KJV: And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.
YLT: and when they had mocked him, they took the purple from off him, and clothed him in his own garments, and they led him forth, that they may crucify him.
Darby: And when they had mocked him, they took the purple off him, and put his own clothes on him; and they lead him out that they may crucify him.
ASV: And when they had mocked him, they took off from him the purple, and put on him his garments. And they lead him out to crucify him.
Normally the Romans forced criminals condemned to crucifixion to walk naked to their place of execution and flogged them along the way. [1] Evidently the soldiers concluded that Jesus would not live through such treatment in view of the abuse that He had already suffered. Therefore they put His own garments back on Him. [source][source][source]
Mark"s original readers faced subjection to similar mockery and abuse from pagan authorities. This pericope would have been an encouragement to them to remain faithful to Jesus. Jesus allowed other people to treat Him as a servant because this was a part of His obedience to God (cf. 1 Peter 5:6-7). [source][source][source]
Context Summary
Mark 15:1-21 - The Choice Of The Multitude
The hurried consultation of the evening was followed by the more formal meeting of the early morning; and even the decision made then had no binding force till ratified by Pilate, the Roman governor, who happened at that time to be in Jerusalem. John gives a more detailed account of this memorable interview, John 18:33-38. Our Lord did not plead His own cause but committed Himself to the One who judges righteously, 1 Peter 2:23. It was only when Pilate asked questions for his own guidance that Jesus sought to help him and then He relapsed into silence. "Like a sheep dumb before her shearers, so He opened not His mouth." Men like Barabbas, embodiments of brute force, are ever the darlings of the crowd. By narrowing the people's choice to the murderer and Jesus, Pilate expected to bring them to demand the release of the lover and helper of men. But he failed to gauge the malice of which men are capable. Perhaps he hoped that the marks of extreme suffering would soften their hatred. As well appeal to a pack of hungry wolves! His purple stood for royalty won by blood; thorns, because His diadem was won by suffering; the reed, because he can wield the frailest life to momentous issues. Happy is the man who shares Christ's cross! Simon was an African, probably colored, and this incident changed his life, Romans 16:13. [source]
Chapter Summary: Mark 15
1Jesus brought bound, and accused before Pilate 6Upon the clamor of the people, the murderer Barabbas is released, 12and Jesus delivered up to be crucified 16He is crowned with thorns, spit on, and mocked; 21faints in bearing his cross; 27hangs between two thieves; 29suffers the triumphing reproaches of the crowd; 39but is confessed by the centurion to be the Son of God; 42and is honorably buried by Joseph
Greek Commentary for Mark 15:20
They lead him out [εχαγουσιν αυτον] Vivid historical present after imperfects in Mark 15:19. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 15:20
Luke 16:19Purple [πορπυραν] This purple dye was obtained from the purple fish, a species of mussel or μυρεχ murex (1 Maccabees 4:23). It was very costly and was used for the upper garment by the wealthy and princes (royal purple). They had three shades of purple (deep violet, deep scarlet or crimson, deep blue). See also Mark 15:17,Mark 15:20; Revelation 18:12.Fine linen (βυσσον busson).Byssus or Egyptian flax (India and Achaia also). It is a yellowed flax from which fine linen was made for undergarments. It was used for wrapping mummies. “Some of the Egyptian linen was so fine that it was called woven air” (Vincent). Here only in the N.T. for the adjective βυσσινος bussinos occurs in Revelation 18:12; Revelation 19:8,Revelation 19:14.Faring sumptuously (ευπραινομενος λαμπρως euphrainomenos lamprōs).Making merry brilliantly. The verb ευπραινομαι euphrainomai we have already had in Luke 12:19; Luke 15:23,Luke 15:25,Luke 15:32. Λαμπρως Lamprōs is an old adverb from λαμπρος lampros brilliant, shining, splendid, magnificent. It occurs here only in the N.T. This parable apparently was meant for the Pharisees (Luke 16:14) who were lovers of money. It shows the wrong use of money and opportunity. [source]
