Luke 23:11 kjv
And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.
Luke 23:11 nkjv
Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate.
Luke 23:11 niv
Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate.
Luke 23:11 esv
And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate.
Luke 23:11 nlt
Then Herod and his soldiers began mocking and ridiculing Jesus. Finally, they put a royal robe on him and sent him back to Pilate.
Luke 23 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 22:6 | But I am a worm and no man, despised by mankind... | Prophecy of Messiah's humiliation |
| Isa 53:3 | He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering... | Prophecy of the suffering servant's scorn |
| Isa 50:6 | I gave my back to those who strike me, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. | Prophecy of physical abuse and shame |
| Mt 27:27-30 | ...soldiers of the governor took Jesus...stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisted a crown of thorns...spitting on him and striking his head. | Roman soldiers' similar mockery (scarlet robe) |
| Mk 15:16-19 | The soldiers led him away...they clothed him in a purple cloak...and began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They struck his head with a reed and spit on him... | Roman soldiers' similar mockery (purple cloak) |
| Jn 19:2-3 | ...soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe...crying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and striking him. | Roman soldiers' similar mockery (purple robe) |
| Lk 23:6-7 | When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean...He sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time. | Pilate sending Jesus to Herod's jurisdiction |
| Lk 23:8 | When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him... | Herod's curiosity, not interest in justice |
| Lk 23:9 | He questioned him at length, but Jesus made no answer. | Jesus' significant silence before Herod |
| Lk 18:32 | For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked... | Jesus' prophecy of His coming mockery |
| Lk 23:12 | And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day... | Unholy alliance in rejecting Jesus |
| Lk 23:25 | ...delivered Jesus over to their will. | Pilate's ultimate yielding to popular will |
| Jn 18:37 | Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king..." | Jesus' affirmation of His kingship before Pilate |
| Lk 23:38 | There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews." | Final ironic affirmation of Jesus' kingship |
| Phil 2:8 | And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. | Jesus' ultimate humility and obedience |
| Heb 12:2 | ...looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame... | Jesus enduring shame for ultimate glory |
| Ps 2:2 | The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed... | Prophecy of rulers conspiring against Messiah |
| Acts 4:27-28 | For truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate...to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. | God's sovereign plan in these events |
| Zech 9:9 | ...your king comes to you...humble and mounted on a donkey... | Prophecy of the humble king's arrival |
| 1 Pet 2:23 | When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. | Jesus' non-retaliation under abuse |
| Jer 20:7-8 | O Lord, you have deceived me...I am a laughingstock all the day; everyone mocks me. For whenever I speak...violence and destruction. | Prophet's experience of mockery; echoed in Christ |
| Lam 3:30 | Let him give his cheek to the smiter; let him be filled with insults. | Image of patiently enduring abuse |
Luke 23 verses
Luke 23 11 Meaning
Luke 23:11 describes a pivotal moment in Jesus' trial, showcasing Herod Antipas's reaction to Jesus. Herod, alongside his soldiers, treated Jesus with utter contempt and subjected Him to mockery. This humiliation included dressing Jesus in a magnificent, splendid robe, likely to ridicule His alleged claim of kingship, before sending Him back to Pilate. The verse highlights the depth of human rejection and scorn directed at Jesus by both Roman and Jewish-leaning authorities, illustrating His passive submission to abuse as part of His divine mission.
Luke 23 11 Context
Luke 23 records the trials of Jesus, moving Him from Pilate to Herod and back again, before His crucifixion. Following Jesus' appearance before Pilate, who found no basis for a charge (Lk 23:4), Pilate learns Jesus is from Galilee (Lk 23:6). Seizing an opportunity to pass off responsibility and appeal to local jurisdiction, Pilate sends Jesus to Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee, who was also in Jerusalem for Passover (Lk 23:7). Herod had long wanted to see Jesus, primarily out of curiosity to witness a miracle (Lk 23:8). However, when Jesus refuses to answer any of Herod's questions (Lk 23:9), Herod's curiosity turns to disdain. Verse 11 describes Herod's and his soldiers' response to Jesus' silence and their perception of Him as harmless or perhaps a delusional pretender. This shared act of mockery becomes a strange common ground between Herod and Pilate, who had been enemies (Lk 23:12).
