See the notes at Mat 27:41-44.

Luk 23:38

In letters of Greek … – See the notes at Mat 27:37.

Luk 23:39

One of the malefactors – Matthew Mat 27:44 says the thieves – cast the same in his teeth. See the apparent contradiction in these statements reconciled in the notes at that place.

If thou be Christ – If thou art the Messiah; if thou art what thou dost pretend to be. This is a taunt or reproach of the same kind as that of the priests in Luk 23:35.

Save thyself and us – Save our lives. Deliver us from the cross. This man did not seek for salvation truly; he asked not to be delivered from his sins; if he had, Jesus would also have heard him. Men often, in sickness and affliction, call upon God. They are earnest in prayer. They ask of God to save them, but it is only to save them from temporal death. It is not to be saved from their sins, and the consequence is, that when God does raise them up, they forget their promises, and live as they did before, as this robber would have done if Jesus had heard his prayer and delivered him from the cross.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Luk 23:35-37

He saved others, let Him save Himself

God in sovereignty often selects as His instruments those who have no desire to be subordinate to His will

Some passengers on the ships deck may be walking forward, and some walking aft, and some standing still; but all, and all alike, are borne onward to their destiny by the breath of heaven in the sails, and according to the will of the pilot who holds the helm in his hand.

This world in space is like a ship on the sea. Of the teeming multitudes that crowd its surface, some intelligently and willingly walk in the way of Gods commandments, others violently resist, and others cleave sluggishly to the dust like clods of the earth; but our Father is at the helm–he will make all subservient to His purpose. Every atom will be compelled to take its place and contribute its own share to the establishment of His kingdom and the redemption of His people. The sovereignty of God is a precious doctrine. Providence is sweet to them that believe: Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you. Apart from the meaning of their words, the scuffing of these scribes was overruled by God for the accomplishment of His own purpose. By their conduct they unconsciously fulfilled the prophecy of Scripture regarding the Messiah. This reviling constituted one of the marks by which those who waited for redemption in Israel should know the Redeemer when He came. A root out of a dry ground: no form nor comeliness–no beauty that He should be desired: rejected and despised: they shall look on Him whom they have pierced. (W. Arnot.)

Himself He cannot save

The Kings Son has offered Himself as hostage for certain subjects that were held in captivity by a foreign power. He has gone into their place, and they have on the faith of this transaction been set free. Precisely because they have been set free, He cannot now escape. He has saved others by the substitution of Himself in their stead, and therefore Himself He cannot save. In order to explain fully how Jesus, having saved others, could not also save Himself, we must refer to the history of redemption. Bear in mind that we live under a Divine administration that has been well ordered from the beginning. When an architect begins to lay the foundation of a building, he has the perfect plan already before his eye. Although it be only a mans covenant, it is not carried forward by fits and starts according to the changing circumstances of the times. The design is completed from the first, and its execution is carried forward, it may be from generation to generation, all in accordance with the first design. Much more certain and evident it is that God, who sees the end from the beginning, framed His plan at first, and conducts His administration from age to age according to that plan. The way of salvation for sinful men is not left uncertain, to be modified by the accidents of the day. The gospel does not take its character from passing events. It is, indeed, a transaction between the unchangeable God and erring man; but it takes its character from the Source whence it springs, and not from the objects to which it is directed. It partakes of the immutability of its Author: it has nothing in common with the caprice of men. It has come from heaven to earth, not to receive, but to give an impression. The suns rays when they reach the earth meet with a various reception. At one time they are intercepted before they touch its surface by an intervening subordinate orb; at another time the earth itself keeps out the light from that side of it whereon we stand: at one place, even when the rays are permitted to reach us, they stir corruption into greater energy; at another time they paint the flowers and ripen the fruit, stimulating life and gilding the landscape with varied beauty. But whether they are kept at a distance or received, whether when received they make corruption more corrupt, or make beauty more beautiful, the suns rays are ever the same; they remain true to their celestial character, and are never changed by the changing accidents of earth. They retain all the purity of the heaven they come from, and contract none of the defilement of the earth they come to. (W. Arnot.)

