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Explanation for:
Matthew
27
:
28
And stripping him, they put a scarlet cloak about him.
13
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{"arr":[{"author-name":"John Chrysostom","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88ea76859f9f8e2ffd3ee_John%20Chrysostom.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"It appeared as though, through some sinister design, the adversary was reveling alongside them. While it is indeed true that the Jews were hurling insults at Christ, filled with jealousy and animosity, one must ask: what drove the soldiers to join in this mockery? Was it not clear that the devil was dining in their midst? Their cruelty was so unyielding that they derived enjoyment from the disgrace they heaped upon Christ. Rather than showing remorse, as they should have, weeping like the rest of the people, they instead chose to insult and attack Him shamelessly. Perhaps they sought to gratify the Jews or acted solely from their own spite. The types of insults were many and varied. This divine head was tormented, smothered by a crown of thorns, and struck with a staff by vile and impure men. What rational response can we muster when we ourselves become upset over even the slightest grievance, while Christ endured such immense affliction? The derision he faced reached the absolute limits of abuse. Not just a part of Him, but His entire being suffered: His head from the crown, the staff, and the blows; His face from the spittle; His palms from the lashes; His entire body from the scourging, the degrading robe, and the feigned reverence; His hand from the staff which was thrust into His grasp instead of a scepter; His mouth from the bitter vinegar offered to Him. What could be more burdensome than this? What could be more disgraceful? Indeed, the events that unfolded are beyond adequate description. In their relentless pursuit of mockery, those who had slain the prophets with their own hands condemned Christ to death through judicial decree. They committed every act: killing with their own hands, judging and condemning, both in their own courts and before Pilate, shouting, ‘His blood be upon us and upon our children;’ they attacked with rage, they ridiculed, they bound, they stripped away, making themselves culpable for the insults delivered by the soldiers, nailing Him to the cross, reviling Him, spitting upon Him, and mocking Him. Pilate added nothing; they orchestrated it all themselves, acting as informers, judges, executioners, and doing everything that led to this dire outcome. This we have gathered from our communal readings. To prevent the Gentiles from accusing us of presenting only the glorious and wondrous events while hiding the shameful ones, the grace of the Holy Spirit has arranged for us to hear all this during a significant feast—on the great evening of Passover—when men and women gather in great numbers and the whole world convenes to hear it proclaimed loudly. Despite its public recitation and dissemination, we steadfastly affirm that Christ is truly God. For multiple reasons, including our worship of Him, we recognize His willingness to humble Himself for our sake, to face such trials, and to instruct us in every virtue. Yet, we should also consistently engage with this narrative, as it offers profound insights and significant benefits. Indeed, when one witnesses how He is mocked both verbally and physically, how they bow in deceit, how they strike Him fiercely and force Him to endure unspeakable anguish, even the hardest heart would soften and lose all arrogance. \\n\\nIn the contest for the soul, like a conqueror, He first adorns His sacred head with a crown of thorns, having lifted the original curse from the earth and purging it with His divine presence of the thorns multiplied through sin."},{"author-name":"Jerome of Stridon","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88dcd3432c6dd41375498_Jerome%20of%20Stridon.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"The soldiers, ridiculing Him because He was designated the King of the Jews and following the accusations made by the scribes and priests, treated Him with disdain. They removed His garments and dressed Him in a long scarlet robe, choosing this in place of the royal attire worn by past kings. Instead of a regal crown, they placed a crown of thorns upon His head, and instead of a scepter, they gave Him a staff to hold in His right hand, feigning worship as if He were a monarch. We can comprehend this in a profound light. As Caiaphas stated, “It is better for us that one man should die for men” (John 11:50), he spoke without understanding the depth of his own words; similarly, they act in a manner that, while intended differently, still conveys to us, the faithful, the mysteries of God. In His scarlet robe, He highlights the bloody actions of the Gentiles; through the crown of thorns, He addresses the ancient curse; with the staff, He strikes down the venomous serpents, or perhaps the staff He holds symbolizes the transgressions of the Jews."},{"author-name":"Ephraem the Syrian","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88b589fc3e99eb7bb1839_Ephraem%20the%20Syrian.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"They adorned the Lord with a purple robe, and in doing so, He assumed the reign over Israel. Additionally, they dressed Him in purple while falsely accusing Him regarding taxes, claiming, 'This man instructs not to pay taxes to Caesar' (cf. Luke 23:2). Their intent behind the purple was to justify His murder, declaring, 'Look, He claims the kingdom for Himself.' In preparing for His death, they unwittingly prophesied through these statements, much like Caiaphas did."