Luke 23 11 Word analysis
- Herod: Refers to Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee. Son of Herod the Great. A representative of political authority and worldly power. His interaction with Jesus highlights his superficiality, focused on spectacle rather than truth or justice.
- soldiers: Professional military forces. Under Herod's command, they reflect the general spirit of disdain and cruelty prevalent in the ruling powers. They act as instruments of state-sanctioned mockery and violence.
- treated...with contempt: Greek: exoutheneō (ἐξουθενέω). To make utterly contemptible, to treat as worthless, to despise. It denotes a severe form of discrediting, dismissing Jesus as utterly insignificant or without power, reducing Him to nothing.
- mocked: Greek: empaizō (ἐμπαίζω). To make sport of, deride, scoff at. This word conveys cruel amusement, often involving physical abuse as part of the sport. It emphasizes their derisive intent to ridicule His claims.
- arraying him: Dressing Him. The act itself is significant, as the garment chosen serves a symbolic purpose.
- in a splendid robe: Greek: esthēta lampran (ἐσθῆτα λαμπράν). Esthēta means 'robe' or 'garment', while lampran means 'bright,' 'radiant,' 'dazzling,' or 'magnificent.' This was likely a bright, possibly white (often associated with royalty or high status), or dazzling ceremonial robe. Its significance here is satirical. It's a grotesque parody of kingship or authority, dressing Him like a king to mock His messianic claims, treating Him as a jester rather than a true monarch.
- sent him back: Herod's decision. He washes his hands of the case, finding Jesus neither politically threatening enough to execute, nor morally worthy of serious attention, reinforcing his indifference.
- to Pilate: The Roman governor. The cycle of passing responsibility between authorities underscores the shared culpability in Jesus' condemnation and the refusal to genuinely judge His case.
- Herod with his soldiers: This grouping emphasizes the institutional and collective nature of the contempt shown towards Jesus. It highlights the collaboration between the ruler and his military in Jesus' humiliation, showing an alignment of earthly powers against Christ.
- treated him with contempt and mocked him: This phrase combines intellectual disdain with active, scornful ridicule. It describes a calculated effort to strip Jesus of dignity and authority through systematic humiliation, reflecting a complete rejection of His person and message.
- arraying him in a splendid robe: This action is a visual performance of mockery. The "splendid robe" symbolizes an ironic and sacrilegious crowning. It mocks Jesus' purported royal claims, reducing the profound spiritual kingship of Christ to a jester's performance.
- sent him back to Pilate: This return signifies the ultimate inability or unwillingness of Herod to exercise justice. It demonstrates the authorities' abdication of responsibility and their mutual deferral of judgment, leading to Jesus' eventual crucifixion without a legitimate conviction. This also marks a strange "peace" between Herod and Pilate (Lk 23:12), forged in their shared disdain for Christ.
Luke 23 11 Bonus section
The mocking of Jesus with royal attire highlights a pervasive spiritual blindness among the powerful figures of that age. They perceived Jesus' kingship solely through an earthly lens of political power and military might, completely missing His spiritual kingdom and divine authority. Their contempt for His claims underscores humanity's often superficial understanding of true sovereignty and power, which Jesus demonstrated through humility and suffering. This act by Herod and his soldiers not only ridiculed Jesus but inadvertently affirmed His claim, as the very act of mocking His kingship acknowledged the presence of such a claim. This serves as a warning against the dangers of dismissive curiosity that turns into disdain when confronted with truth.
Luke 23 11 Commentary
Luke 23:11 depicts Jesus enduring profound contempt and mockery at the hands of Herod Antipas and his soldiers. Herod's disinterest in justice, coupled with Jesus' dignified silence, led him to treat Jesus as a subject of entertainment rather than a person accused of capital crimes. The "splendid robe" was a cynical tool of ridicule, designed to strip Jesus of His true kingship and expose Him to scorn. This event serves multiple purposes: it underscores the extent of Jesus' humiliation, fulfills Old Testament prophecies of a despised Messiah, and highlights the shared human responsibility—from political figures to ordinary soldiers—in the rejection and suffering of God's Son. Ultimately, it signifies Jesus' willing submission to an unjust process, enduring shame for the sake of divine purpose, foreshadowing the ultimate display of His royal authority not in earthly splendor but in selfless sacrifice.