Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists. And some slapped him.
This verse shows the deepest moment of humiliation, when the sinner raises his hand against the Innocent. What happens here is not merely physical violence, but the full manifestation of spiritual darkness. The human being, who was created in the image of God, now strikes that very Image—his Creator. The spitting, the slap, and the fist symbolize not only bodily suffering, but also humanity’s rejection of the truth. But Jesus remains silent. His silence is a condemning word toward those who, because of their blindness, have lost the human likeness. This episode shows that divine love is so humble that even at such insults it does not answer back with hatred.