Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Matthew 27:29

"And they platted a crown of thorns and put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they kneeled down before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!" — Matthew 27:29 (ASV)

Here we have humanity at its worst—a scene of vicious mockery. The

Jews have mocked Jesus as Messiah (26:67–68); here the Roman soldiers ridicule him as king. Matthew’s readers recognize that the soldiers speak more truly than they know, for Jesus is both King and Suffering Servant. The “robe” is probably the short red cloak worn by Roman military and civilian officials.

For a crown, the soldiers plait a wreath of thorns from palm spines or acanthus and crush it down on Jesus’ head in imitation of the circlet on the coins of Tiberius Caesar. The staff they put in his hand stands for a royal scepter; and the mocking “Hail, King of the Jews!” corresponds to the Roman acclamation “Ave, Caesar!” and caps the flamboyant kneeling. Not content with the ridicule and the torture of the thorns, they spit on him and use the staff, the symbol of his kingly authority, to hit him on the head “again and again.” Jesus is then led away by an execution squad of four soldiers, dragging the crosspiece to which his hands would be nailed (Jn 19:17, 23).

In Jerusalem this model of the ancient city is popular with tourists. In the foreground is the old palace of Herod (the Praetorium).