John 19 2

John 19:2 kjv

And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,

John 19:2 nkjv

And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe.

John 19:2 niv

The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe

John 19:2 esv

And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe.

John 19:2 nlt

The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put a purple robe on him.

John 19 verses

John 19 2 Meaning

John 19:2 describes the cruel mockery inflicted upon Jesus by the Roman soldiers after His scourging, where they fashioned a "crown of thorns" and forced it upon His head, and arrayed Him in a "purple robe." This act, intended to ridicule His claim to kingship, paradoxically served as an unwitting declaration of His true, though unconventional, royal authority, symbolizing His suffering as the sovereign Savior and the means by which He bears humanity's curse. It vividly portrays His humiliation and immense suffering prior to His crucifixion.

John 19 2 Context

John 19:2 immediately follows the brutal scourging of Jesus (John 19:1), a violent Roman punishment intended to break the condemned and often lead to death. Despite Pilate's belief that scourging would appease the Jewish leaders and allow him to release Jesus, their relentless demand for His crucifixion persists. The verse sets the stage for Pilate's presentation of Jesus, severely beaten and mocked, with the words "Behold the Man!" (John 19:5). This scene occurs within the Praetorium, the Roman governor's palace, indicating official Roman involvement in the humiliation. Historically, Roman soldiers were known for their brutality and often indulged in such cruel "sport," especially against those claiming royal authority who were seen as potential threats or ridiculous figures. The actions are not haphazard but calculated to debase and ridicule Jesus' claims to be "King of the Jews," a title ironically placed over His cross later (John 19:19).

John 19 2 Word analysis

• And the soldiers (οἱ δὲ στρατιῶται - hoi de stratiotai):

  • Word: "soldiers" (στρατιῶται - stratiotai). Refers to Roman legionaries, distinct from local temple guards.
  • Significance: These are agents of imperial power, representatives of the ultimate earthly authority opposing Jesus. Their actions demonstrate the contempt of the Roman state for Jesus' claims. They are Gentiles, carrying out God's sovereign plan unknowingly.

• platted/twisted together (πλέξαντες - plexantes):

  • Word: "platted" (KJV) or "twisted together" (ESV). Aorist participle, indicating a completed action before the main verb.
  • Significance: Implies deliberate effort and design. This was not a random or simple act, but a malicious construction, demonstrating active cruelty and mockery. It signifies intentional crafting to mimic a crown while inflicting pain.

• a crown (στέφανον - stephanon):

  • Word: "crown" (στέφανον - stephanon). Distinct from diadēma (royal diadem or monarch's crown).
  • Significance: A stephanos could be a wreath of victory (e.g., Olympic games), a festive garland, or a mark of honor. Here, it is twisted from thorns to inflict pain and ridicule. It is a perverse imitation of royalty, a mocking coronation designed to inflict maximal pain and humiliation, highlighting Jesus' paradoxical reign through suffering.

• of thorns (ἐξ ἀκανθῶν - ex akanthōn):

  • Word: "thorns" (ἀκανθῶν - akanthōn). A general term for thorny plants, implying sharp, painful projections.
  • Significance: Beyond physical pain, thorns carry symbolic weight, echoing the curse on the ground in Gen 3:18 following humanity's fall. Jesus wearing a crown of thorns connects His suffering directly to humanity's rebellion and His role in reversing its effects. He becomes cursed in humanity's place.

• and put it on his head (καὶ ἐπέθηκαν αὐτοῦ τῇ κεφαλῇ - kai epethēkan autou tē kephalē):

  • Word: "put it on" (ἐπέθηκαν - epethēkan). From epitithēmi, to place upon, lay upon. "His head" (τῇ κεφαλῇ αὐτοῦ - tē kephalē autou).
  • Significance: The head is the seat of authority, reason, and kingship. Placing this painful parody of a crown on His head directly assaults His royal claim and inflicts concentrated pain, aiming to degrade and ridicule the very symbol of His asserted sovereignty.