If Christ had saved Himself, man would have been left unsaved

A traveller in an Asiatic desert has spent his last bit of bread and his last drop of water. He has pursued his journey in hunger and thirst until his limbs have given way, and he has at length lain down on the ground to die. Already, as he looks on the hard dry sky, he sees the vultures swooping down, as if unwilling to wait till his breath go out. But a caravan of travellers with provisions and camels comes up. Hope revives in his fainting heart. They halt and look; but as the poor man cannot walk, they are unwilling to burden themselves, and coldly pass on. Now he is left to all the horrors of despair. They have saved themselves, but left him to die. A ship has caught fire at sea. The passengers and crew, shut up in one extremity of the burning ship, strain their eyes and sweep the horizon round for sight of help. At length, and just in time, a sail appears and bears down upon them. But the stranger, fearing fire, does not venture near, but puts about her helm, and soon is out of sight. The men in the burning ship are left to their fate. How dreadful their situation, when the selfish ship saved itself from danger, and left them to sink! Ah! what heart can conceive the misery of human kind, if the Son of God had saved Himself from suffering, and left a fallen world to the wrath of God! (W. Arnot.)

Refusing to save himself

A soldier on duty at the palace of the Emperor at St. Petersburg, which was burnt a few years ago, was stationed, and had been forgotten, in one suite of apartments that was in flames. A Greek priest was the last person to rush through the burning rooms, at the imminent risk of his life, to save a crucifix in a chapel, and, returning, he was hailed by the set, try, who must in a few instants more have been suffocated. What do you want? cried the priest. Save yourself, or you will be lost. I cant leave, replied the sentry, because I am unrelieved; but I called to you to give me your blessing before I die. The priest blessed him, and the soldier died at his post.

Happiness in saving others

One of the Russian emperors, Alexander, when hunting, and riding in front of his suite, heard a groan which arrested him; he reined in his horse, alighted, looked round, and found a man at the point of death. He bent over him, chafed his temples, and tried to excite him. A surgeon was called, but he said He is dead. Try what you can do, said the Emperor. He is dead, replied the surgeon. Try what you can do. At this second command, the surgeon tried some processes; and after a time a drop of blood appeared from a vein which had been opened; respiration was being restored. On seeing this the Emperor, with deep feeling, exclaimed, This is the happiest day of my life; I have saved the life of a fellow-creature. If being thus useful in saving a man from death imparted such happiness to the Emperor, how much greater will our joy and satisfaction be if any of our efforts result in saving a soul from death. Let us try what we can do. There is the greatest encouragement for the largest faith, for Christ is able to save to the uttermost all who come unto God through Him.

