The Soldiers Mock Jesus
(Matt. 27:27–31 )
Mark 15:16-20 NKJV – 16 Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison. 17 And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His [head], 18 and began to salute Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him. 20 And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.
V16 Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison.
The praetorium is (Bible Hub (https://biblehub.com/topical/p/praetorium.htm)):
“The Praetorium served as the administrative center for Roman governance in a province. In Judea, the Roman governor, such as Pontius Pilate, would have used the Praetorium as his official residence and courtroom. The term itself is derived from the Latin “praetor,” referring to a Roman magistrate or commander.
“In Jerusalem, the Praetorium was likely located in the Antonia Fortress or Herod’s Palace, both of which served as military and administrative centers. The presence of Roman soldiers and the gathering of the “whole company” around Jesus indicate the Praetorium’s role as a military headquarters.”
A garrison was a Roman military group of anything from 400 to 600 or more soldiers. It depended on the need and its purpose.
The Greek word for garrison/band/cohort (depending on the translation) is (G4686) σπείρα speíra, which means (Brave AI): “One of the most notable uses of σπεῖρα is in the context of the Roman military. Here, it refers to a tactical unit, though the exact size and composition of this unit can vary. While some translations interpret it as a “cohort,” which typically consisted of 400 to 600 soldiers, it is more likely that σπεῖρα referred to a smaller, more flexible unit. This unit could be a “bunch” or “contingent” of soldiers, often commanded by a leader and deployed for specific tasks such as reconnaissance or retrieval missions.”
V17 And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His [head]…
Purple is the color of royalty and the rich. The dye came from (Brave AI): “Purple dye in ancient times was derived from the mucus of several species of predatory sea snails in the family Muricidae, including Bolinus brandaris, Hexaplex trunculus, and Stramonita haemastoma. The Phoenicians were particularly skilled in this craft and used these snails to create a highly valued and expensive dye. The process involved collecting the snails, extracting their mucus, and placing it in lead pots filled with brine, where it was heated slowly for about ten days until the mixture turned a reddish-purple color. This dye was so costly due to the difficulty in its production and the large number of snails required—thousands of snails were needed to produce just one ounce of dye. The dye was used primarily by royalty and nobles due to its high price and exclusivity.”
The purple that they draped around Jesus was in mockery, humiliation, and abuse. The crown of thorns was used for the same effect.
They abused Him, Jesus, for sheer joy because they hated him.
Compare John 15:23, Proverbs 6:16-19, and the Messianic Psalm 34:21.
V18 …and began to salute Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
This is pure mockery. I can’t imagine what our Savior went through as the Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7). He went through all of this in love to redeem anyone who would believe in Him (Acts 4:12, John 3:15-18, and Romans 4:5).
V19 Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him.
They have committed emotional, physical, and spiritual abuse. Hate originates in the heart (Matthew 15:18-20). Hate is a great motivator for energy and action. We see too much of that today in worldwide societies. It leads to some type of violence (Genesis 6:5-13, Psalm 11:5, and Psalm 73:6). Compare the attitudes and actions of our Lord Jesus: Isaiah 53:9 (WEB) They made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death; although he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
V20 And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.
After enjoying the abuse, they led Jesus out to crucify Him. He had not slept well over 24 hours being verbally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically abused. His purpose in suffering was to do His Father’s will.
O, Lord, thank you for your great love and ministry for us.
Jesus still ministers continuously for those who have believed in Him (Hebrews 7:25). Compare Romans 8:26-27.
We learn:
- How much Jesus loved us to suffer to the penalty for people’s sins, if they believe in Him.
- How much He suffered.
- How evil people can be.
Questions:
- Are we willing to suffer for Jesus?
- How do we handle the people’s hate because we are Christians?