Now the men who were holding Jesus mocked him and beat him; they also blindfolded him and asked him, "Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?" And they spoke many other words against him, reviling him.
Luke 22:63–65 (RSV)
The Temple guards who arrested Jesus likely did not know much about Him. What they learned was filtered through the words of the Temple leaders. They saw Jesus as a threat, and their anger was transferred to the guards.
As they beat Jesus, He became less and less human, just an object that posed a danger to the Temple. After a while, He became nothing to them, an object, a thing of no importance.
It is easy to reduce another human being to an object. It takes no effort at all. It begins when we accept a lie about who they are. It progresses from there until we heap scorn on them. Violence is not far behind scorn. Soon they are nothing at all.
This man of no importance, a thing to abuse and humiliate, a man we may have beaten had we been among the guards, forgave them all. 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.'
He who was made nothing for the sake of those who crucified Him forgives. Even those who have pinned Him to the wood of the cross are forgiven. He forgives us all. His grace and mercy will open our eyes to see each human being as worthy of His death and resurrection.