},{"author-name":"Hilarius of Poitiers","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88cb92f12b3278598f946_Hilarius%20of%20Poitiers.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"After the flogging, they adorned the Lord with a robe of purple, placed a crown of thorns upon His head, and gave Him a staff in His right hand. They prostrated themselves before Him and ridiculed Him. He bears all the frailties of our humanity and is drenched in the crimson blood of all the martyrs destined to reign alongside Him. He is arrayed in the purple of the great honors bestowed upon the prophets and patriarchs. The crown of thorns signifies the past sins of the repentant Gentiles, allowing glory to emerge from that which is harmful and worthless, transformed by His divine touch. The thorn-filled crown embodies the pain of sin, from which Christ's victory is fashioned. The staff represents the emptiness and frailty of the Gentiles, who find strength through His presence. He is also struck upon the head. It seems that the blows from the staff did not greatly harm His head; a common interpretation suggests that the physical frailty of the Gentiles, which Christ had earlier held in His grasp, is now comforted in the embrace of God the Father, for He is the head (See 1 Cor. 11:3). Amidst the mockery, while Christ is derided, He remains a figure of admiration."},{"author-name":"Apollinarius of Laodicea","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":4,"exegesis-text":"It was not due to their might, but rather because it was the will of God that this should occur for the salvation of humanity. The Lord of glory (1 Cor. 2:8) suffered humiliation on our behalf because of the shame owed to us, and He honors the day of the righteous, which is eternally subjected to the scorn of the uninformed. The crimson-dyed robe they placed upon Him was a garment of mockery, as those who thirsted for His death clothed Him in it without realizing the significance of their actions. This robe served as a representation of the scarlet thread in the Book of Joshua (See Hab. 2:18) and echoed the bandaged hand of one of Tamar’s sons by Judah (See Gen. 38:28-30). For the Savior, in His mission to redeem all, bore the weight of the world’s blood and that of its inhabitants. Those overwhelmed by anxieties, wealth, and temporal pleasures (Lk. 8:14), who have received God’s word, do not produce fruit and instead weave thorns, crowning Jesus with them in dishonor. Yet He, who bore our thorns, conquers them with His own head. They also placed a walking stick in His right hand, mocking those who perceived His kingdom as an illusion."},{"author-name":"Augustine of Hippo","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88950a5c988a4fc06c7ae_Augustine%20of%20Hippo.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":5,"exegesis-text":"Matthew and Mark's descriptions regarding the garments suggest that the soldiers who ridiculed Jesus did not vest Him in royal purple but rather in a robe colored red with the juice from a plant known as coccum. There exists also a red cloth, akin in hue to sossum. This clarification may explain why Mark referred to purple, despite it being derived from a dye berry."},{"author-name":"Chromatius of Aquileia","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88a3df6d7a747a33b4f4a_Chromatius%20of%20Aquileia.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":5,"exegesis-text":"We have encountered numerous readings, but what should take precedence if not the Gospel, which serves as the foundational font of our salvation? While the messages of the prophets hold value, the Gospel is of greater significance, for in it the ultimate truth is unveiled, whereas the prophecies offer mere hints of what is to come. The prophetic declarations are enveloped in veils of enigma, while the utterances of the Gospel shine forth with the brilliance of the Sun of truth. The current Gospel lesson recounts the shame our Lord and Savior endured at the hands of both Jews and Gentiles, all for humanity’s redemption. When soldiers apprehended our Lord for crucifixion, they dressed Him in a purple robe and a scarlet garment, and crowned Him with thorns, placing a staff in His right hand. They then knelt and honored Him, proclaiming, \\"Hail, King of the Jews!\\" This mockery from both Jews and Gentiles contained a profound heavenly mystery. The Jews exhibited malice, while the Gentiles unwittingly participated in the mystery of faith and grasping the truth. Observe how He is clad in a purple robe as a king and in a scarlet garment as the foremost of martyrs, for His holy blood was dyed a deep scarlet. The purple tunic can also symbolize the Church, which, under the reign of Christ the King, radiates with regal splendor. Hence, John in Revelation refers to her as \\"the royal priesthood.