the Son of God in this condition the rude soldiers bowed the knee pretending to do it out of respect; but, at the same time, gave Him severe blows on His head, which drove the points of the wreath afresh into His temples, and then spit on Him to express their highest contempt."
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