Καὶ ὅτε ἐνέπαιξαν αὐτῷ, ἐξέδυσαν αὐτὸν τὴν πορφύραν καὶ ἐνέδυσαν αὐτὸν τὰ ἱμάτια τὰ ἴδια, καὶ ἐξάγουσιν αὐτὸν ἵνα σταυρώσωσιν αὐτόν. (Mark 15:20)
And when they had mocked Him, they took off from Him the purple robe and dressed Him in His own garments, and they lead Him out so that they might crucify Him.
Declension Analysis Table
| Greek Word | Morphology | Case & Syntactic Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| αὐτῷ (first occurrence) | 3rd person pronoun, dative masculine singular | Dative of indirect object | “To Him” — recipient of the mockery |
| αὐτόν (first occurrence) | 3rd person pronoun, accusative masculine singular | Accusative direct object of ἐξέδυσαν | Him — the one being stripped |
| τὴν πορφύραν | Noun, accusative feminine singular with article | Accusative object, specifying what was removed | “The purple robe” — royal mockery garment |
| αὐτόν (second occurrence) | 3rd person pronoun, accusative masculine singular | Accusative direct object of ἐνέδυσαν | Him — the one being dressed |
| τὰ ἱμάτια | Noun, accusative neuter plural with article | Accusative object, what was put on Him | “The garments” — His original clothing |
| τὰ ἴδια | Adjective functioning substantively, accusative neuter plural | Attributive to ἱμάτια | “His own” — marks personal possession |
| αὐτόν (third occurrence) | 3rd person pronoun, accusative masculine singular | Accusative direct object of ἐξάγουσιν | Him — the one being led out |
| αὐτόν (fourth occurrence) | 3rd person pronoun, accusative masculine singular | Accusative direct object of σταυρώσωσιν | Him — the one to be crucified |
Datives and Accusatives in Narrative Flow
The sole dative (αὐτῷ) anchors the opening clause, marking the target of ridicule. The repeated accusatives drive the sequence of actions — stripping, dressing, leading, and crucifying. This cascade of accusatives underlines the relentless passivity imposed on Jesus, emphasizing that all actions are done to Him.
Genitives of Possession through Adjectival Use
Instead of a genitive noun, possession is marked here by the attributive adjective ἴδια with ἱμάτια. This subtly reinforces that after the mockery, He is restored to His own garments, marking a transition from derision to the grim march toward execution.
Grammar as Theological Witness
The declensions in this verse don’t merely identify roles in a sentence; they form a grammatical tapestry of humiliation, restoration, and impending death. The pronouns ensure that every action is centered on Him, the object of both human cruelty and divine purpose.
