Then did they spit in his face— Spitting in the face was the greatest contempt and disgrace which could possibly be shewn. See Numbers 12:14. Buffeting or striking with the fist on the temples, was esteemed one of the most disgraceful punishments by the Greeks, from whom the Romans might have adopted it: smiting with the open palms of their hands, was esteemed such a dishonour, as none but a slave ought to endure. See Luke 22:64 and Isaiah 53:3; Isaiah 53:7. Because St. Matthew says, that they who condemned Jesus spit in his face and buffeted him; and St. Mark 14:65.mentionstheindignitiesinparticularwhichtheservantsputuponhim,—it appears that he was smitten, blind-folded, and buffeted even by some of the council; who to ridicule him for having pretended to be the great prophet foretold by Moses, bade him, sarcastically, to exercise his prophetical gifts in guessing who it was that smote him. Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, who is he that smote thee? The word rendered prophesy, signifies not only to foretel things that are future, but also to discover any thing obscure or beyond the reach of uninspired nature. It was hardly possible for these miscreants to invent any thing more expressive of the contempt in which they held our Lord's pretensions to the Messiahship. Thus was the judge of the world placed at the bar of his own creatures, falsely accused by the witnesses, unjustly condemned by his judges, and barbarously insulted by all! yet because it was agreeable to the end of his coming, he patiently submitted, though he could with a frown have made his judges, his accusers, and those who had him in custody, all to drop down dead in a moment, or sink into nothing! See Macknight, Grotius, Wetstein.
Related Commentaries of Matthew 26:67
Matthew 26:67-68
67 Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,
68 Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?