John 19:1Took and scourged [ελαβεν και εμαστιγωσεν] First aorist active indicative of λαμβανω lambanō and μαστιγοω mastigoō (from μαστιχ mastix whip). For this redundant use of λαμβανω lambanō see also John 19:6. It is the causative use of μαστιγοω mastigoō for Pilate did not actually scourge Jesus. He simply ordered it done, perhaps to see if the mob would be satisfied with this penalty on the alleged pretender to royalty (Luke 23:22) whom Pilate had pronounced innocent (John 18:38), an illegal act therefore. It was a preliminary to crucifixion, but Jesus was not yet condemned. The Sanhedrin had previously mocked Jesus (Mark 14:65; Matthew 26:67.; Luke 22:63.) as the soldiers will do later (Mark 15:16-19; Matthew 27:27-30). This later mock coronation (Mark and Matthew) was after the condemnation. Plaited a crown of thorns Old verb πλεκω plekō to weave, in the N.T. only here, Mark 15:17; Matthew 27:19. Not impossible for the mock coronation to be repeated. Arrayed him “Placed around him” (second aorist active indicative of περιβαλλω periballō). In a purple garment Old adjective πορπυρεος porphureos from πορπυρα porphura purple cloth (Mark 15:17,Mark 15:20), dyed in purple, in the N.T. only here and Revelation 18:16. Jesus had been stripped of his outer garment ιματιον himation (Matthew 27:28) and the scarlet cloak of one of the soldiers may have been put on him (Matthew 27:28). [source]
What do the individual words in Mark 15:20 mean?
Andwhenthey had mockedHimthey took offhimthepurpleput onthegarmentsHisownthey are leading outthatthey might crucifyHim
Greek Commentary for Mark 15:20
Vivid historical present after imperfects in Mark 15:19. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 15:20
This purple dye was obtained from the purple fish, a species of mussel or μυρεχ murex (1 Maccabees 4:23). It was very costly and was used for the upper garment by the wealthy and princes (royal purple). They had three shades of purple (deep violet, deep scarlet or crimson, deep blue). See also Mark 15:17, Mark 15:20; Revelation 18:12.Fine linen (βυσσον busson).Byssus or Egyptian flax (India and Achaia also). It is a yellowed flax from which fine linen was made for undergarments. It was used for wrapping mummies. “Some of the Egyptian linen was so fine that it was called woven air” (Vincent). Here only in the N.T. for the adjective βυσσινος bussinos occurs in Revelation 18:12; Revelation 19:8, Revelation 19:14.Faring sumptuously (ευπραινομενος λαμπρως euphrainomenos lamprōs).Making merry brilliantly. The verb ευπραινομαι euphrainomai we have already had in Luke 12:19; Luke 15:23, Luke 15:25, Luke 15:32. Λαμπρως Lamprōs is an old adverb from λαμπρος lampros brilliant, shining, splendid, magnificent. It occurs here only in the N.T. This parable apparently was meant for the Pharisees (Luke 16:14) who were lovers of money. It shows the wrong use of money and opportunity. [source]
First aorist active indicative of λαμβανω lambanō and μαστιγοω mastigoō (from μαστιχ mastix whip). For this redundant use of λαμβανω lambanō see also John 19:6. It is the causative use of μαστιγοω mastigoō for Pilate did not actually scourge Jesus. He simply ordered it done, perhaps to see if the mob would be satisfied with this penalty on the alleged pretender to royalty (Luke 23:22) whom Pilate had pronounced innocent (John 18:38), an illegal act therefore. It was a preliminary to crucifixion, but Jesus was not yet condemned. The Sanhedrin had previously mocked Jesus (Mark 14:65; Matthew 26:67.; Luke 22:63.) as the soldiers will do later (Mark 15:16-19; Matthew 27:27-30). This later mock coronation (Mark and Matthew) was after the condemnation. Plaited a crown of thorns Old verb πλεκω plekō to weave, in the N.T. only here, Mark 15:17; Matthew 27:19. Not impossible for the mock coronation to be repeated. Arrayed him “Placed around him” (second aorist active indicative of περιβαλλω periballō). In a purple garment Old adjective πορπυρεος porphureos from πορπυρα porphura purple cloth (Mark 15:17, Mark 15:20), dyed in purple, in the N.T. only here and Revelation 18:16. Jesus had been stripped of his outer garment ιματιον himation (Matthew 27:28) and the scarlet cloak of one of the soldiers may have been put on him (Matthew 27:28). [source]