\\" It is the purple mentioned in the Songs: \\"His entire bed is made of purple\\" (Songs 3:10). Christ rests upon that bed, finding royal faith and a precious soul presented in purple. Purple cloth is fittingly regarded as both valuable and royal; although it originates from the earth, its dye transforms both its nature and its appearance. One aspect remains natural, while the other reflects change. While its inherent nature is humble, the transformation it undergoes renders it precious. Similarly, our flesh, though modest, becomes valuable through the transformative power of grace when it is immersed three times in the mystery of the Trinity, resembling the rich dyeing of purple cloth. Therefore, to be considered as precious as purple, we must uphold the grace of our transformation, making ourselves worthy of this great King. Moreover, the purple garment can also signify the honor of the martyrs, who, stained by their sacrificial blood, glow in Christ like fine purple. This is the purple with which God’s Tabernacle was commanded to be adorned, as the martyrs beautify the Church of Christ. Subsequently, it was instructed that double scarlet be included to embellish the tabernacle. For the martyrs of Christ bear a dual grace, offering both their bodies and souls to suffering. Externally, the blood of martyrdom is poured upon their flesh, while internally, their souls are adorned by their unwavering faith. Through this dual offering, the martyrs enrich the tabernacle, becoming cherished in the sight of the Lord, both in body and soul."},{"author-name":"Theophylact of Bulgaria","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8989296bafed9104677d7_Theophylact%20of%20Bulgaria.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":11,"exegesis-text":"In this moment, the prophecy of David was realized, as it is written, ‘He gave Me to be reviled by the foolish’ (Psalm 38:9). The soldiers acted according to their foolishness, adorning Him mockingly with a robe resembling royalty instead of the expected attire of a true king, and placing a crown that was nothing more than a mockery upon His head. In their derision, they pretended to honor Him, as kneeling represents a form of respect. Observe how they subjected Him to every imaginable insult: they disfigured His face with spitting, humiliated His head with the crown, struck His hands with a staff, and taunted His body with a cloak, while their blasphemous words assaulted His ears. Although their actions were directed against Christ, it is essential to grasp that all of this transpired under a deeper significance that Jesus Himself embraced: the scarlet robe represented our humanity, which, stained with blood and inclined towards violence, He took upon Himself and sanctified through His divine embrace; the crown of thorns represented the transgressions arising from earthly concerns, sins that Christ vanquishes through His divine nature, as the head symbolizes the divine essence; the staff represented our frail and mortal flesh that the Lord assumed, echoing David’s words, ‘the right hand of the Lord hath lifted me up’ (Ps. 117:16); and by receiving blasphemies in His ears, the Lord freed us from the serpent’s whispers that first penetrated the ears of Eve."},{"author-name":"Euthymios Zigabenos","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":11,"exegesis-text":"The crimson cloak referred to as a \\"chlamyda\\" in Mark (Mark 15:17) was likewise called a \\"purple robe\\" by John (John 19:2). Matthew, while not contradicting this description, noted it as scarlet (κοκκκινος), suggesting it resembled purple but was not genuine purple. Because Jesus Christ was proclaimed as the King of the Jews, they dressed Him in this robe in derision of His kingship rather than using a true royal garment, crowned Him with thorns instead of a regal crown, and placed a staff in His hand rather than a sceptre, thereby unintentionally reflecting the truth of His identity. They kneeled before Him in mockery, proclaiming, “Rejoice, O King of the Jews.” Spitting on Him, they took the staff and struck His head, demonstrating His unparalleled endurance and a profound anger beyond description. John (John 19:3) also recounts that He was struck on the palms of His hands. A multitude of insults was hurled at Him by the lawless who sought to please the Jews that despised God.\\n\\nJohn alone (John 19:4-16) details the subsequent events that were overlooked by others, stating, “Pilate went out again and said to them, ‘Behold, I will bring Him out to you,’” etc., concluding with, “Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified.” It is clear that Pilate handed Jesus over to crucifixion twice; initially under the pretense of seeking justice but ultimately realizing their stubbornness. Upon hearing the threat from the crowd, “If you let Him go, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar” (John 19:12), he then truly delivered Him to them for crucifixion. Thus, he first handed Him over and subsequently did so again.\\n\\nPilate made numerous attempts to absolve Jesus of any wrongdoing and sought every possible way to prevent His execution. Yet, he was constrained by legal obligation, refusing to yield to those who acted unjustly and not betraying the innocent One (John 12:6). Pilate’s own words reveal that he could not betray Jesus: “Do you not realize that I have the power to crucify you, and I have the power to release you?” (John 19:10). Consequently, Jesus stated that Pilate was not entirely blameless, as “he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin” (John 19:11), implying that his transgression was lesser than that of the accusers. Pilate's failure lay in not challenging the charge against Jesus of claiming royal authority. Upon hearing it, he should have summoned the accusers, required proof, and sought evidence of any intention by Jesus to seize power, such as raising armies, amassing wealth, or preparing for conflict. Instead, he cowardly succumbed to fear and accepted the unexamined accusation while being astonished by it. The more aggressive and audacious the Jews became, the more timid and fearful he appeared, leading him to be both light-hearted and compliant. For further clarity, refer also to the preceding accounts recorded in John, which provide valuable context to the matters addressed here."