And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The soldiers' actions, particularly striking Jesus on the head with the reed, served a double purpose. Beyond the physical pain, this brutal act was meant to deepen the mockery by driving the thorny crown further into his head, amplifying both the insult and the agony.
And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just been handed over to Pilate, who, unable to find him guilty, has nevertheless been pressured by the crowd into handing Jesus over for crucifixion. The soldiers then take Jesus into a courtyard and, as a cruel mockery of his claim to be King of the Jews, they dress him in a purple robe, place a crown of thorns on his head, and give him a reed as a scepter. This verse captures the brutal physical and verbal abuse that followed, as they spat on him and beat him with the very reed they had given him.
The soldiers' actions were more than just roughhousing. They were a deliberate, vile attack on Jesus' dignity and identity.
The spitting and striking described in this verse were not random acts of violence. They were calculated expressions of the deepest possible contempt and mockery.
Amidst the soldiers' cruel game, they played a twisted version of royalty with Jesus. But in His suffering, He revealed a different kind of kingship.
The soldiers' actions, though intended to degrade, ironically highlighted Jesus' identity as King in a way that subverted their own mockery.
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Understand the original words
ptyō · Greek Verb
A physical act of extreme contempt and degradation, showing total disrespect toward the person being struck.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus' Ministry and Ministry of John the Baptist
This period saw Jesus' public ministry, culminating in his arrest, trial, and crucifixion. John the Baptist's ministry preceded and overlapped with Jesus' early ministry.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus' Arrest, Trial, and Crucifixion
Following a Passover meal and betrayal, Jesus was arrested, tried by Jewish authorities and Pontius Pilate, scourged, and ultimately crucified outside Jerusalem.
c. AD 30-33
Roman Rule in Judea
Pontius Pilate served as the Roman prefect (governor) of Judea. His authority and the Roman military presence were key factors in the events leading to Jesus' crucifixion.
c. AD 70
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Jesus prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, which occurred about 40 years after his crucifixion, fulfilling his warnings about impending judgment.
This Old Testament prophecy directly foretells the humiliation Jesus endured, describing a suffering servant whose face was spat upon and who was struck, mirroring the events in Matthew.
Psalm 22:6-7This psalm expresses the suffering of the righteous, lamenting, 'I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people,' which powerfully reflects the utter contempt shown to Jesus during His passion.
Mark 15:19This parallel account in Mark's Gospel provides a slightly different perspective on the same mocking and violent treatment of Jesus by the soldiers, emphasizing the striking on His head with the reed.
Lamentations 3:30The prophet Jeremiah writes, 'Let him give his cheek to the smiter, and let him be filled with insults,' which captures the spirit of patient suffering and acceptance of humiliation that Jesus displayed.
gillMatthew 27:30: "And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head."
And they spit upon him,.... The Syriac and Persic versions add, "upon his face", which he did not hide from spitting; see Isaiah 1:6 , and so what with sweat, by being hurried from place to place, and with blood trickling down from his temples, scratched with thorns, and with the spittle of these filthy soldiers, his visage was more marred than any man's, and his form than the sons of men, Isaiah 52:14 . And…
barnesMatthew 27:30: "And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head."
And they spit upon him - This was a token of the deepest contempt and insult. See the notes at Matthew 26:67. And took the reed - The cane, probably so large as to inflict a heavy blow. And smote him on the head - Not merely to injure him by the force of the blow, but to press the "thorns" into his head, and thus to add cruelty to insult.
The soldiers' actions, particularly striking Jesus on the head with the reed, served a double purpose. Beyond the physical pain, this brutal act was meant to deepen the mockery by driving the thorny crown further into his head, amplifying both the insult and the agony.
Jesus has just been handed over to Pilate, who, unable to find him guilty, has nevertheless been pressured by the crowd into handing Jesus over for crucifixion. The soldiers then take Jesus into a courtyard and, as a cruel mockery of his claim to be King of the Jews, they dress him in a purple robe, place a crown of thorns on his head, and give him a reed as a scepter. This verse captures the brutal physical and verbal abuse that followed, as they spat on him and beat him with the very reed they had given him.
Jesus has just been handed over to Pilate, who, unable to find him guilty, has nevertheless been pressured by the crowd into handing Jesus over for crucifixion. The soldiers then take Jesus into a courtyard and, as a cruel mockery of his claim to be King of the Jews, they dress him in a purple robe, place a crown of thorns on his head, and give him a reed as a scepter. This verse captures the brutal physical and verbal abuse that followed, as they spat on him and beat him with the very reed they had given him.
"And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head." — The soldiers' actions, particularly striking Jesus on the head with the reed, served a double purpose. Beyond the physical pain, this brutal act was meant to deepen the mockery by driving the thorny…
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Last reviewed October 2026