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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Matthew 27:27 - 27:31
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat_27:27-31
27Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him. 28They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. 29And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" 30They spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head. 31After they had mocked Him, they took the scarlet robe off Him and put His own garments back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him.
Mat_27:27
NASB, NKJV,
NJB "Praetorium"
NRSV, TEV "the governor's headquarters"
This was located in the Fortress Antonio or at Herod's palace which became the Roman governor's residence when in Jerusalem. Some have surmised that it was the site of the soldiers'barracks.
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▣ "cohort" This was about 600 men, but in reality, only some of them were on duty at one time.
Mat_27:28 "scarlet robe" This word comes from an insect which was used to dye clothes dark red. Mar_15:17 and Joh_19:2 have " purple." This was probably a faded Roman officer's red cloak. Purple was the color of royalty. The early church saw this as symbolic of Jesus' kingly position (as they did the stephanos crown of thorns). The ancients were not as precise in naming colors as moderns.
Mat_27:29-30 The soldiers take out their hostility toward the Jewish population on Jesus in their kingly mockery of Him. The "crown of thorns" may allude to (1) mocking Jesus' claim to kingship or (2) the curse of Gen_3:18 (cf. Gal_3:13). Thorns are a symbol of rejecting the gospel (cf. Heb_6:8).