},{"author-name":"Tichon of Zadonsk","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8989ff6b5b4c943e70095_Tichon%20of%20Zadonsk.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":18,"exegesis-text":"Let us revisit the events that transpire to our blameless Advocate following his unjust trial. A harrowing scene unfolds before us! We observe that Jesus, turned over to cruel soldiers, is stripped of His garments, adorned instead in purple to endure mockery and shame. A crown made of thorns is placed upon His head, and a staff is given into His sacred hands, which once performed wonders, merely to be ridiculed. In this manner, He is acknowledged as a king, crowned in derision, and met with taunts of ‘Rejoice, O King of the Jews!’ Yet the cruel malice of the lawless remains unappeased! They heap sin upon sin and cruelty upon cruelty. They spit upon His blessed face, before which even the heavenly hosts are filled with reverence, and they strike His head with a staff! As St. Matthew recounts, “the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole battalion before Him. They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him, and weaving a crown of thorns, they placed it on His head and put a reed in His right hand. They knelt before Him and mocked Him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ And they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head” (Matthew 27:27-30). \\n\\nThis is how our Advocate, Jesus, stands resolutely for us. Sin has stripped us of the divine garment and cloaked us in shame (Genesis 3:6-7, 21). We sought, tempted by the devil's counsel, to seize God's glory and be crowned as ‘gods’ (Genesis 3:5). We offered our enemy a document that condemned us as lawbreakers, binding us as captives in his grip, leading us toward eternal demise. Our consciences are tormented by pains more piercing than thorns and any rod. Yet, Christ takes our place, casting aside His garments to cloak us in the robe of salvation and the garment of joy; He wears thorns upon His head, so He can present us with an incorruptible crown. He grasps the reed in His hand to shred the document of our condemnation; He suffers the blows upon His head that our wounds, rendered by Satan, may be healed, and our guilty consciences soothed. He is draped in purple and endures the mockery and applause as a king, so that He might elevate us to be ‘kings and priests unto God and his Father’ (Revelation 1:6). Thus, our Deliverer was indeed “wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5); “by His stripes we are healed” (1 Peter 2:24)."},{"author-name":"Philaret (Gumilevski)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c896f4b6fd32caa244b5d7_Philaret%20(Gumilevski).png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The Lord’s exposed and injured form was draped in a ‘scarlet robe’ or, as St. Matthew describes it, ‘a darkened chlamys’. This crimson garment, secured at one shoulder, was a regal attire typically reserved for army leaders, while ordinary soldiers donned simpler, shorter cloaks of plain colors. Jesus, adorned in this old and worthless red robe, was presented as an ironic representation of the King of the Jews. In contrast, He is now enveloped in light as if it were a garment (Psalm 103:2)."},{"author-name":"Michail (Lusin)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c89550c567e172d15b3055_Michail%20(Lusin).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"They draped Him in a purple garment, which was essentially a common military cloak fashioned in red. Through this act and their later behavior, they intended to deride Him as the king of the Jews, mimicking the attire of kings, emperors, and high-ranking military leaders who donned more lavish versions of the same cloak. This was a wide, sleeveless outer garment, typically worn over the shoulder, allowing the right hand to remain unencumbered. We may surmise that this cloak was likely old and tattered, serving to further insult the Lord through the disdainful actions of the soldiers."},{"author-name":"Abbot Panteleimon about the Trinity","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Blessed Jerome recounts a vision of a pillar marked by the blood of the Lord, at which He was bound and scourged, while St. Chrysostom refers to a wooden pillar in Jerusalem where Jesus was tied and whipped. The heart trembles when reflecting on the suffering our Savior endured in this act. As they divided Him, they began to strike His exposed flesh with brutal blows. Yet the coarse Roman soldiers did not limit their cruelty to this; they sought to entertain themselves by ridiculing the Divine Sufferer, referring to Him mockingly as the King of the Jews. After satisfying their malice, they shifted from torment to jest. They devised a plan to present the Divine Prisoner as a monarch, elevating Him to a royal status. To accomplish this, they draped a scarlet robe over His bare, injured, and bleeding body, a garment typically secured over the right shoulder and enveloping part of His form while leaving the right arm uncovered. The red robe, reserved for kings and military leaders, symbolized their disdain as they found a discarded, filthy cloak to insult the King of the Jews. Thus, the One who clothed Himself with “light as a garment” (Psalm 103:2) was treated with scorn."}]}
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