11:7 While they were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness 4 to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 5
12:20 He will not break a bruised reed or extinguish a smoldering wick,
until he brings justice to victory.
1 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
2 tn Or “the reed.”
3 tn The verb here has been translated as an iterative imperfect.
4 tn Or “desert.”
5 tn There is a debate as to whether one should read this figuratively (“to see someone who is easily blown over?”) or literally (Grk “to see the wilderness vegetation?… No, to see a prophet”). Either view makes good sense, but the following examples suggest the question should be read literally and understood to point to the fact that a prophet drew them to the desert.
7 tn Or “weaving.”
8 sn The crown may have been made from palm spines or some other thorny plant common in Israel. In placing the crown of thorns on his head, the soldiers were unwittingly symbolizing God’s curse on humanity (cf. Gen 3:18) being placed on Jesus. Their purpose would have been to mock Jesus’ claim to be a king; the crown of thorns would have represented the “radiant corona” portrayed on the heads of rulers on coins and other artifacts in the 1st century.
9 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
10 tn Or “a reed.” The Greek term can mean either “staff” or “reed.” See BDAG 502 s.v. κάλαμος 2.
11 tn Grk “they mocked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated.
12 tn Or “Long live the King of the Jews!”