Lexical Summary porphurous: purple Original Word: πορφυροῦς Strong's Exhaustive Concordance purple. From porphura; purpureal, i.e. Bluish red -- purple. see GREEK porphura HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 4210 porphyroús – a purple (reddish-purple) cloth or dye. See 4209 (porphýra). (Jn 19:5) It was customary in ancient times for a king to dress in purple. Hence, giving Jesus a purple cloak, mocked Him as someone merely posing to be a king. [This garment was perhaps a discarded officers' cloak that had been dyed purple.] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom porphura Definition purple NASB Translation purple (4). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4210: πορφύρεοςπορφύρεος, πορφυρεα, πορφυρεον, in Attic and in the N. T. contracted πορφυροῦς, πορφύρα, πορφυροῦν (πορφύρα), from Homer down, purple, dyed in purple, made of a purple fabric: John 19:2, 5; πορφυροῦν namely, ἔνδυμα ((Buttmann, 82 (72)); cf. Winer's Grammar, p. 591 (550)), Revelation 17:4 (G L T Tr WH); Revelation 18:16. Topical Lexicon Overview Strong’s Greek 4210 designates a purple garment, an emblem that bridges the humiliation of the true King in the Gospels with the gaudy self-glorification of the world system in Revelation. The word’s limited appearances sharpen its impact, contrasting genuine, self-emptying majesty with hollow, self-exalting power. Occurrences in the New Testament • John 19:2 – “The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns, put it on His head, and dressed Him in a purple robe.” Historical Background of Purple Garments In the ancient Mediterranean world, purple cloth—especially the deep Tyrian hue extracted from Murex mollusks—was staggeringly expensive. Roman sumptuary laws restricted its use to the imperial household and those specially honored by Caesar. To appear in purple was to signal unrivaled status, wealth, and authority. Because of its rarity and cost, purple became shorthand for royalty itself (compare Judges 8:26; Esther 8:15). Theological Significance in the Passion Narrative When Roman soldiers drape Jesus in a purple robe (John 19:2, John 19:5), they intend mockery, parodying a coronation. Yet the irony underlines a greater truth: the Suffering Servant is, in fact, the King of Kings. The robe, the crown of thorns, and Pilate’s presentation—“Behold the man!”—form a dramatic tableau that fulfills prophetic expectations of a despised yet victorious Messiah (Isaiah 53:3, Psalm 2:2-6). The color that signified imperial privilege becomes the backdrop for divine self-sacrifice. Symbolism of Worldly Luxury and Apostasy in Revelation Revelation transposes purple from the mocked Christ to Babylon the Great, “the woman…dressed in purple and scarlet” (Revelation 17:4). Here the color stands for opulence, immorality, and defiant pride. Babylon’s attire flaunts wealth amassed by exploiting nations (Revelation 18:3), while Christ’s robe in John shows the world’s contempt for true sovereignty. The same hue therefore exposes the moral chasm between the Lamb and the world system: one wears purple in self-giving humility, the other in self-indulgent arrogance. Babylon’s final lament—“Woe…purple and scarlet” (Revelation 18:16)—signals the collapse of every counterfeit throne before the returning King. Intertextual Connections • Royal purple in the Tabernacle and Temple (Exodus 25:4, 26:1; 2 Chronicles 2:7) foreshadows a coming Priest-King clothed in majesty. Ministry and Pastoral Implications 1. Christ-centered Humility: The purple robe at Calvary calls believers to embrace servanthood rather than worldly acclaim (Philippians 2:5-11). Conclusion Strong’s Greek 4210 supplies more than a color detail; it forms a theological thread uniting the mocked yet triumphant Messiah with the exposure and downfall of arrogant world power. Purple garments spotlight the ultimate reversal: the One humiliated in borrowed robes reigns forever, while those decked in ostentatious splendor without righteousness face inevitable ruin. Forms and Transliterations πορφύραν πορφυροίς πορφυρουν πορφυρούν πορφυροῦν porphuroun porphyroun porphyroûnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance John 19:2 Adj-ANSGRK: καὶ ἱμάτιον πορφυροῦν περιέβαλον αὐτόν NAS: and put a purple robe KJV: they put on him a purple robe, INT: and a robe purple cast around him John 19:5 Adj-ANS Revelation 17:4 Adj-ANS Revelation 18:16 Adj-ANS |
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