en_tn_condensed/jhn/19/29.md

A container full of sour wine was placed there

You can translate this in an active form. Alternate translation: "Someone had placed there a full container of sour wine" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive)

sour wine

"bitter wine"

they put

Here "they" refers to the Roman guards.

a sponge

a small object that can soak up and hold much liquid

on a hyssop staff

"on a branch of a plant called hyssop"