63The men who were holding Jesus mocked him and beat him. [22:64] Blindfolding him, they were questioning him: "Prophesy — who is it that struck you?" [22:65] And speaking many other things against him, they kept blaspheming.
LUK 22:63-65
The Soldiers Mock Jesus
In the world it was spoken into
In the Roman imperial context, mocking and physical abuse were common tactics to humiliate and degrade prisoners, especially those perceived as threats to Roman authority. Soldiers, often drawn from the lower classes of society, would use such acts to assert dominance and entertain themselves. The blindfolding and striking of Jesus, coupled with the demand to 'prophesy,' reflects a cruel game of mockery, exploiting his identity as a prophet. The term (mocking) carries a tone of malicious ridicule, while (beating) suggests severe, skin-stripping violence. The soldiers' actions align with the Roman practice of publicly shaming prisoners to strip them of dignity and honor. Additionally, (blaspheming) indicates not just irreverence toward God but also abusive speech aimed at degrading Jesus publicly. This scene underscores the intersection of Roman brutality and the cultural dynamics of honor-shame, where Jesus' humiliation serves to reinforce the soldiers' social superiority.
›See the receipts
How other translations render this
LUK 22:63
- KJV
- And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him.
- BSB
- The men who were holding Jesus began to mock Him and beat Him.
- Koinōnos
- The men who were holding Jesus mocked him and beat him.
LUK 22:64
- KJV
- And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?
- BSB
- They blindfolded Him and kept demanding, “Prophesy! Who hit You?”
- Koinōnos
- Blindfolding him, they were questioning him: "Prophesy — who is it that struck you?
LUK 22:65
- KJV
- And many other things blasphemously spake they against him.
- BSB
- And they said many other blasphemous things against Him.
- Koinōnos
- And speaking many other things against him, they kept blaspheming.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Where the historical framing draws from
- Tacitus, AnnalsAnn. 15.44
- Josephus, WarsWars 2.8.9
›Tacitus, Annals Ann. 15.44
“Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus”
Cited to ground: Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus
›Josephus, Wars Wars 2.8.9
“What they most of all honor, after God himself, is the name of their legislator [Moses], whom if any one blaspheme he is punished capitally.”
Cited to ground: blaspheming indicates not just irreverence toward God but also abusive speech aimed at degrading Jesus publicly
Translator's notes
LUK 22:63
- Him:The word translated 'mock' here implies not just ridicule, but also physical abuse and torture, often as a prelude to execution. It suggests a cruel and humiliating sport.
- Him:The word translated 'beat Him' indicates a severe flogging or skinning, suggesting extreme violence and brutality, not just a simple beating.
LUK 22:64
- they were striking:The word translated 'they were striking' actually means to question or interrogate. The text implies they were asking who hit Him, not that they were doing the striking themselves.
LUK 22:65
- blaspheming:The word translated 'blaspheming' refers to speaking impiously or irreverently against God or sacred things, often involving slander or insult. It's a direct affront to divine authority.