Fathers

Loading…

What the Fathers say

John 19:1

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

But do thou all through observe the lovingkindness of the Lord in these circumstances. Pilate scourged Him perhaps desiring to exhaust and to soothe the fury of the Jews. For when he had not been able to deliver Him by his former measures, being anxious to stay the evil at this point, he scourged Him, and permitted to be done what was done, the robe and crown to be put on Him, so as to relax their anger. …

Homily on the Gospel of John 84 ↗

Cyril of Alexandria

He scourges Him unjustly, and suffers the crowd of soldiers to insult Him, and put a crown of thorns about His Head, and throw a purple robe upon Him, and buffet Him with the palms of their hands, and otherwise dishonour Him. For he thought he could easily put to shame the people of the Jews, if they saw the Man Who was altogether free from guilt suffering this punishment, only without a cause. …

Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 12 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

Pilate scourges Him, wishing at least by this to calm and subdue their fury. Since he could not free Him from their hands by words, he scourges Him, hoping by this to restrain their madness.

Commentary on John ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

When the Jews had cried out that they did not wish Jesus to be released on account of the passover, but Barabbas, Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged Him. Pilate seems to have done this for no reason but to satisfy the malice of the Jews with some punishment short of death. On which account he allowed his band to do what follows, or perhaps even commanded them. …

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗

Thomas Aquinas

2371 Above, the Evangelist gave us an account of what Christ suffered from the Jews; here he describes what in particular he endured from the Gentiles. He suffered three things, as he had predicted: "They will deliver him to the Gentiles, to be mocked and scourged and crucified" (Matt 20:19). First, he deals with the scourging of Christ; secondly, with his mockery (v 2); and thirdly, with his crucifixion (v 4). …

Commentary on John ↗

Bonaventure

Then he apprehended him, etc. Here Pilate intends to free him by a judgment of severity, scourging an innocent man, so that he might mitigate the zeal of the Jews: and there are here three parts. In the first is described the ignominious scourging of Christ: second, the showing of the scourged one, there: Pilate went out again: third, the hardening of the Jews, there: When therefore the chief priests had seen him. The ignominious scourging of Christ is indicated first in the affliction, then in the derision. …

Commentary on John, Chapter 19 ↗