• and they put on him/arrayed him in (καὶ περιέβαλον αὐτὸν - kai periebalon auton):

  • Word: "put on" or "arrayed him in" (περιέβαλον - periebalon). From periballō, meaning to throw around, to put on (clothing).
  • Significance: Indicates the act of clothing Jesus, transforming Him into a ludicrous royal figure. This adds to the visual mockery.

• a purple robe (ἱμάτιον πορφυροῦν - himaton porphyrūn):

  • Word: "purple robe" (ἱμάτιον πορφυροῦν - himaton porphyrūn). Himatión refers to an outer garment or cloak. Porphyrūn signifies purple. Matthew 27:28 mentions a "scarlet robe" (χλαμύδα κοκκίνην), which can also signify royal or military status; deep red and purple dyes were very costly and associated with royalty and power. It might have been a discarded military cloak.
  • Significance: Purple was universally associated with royalty, power, and wealth in the Roman world. This mock "royal" attire intensifies the ridicule of Jesus' kingship. The soldiers outfit Him as a "King of the Jews" in jest, unintentionally fulfilling a prophetic demonstration of His true kingly identity in His suffering.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns": This phrase captures the malicious and creative cruelty. The "soldiers" (agents of worldly power) deliberately "platted" (fashioned, crafted) an object designed for both pain and parody – a "crown of thorns." It speaks volumes about the human heart's capacity for sadism when unconstrained by truth or compassion, especially against one they deemed a pretender. The "crown of thorns" is a powerful visual paradox, signifying both intense suffering and a mock "coronation."
• "and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe": This group of phrases completes the tableau of ridicule. The location ("his head") emphasizes the assault on Jesus' authority and intellect. The "purple robe" provides the final visual element for this mock investiture. Together, these actions depict a perverse "coronation" scene, highlighting the soldiers' profound misunderstanding and scorn for Jesus' claims while ironically demonstrating His royal identity even in humiliation.

John 19 2 Bonus section

The mockery described in John 19:2 also serves a polemical function in the broader Johannine narrative. It sharply contrasts worldly notions of power, represented by the brutal Roman soldiers and Pilate's vacillating authority, with the divine, suffering kingship of Jesus. The world understood power as outward displays of authority, wealth, and might. Yet, John consistently portrays Jesus' true authority as evident precisely in His submission, humility, and willingness to suffer for the world's sin. This scene also emphasizes John's recurrent theme that while people reject and condemn Jesus, their actions unwittingly serve God's greater redemptive purposes. The soldiers’ actions, though driven by malice, paradoxically authenticate Jesus' claims as Messiah-King by fulfilling Old Testament foreshadowings of a suffering yet sovereign ruler.

John 19 2 Commentary

John 19:2 graphically depicts the Roman soldiers' cynical mockery of Jesus as King. After the severe scourging, this scene functions as an ironic coronation. The soldiers' actions—weaving a painful "crown" from thorns, pressing it onto His head, and adorning Him with a "purple robe"—were intended as extreme ridicule. Purple signified royalty and luxury, and the thorn crown was a grotesque parody of imperial laurel wreaths or precious metal crowns. Their aim was to debase Jesus, turning His claims of kingship into a pathetic spectacle, to entertain themselves and potentially incite the crowd against Him.

However, from a theological perspective, this scene is imbued with profound significance. The very acts designed to humiliate Him inadvertently testified to His true nature. He truly was a king, though His kingdom was "not of this world" (John 18:36). The thorn crown points to His bearing the curse of humanity, harkening back to the thorns brought forth by the ground after the Fall (Gen 3:18). By enduring this pain, He perfectly fulfills the role of the suffering servant, transforming a symbol of shame into an emblem of sacrificial triumph. The purple robe, while initially a prop in their cruel joke, foreshadowed the ultimate vindication of His majestic and eternal kingship, a reign established through His ultimate act of humble obedience on the cross. This verse, therefore, succinctly illustrates Christ's unparalleled suffering and the paradoxical revelation of His kingship through humiliation.