‘Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium, and gathered together to him the whole band.'
Note Matthew's emphasis on ‘the soldiers of the governor'. He is determined that Pilate should not to be exonerated. He alone was finally responsible for what happened, for the final authority was in his hands. From the outside, where the judgment seat had been set up, Jesus was taken into the courtyard of the Praetorium, the governor's residence. And there the soldiers rallied their comrades in order that they might have a good time at Jesus' expense. Note ‘the whole band' and compare it with ‘all the people' (Matthew 27:25), although it is not to be applied too literally. It really signifies as many as were available and wanted to take part. The point is that a good number who would do so. This mockery of prisoners was a regular practise in the ancient world, and would be inevitably indulged in by anyone who had charge of Him once He was seen to be beyond the pale. He was after all only a peasant in their eyes. No repercussions could therefore be expected, and it relieved the monotony. It was one of the ‘perks' of the job. Thus we should not be surprised by its constant repetition, (as though normally guards treated their prisoners well). Such mockery of prisoners is well attested to in external sources.
‘And gathered to Him.' So the world has ‘gathered together' against Jesus. In Matthew 26:3 it was the Chief Priests and Elders who had ‘gathered together' in order to plot His death, in Matthew 26:57 they had again ‘gathered together' in order to ensure that He was sentenced, in Matthew 27:17 the crowds had ‘gathered together' in order to condemn Jesus, and now the soldiers of Rome ‘gathered together' in order to mock Him. We can compare Acts 4:26 citing Psalms 2:2 where the rulers ‘gathered together' against the Lord's Anointed. They will shortly ‘gather together' to try to counter the dreadful news of His resurrection (Matthew 27:62; Matthew 28:12).