Mat 27:27-30 | RWP | e4.org | Into the palace ( εις το πραιτωριον ). In Rome the praetorium was the camp of the praetorian (from praetor) guard of soldiers ( ), but in the provinces it was the palace in which the governor resided as in in Caesarea. So here in Jerusalem Pilate ordered Jesus and all the band or cohort ( ολην την σπειραν ) of soldiers to be led into the palace in front of which the judgment-seat had been placed. The Latin spira was anything rolled into a circle like a twisted ball of thread. These Latin words are natural here in the atmosphere of the court and the military environment. The soldiers were gathered together for the sport of seeing the scourging. These heathen soldiers would also enjoy showing their contempt for the Jews as well as for the condemned man.

‏ Matthew 27:27-30

Into the palace ( εις το πραιτωριον ). In Rome the praetorium was the camp of the praetorian (from praetor) guard of soldiers (Php 1:13), but in the provinces it was the palace in which the governor resided as in Ac 23:35 in Caesarea. So here in Jerusalem Pilate ordered Jesus and all the band or cohort ( ολην την σπειραν ) of soldiers to be led into the palace in front of which the judgment-seat had been placed. The Latin spira was anything rolled into a circle like a twisted ball of thread. These Latin words are natural here in the atmosphere of the court and the military environment. The soldiers were gathered together for the sport of seeing the scourging. These heathen soldiers would also enjoy showing their contempt for the Jews as well as for the condemned man.

A scarlet robe ( χλαμυδα κοκκινην ). A kind of short cloak worn by soldiers, military officers, magistrates, kings, emperors (2Macc. 12:35; Josephus, Ant. V. 1,10), a soldier's sagum or scarf. Carr (Cambridge Gk. Test.) suggests that it may have been a worn-out scarf of Pilate's. The scarlet colour ( κοκκινην ) was a dye derived from the female insect ( κερμες ) which gathered on the ιλεξ χοχχιφερα found in Palestine. These dried clusters of insects look like berries and form the famous dye. The word occurs in Plutarch, Epictetus, Herodas, and late papyri besides the Septuagint and New Testament. Mark (Mr 15:17) has "purple" ( πορφυραν ). There are various shades of purple and scarlet and it is not easy to distinguish these colours or tints. The manuscripts vary here between "stripped" ( εκδυσαντες ) and "clothed" ( ενδυσαντες ). He had been stripped for the scourging. If "clothed" is correct, the soldiers added the scarlet (purple) mantle. Herodotus (iii. 139) relates that Darius richly rewarded a Samian exile for a rare scarlet robe which he obtained from him. This scarlet mantle on Jesus was mock imitation of the royal purple.

A crown of thorns ( στεφανον εξ ακανθων ). They wove a crown out of thorns which would grow even in the palace grounds. It is immaterial whether they were young and tender thorn bushes, as probable in the spring, or hard bushes with sharp prongs. The soldiers would not care, for they were after ridicule and mockery even if it caused pain. It was more like a victor's garland ( στεφανον ) than a royal diadem ( διαδημα ), but it served the purpose. So with the reed ( καλαμον ), a stalk of common cane grass which served as sceptre. The soldiers were familiar with the Ave Caesar and copy it in their mockery of Jesus:

Hail, King of the Jews ( χαιρε, Βασιλευ των Ιουδαιων ). The soldiers added the insults used by the Sanhedrin (Mt 26:67), spitting on him and smiting him with the reed. Probably Jesus had been unbound already. At any rate the garments of mockery were removed before the via dolorosa to the cross (verse 31).