The Scourging, Crown of Thorns, and Mocking (Matthew 27:27–31; Mark 15:16–20; John 19:1–3)

The texts below are quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations; nothing is paraphrased.

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St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407)

Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 87 (on Matthew 27:27–29) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 10. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf110/npnf110.iii.LXXXIII.html

On the whole body made an object of insolence, and what plea we can have for resenting injuries after Christ suffered thus:

For that Divine Head at one time they buffeted, at another they insulted with the crown of thorns, at another they smote with the reed, men unholy and accursed! What plea shall we have after this for being moved by injuries, after Christ suffered these things? For what was done was the utmost limit of insolence. For not one member, but the whole entire body throughout was made an object of insolence; the head through the crown, and the reed, and the buffeting; the face, being spit upon; the cheeks, being smitten with the palms of the hands; the whole body by the stripes, by being wrapped in the robe, and by the pretended worship; the hand by the reed, which they gave him to hold instead of a sceptre; the mouth again by the offering of the vinegar.

In the Homilies on the Gospel of John (Homily 84, on John 18:37–19:3; Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 14), on beholding the King of the world and of all Angels mocked, and bearing all silently:

And do thou not merely hear these things, but keep them continually in thy mind, and when thou beholdest the King of the world and of all Angels, mocked of the soldiers, by words and by actions, and bearing all silently, do thou imitate Him by deeds thyself.

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Origen of Alexandria (c. 185–254)

As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xxvii.html

(Origen's Matthew exegesis survives at this verse only as excerpted in the Catena; some of his wider speculations were later condemned in 553, but the readings below are the Catena's mystical glosses on the reed and the thorns.)

On the reed of the world's kingdoms, which Christ took to triumph over it by the wood of the cross:

Or, The reed was a mystery signifying that before we believed we trusted in that reed of Egypt, or Babylon, or of some other kingdom opposed to God, which He took that He might triumph over it with the wood of the cross.

On the ancient thorns of ours, now taken away:

Of the cloak it is mentioned that they took it off Him, but of the crown of thorns the Evangelists have not spoken, so that there are now no longer those ancient thorns of ours.

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Blessed Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xxvii.html

On why Mark says "purple" where Matthew says "scarlet":

Hence we understand what Mark means by "clothed him with purple;" instead of the royal purple, this scarlet cloak was used in mockery; and there is a shade of purple which is very like scarlet.

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St. Jerome (c. 347–420)

As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xxvii.html

On the mock royalty of cloak, crown, and reed:

He had been styled King of the Jews, and the Scribes and Priests had brought this charge against Him, that He claimed sovereignty over the Jewish nation; hence this mockery of the soldiers, taking away His own garments, they put on Him a scarlet cloak to represent that purple fringe which kings of old used to wear, for the diadem they put on Him a crown of thorns, and for the regal sceptre give Him a reed, and perform adoration to Him as to a king.

On the same insults understood mystically, the crown of thorns taking away the ancient curse:

In the scarlet robe He bears the bloody works of the Gentiles; by the crown of thorns He takes away the ancient curse; with the reed He destroys poisonous animals; or He held the reed in His hand wherewith to write down the sacrilege of the Jews.

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St. Hilary of Poitiers (c. 310–367)

As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xxvii.html

On the scarlet robe, the crown of thorns, and the reed borne for the Gentiles:

The Lord having taken upon Him all the infirmities of our body, is then covered with the scarlet coloured blood of all the martyrs, to whom is due the kingdom with Him; He is crowned with thorns, that is, with the sins of the Gentiles who once pierced Him, for there is a prick in thorns of which is woven the crown of victory for Christ. In the reed, He takes into His hand and supports the weakness and frailty of the Gentiles; and His head is smitten therewith that the weakness of the Gentiles sustained by Christ's hand may rest on God the Father, who is His head.

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Remigius of Auxerre (c. 841–908)

As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. (A later Western compiler, included for his brief gloss.) Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xxvii.html

On the scarlet robe as the Lord's flesh, reddened by His blood, and the crown of thorns as our sins:

By the scarlet robe is denoted the Lord's flesh, which is spoken of as red by reason of shedding of His blood; by the crown of thorns His taking upon Him our sins, because He appeared "in the likeness of sinful flesh."