John 19:2

“And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, etc.] This was an emblem of his being surrounded by wicked men, sons of Belial, comparable to thorns, whilst he hung suffering on the cross; and of the sins of his people compassing him about, which were as thorns, very grievous to him; and of his various troubles in life, and of his being made a curse for us at death; thorns being the produce of the curse upon the earth. And put it on his head: not only by way of derision, as mocking at his character, the King of the Jews, but in order to afflict and distress him. And they put on him a purple robe: Matthew calls it a scarlet robe; and the Arabic and Persic versions here, “a red” one: it very…”

“the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head--in mockery of a regal crown. and they put on him a purple robe--in mockery of the imperial purple; first "stripping him" (Mat 27:28) of His own outer garment. The robe may have been the "gorgeous" one in which Herod arrayed and sent Him back to Pilate (Luk 23:11). "And they put a reed into His right hand" (Mat 27:29) --in mockery of the regal scepter. "And they bowed the knee before Him" (Mat 27:29).”

“See the notes at Matthew 27:26-30. return to 'Top of Page'”

“19:2 The crown of thorns might have come from a date palm (cp. 12:13-14), the thorns of which can exceed twelve inches. There are Greek coin images showing such crowns, with the stems woven and the thorns radiating upward above the crown. • The purple robe was probably a soldier’s robe—dark red to complete the picture of mock royalty.”

“the soldiers: Joh 19:5; Psa 22:6; Isa 49:7, Isa 53:3; Mat 27:27-31; Mar 15:17-20; Luk 23:11 John 19:3”