Thomas Aquinas Commentary John 19:1-3

"Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and arrayed him in a purple garment; and they came unto him, and said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they struck him with their hands." — John 19:1-3 (ASV)

1. Above, the Evangelist gave us an account of what Christ suffered from the Jews; here he describes what He endured from the Gentiles in particular. He suffered three things, as He had predicted: they will deliver him to the Gentiles, to be mocked and scourged and crucified (Matthew 20:19). The Evangelist describes:

   • The scourging of Christ.
   • His mockery: and the soldiers, weaving a crown of thorns, put it on his head.
   • His crucifixion: Pilate therefore went out again, and said to them: Behold, I am bringing him out to you (John 19:4).

2. He says, then, after all their shouting, Pilate took Jesus and scourged him, not with his own hands, but by using his soldiers. He did this hoping that the Jews would be satisfied with these wounds and be softened so as to no longer demand His death.

   It is natural for our anger to subside if we see the one we are angry with humiliated and punished, as the Philosopher says in his Rhetoric. This is true of anger that seeks to inflict a limited amount of harm, but it is not the case with hatred, which seeks the complete destruction of the one hated: an enemy... if he finds an opportunity his thirst for blood will be insatiable . The Jews hated Christ, and so His scourging did not satisfy them: all the day long I have been scourged (Psalms 73:14); I gave my back to the smiters (Isaiah 50:6).

3. Does this intention excuse Pilate for the scourging?

   It does not, because of all those things that are evil in themselves, none can be made completely good by a good intention. To harm an innocent person, and especially the Son of God, is an evil in itself in the highest degree. Consequently, it cannot be excused by any intention.

4. Now the Evangelist shows us Christ being ridiculed. He describes:

   • The mock honors paid to Him.
   • The real dishonor shown to Him: and struck him.

   They pay Him mock honors by calling Him a king, thus referring to the charge lodged by the Jews, who said that He made Himself king of the Jews. Therefore, they pay Him the three honors given to a king, but in a derisive way:

   • A mock crown.
   • Mock clothing.
   • Mock acclamations.

5. They mock Him with a crown, because it is customary for kings to wear a crown of gold: a crown of gold upon his head . The Psalm mentions this: you set a crown of fine gold upon his head (Psalms 21:3). And the soldiers, weaving a crown of thorns, put it on his head—the head of Him who is a crown of glory to those who belong to Him: in that day the Lord of hosts will be a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, to the remnant of his people (Isaiah 28:5).

   It was fittingly made of thorns, because by them He removes the thorns of sin, which pain us through remorse of conscience: break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns (Jeremiah 4:3). These thorns also take away the thorns of punishment that burden us: thorns and thistles it will bring forth to you (Genesis 3:18).

   Was this crowning done by the governor’s order? Chrysostom says that it was not, but that the soldiers were bribed with money and did this to satisfy the Jews. On the other hand, Augustine says that this was done by the command or the permission of the governor, so that the hatred of the Jews would be satisfied and Pilate could more easily release Jesus.

6. Second, they mock Him with clothing. The soldiers... put a purple garment on him, which was the sign of royal dignity for the Romans. In Maccabees we read that when the Romans ruled, they wore a crown and were clothed in purple . This clothing of Christ in purple fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah: Why is your apparel red, and your garments like his that treads in the wine press? (Isaiah 63:2).

   At the same time, it indicates the sufferings of the martyrs, which stain the entire body of Christ—that is, the Church—red.

7. Third, they mock Him in the way they address Him. They came up to Him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! It was the custom then, as it is now, for subjects to salute their king when they came into his presence: and when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom: Long live the king! Long live the king! (2 Samuel 16:16).

   As for the mystical interpretation, those who greet Christ mockingly are those who profess Him with words but deny him with their deeds (Titus 1:16). Not everyone that says to me Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 7:21).

8. Now he mentions the real dishonor shown to Christ, and struck him, in order to show that the honor they gave Him was a mockery: I gave my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard (Isaiah 50:6); with a rod they strike upon the cheek the ruler of Israel (Micah 5:1).