Saving others by sacrifice of self

The plague was making a desert of the city of Marseilles; death was everywhere. The physicians could do nothing. In one of their counsels it was decided that a corpse must be dissected; but it would be death to the operator. A celebrated physician of the number arose, and said, I devote myself for the safety of my country. Before this numerous assembly, I swear in the name of humanity and religion, that to-morrow, at the break of day, I will dissect a corpse, and write down as I proceed what I observe. He immediately left the room, made his will, and spent the night in religious exercises. During the day a man had died in his house of the plague; and at daybreak on the following morning, the physician, whose name was Guyon, entered the room and critically made the necessary examinations, writing down all his surgical observations. He then left the room, threw the papers into a vase of vinegar, that they might not convey the disease to another, and retired to a convenient place, where he died in twelve hours. Before the battle of Hatchets Run, a Christian soldier said to his comrade, You are detailed to go to the front, while I am to remain with the baggage. Let us change places. Ill go front, you remain in camp. What for? said the comrade. Because I am prepared to die, I think; but you are not. The exchange was made. The thought of the self-sacrifice of his friend, and his readiness for the exposure of life or the realities of death, led the unsaved soldier to repentance and a like preparation for life. A vessel had driven on the rocks in a storm, and was hopelessly lost. Another vessel had gone out in the blind desire to do something, but a long way off she stopped and watched. That was all, but it was not very much. The men, however, dared venture no further; it would be life for life, and they were not great enough for that. Nelson, the ships lad, said, Capn, Im going to try and save those men. And the captain said, Nelson, if you do, youll be drowned. And Nelson replied–no nobler reply was ever given–Capn, Im not thinking of being drowned, Im thinkin of savin those men. So he and a shipmate took the boat, and went to the wreck, and saved every man who was there. Saving others:—A few years ago a vessel was wrecked on the southwest coast of this country; and with these words I close. It became known to the hamlets and villages, the towns and districts, that this vessel was wrecked, that men were seen clinging to the rigging. The life-boat was launched, and away the men went, and were a long while at sea. Darkness set in, but the people on the coast lighted fires; they kindled great flames so that the sailors might be aided, that the life-boat might be guided on its return to shore. After awhile they saw it returning, and a great strong man, of the name of John Holden, who was on the coast, cried aloud, as with a trumpet, to the Captain of the life-boat, Hi! hi! have you saved the men? The Captain answered, Ay, ay, I have saved the men, and all hearts were filled with gladness. But when the boat reached the coast it was found that one man was left clinging to the mast. Why did not you save him? said Holden; why did not you save him? Because we were exhausted, said the Captain, and we thought it better to attempt to get safely to shore for those we had rescued and for ourselves. We should all have perished if we had remained another five minutes attempting to save one man. But you will go back–you will go back to the rescue? They said no, they had not the strength, the storm was so fierce. Holden threw himself on the shingle, and lifted up a prayer to God louder than the storm that God would put it into the hearts of some of those people to go to the rescue of this one man, just as Jesus Christ came to rescue one lost world. When he had ceased praying six men volunteered to accompany him, and John Holden, with six men, were prepared to go and rescue that one man. If seven men will go to the rescue of one man, how many men shall we send to save Africa? These men were preparing to start when the good old mother of John Holden came rushing down, and threw her arms around his neck, and said, John, you must not go. What can I do if You perish? You know your father was drowned at sea, and it is just two years since your brother William left; we have never heard a word of him since. No doubt he, too, has perished. John, what shall I do if you perish? John said, Mother, God has put it in my heart to go, and if I perish He will take care of you. And away he went; and after awhile the life-boat returned, and when he neared the coast a loud voice was raised, Hi! hi! John, have you saved the man? John answered in a trumpet voice, Yes, we have saved the man; and tell my mother it is my brother William we have saved. Now, there is your brother man the wide world over; haste to the rescue even if you perish in the attempt. (J. S. Balmer.)

Self-sacrificing love

The helmsman who stood at the wheel in the burning steamer till he brought her to the shore, and then dropped backed into the flames, conscious that he had saved the passengers; the soldier who, to save his fugitive comrades, blew up the bridge over which they had crossed, though he knew that he himself would be blown up with the bridge; the Arab, dying of thirst in the desert, yet giving his last drop of water to his faithful camel, may be cited as types of Christ in his self-sacrificing love. Not many years ago there was a colliery accident in the north of England. The mine was flooded, and there were still some of the miners imprisoned below. Rescue parties were made up and sent down. It was a hard piece of work, and they had to work in relays. One man, however, it was noticed, kept working all the time. Others told him that he would kill himself, and asked him to stop and rest. But he answered: How can I stop? There are some of my own down there. Is it not in some such way that Christ came down to seek His own on earth, and to give His life for them? (Sunday School Times.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 35. Derided him] Treated him with the utmost contempt, , in the most infamous manner. See the meaning of this word explained, Lu 16:14.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

And the people stood beholding,…. This dismal and affecting sight; insulting and reviling him, and wagging their heads at him, as did also those that passed by: and the rulers also with them derided him; the chief priests, Scribes, and elders, the members of the sanhedrim, whose characters should have restrained them from such an inhuman conduct. The phrase, “with them”, is wanting in the Oriental versions, and in one of Beza’s copies: saying,

he saved others; by healing their diseases, or raising them from the dead:

let him save himself; from death, by unnailing himself, and coming down from the cross; [See comments on Mt 27:42]

if he be Christ; the Messiah, he and his followers give out he is; even the chosen of God, referring to Isa 42:1. The Arabic version reads, “the chosen Son of God”, very wrongly; for Christ was not chosen to be the Son of God; he was so by nature; but he was chosen to be a servant, as the text cited shows, to be a Mediator between God and man, and the Saviour of his people.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

The people stood beholding (). Past perfect active of , intransitive and like imperfect. A graphic picture of the dazed multitude, some of whom may have been in the Triumphal Entry on Sunday morning.

Scoffed (). Imperfect active, perhaps inchoative, began to turn up (out, ) at the dying Christ. The language comes from Ps 22:7.

The Christ of God ( ). He had claimed to be just this (Luke 22:67; Luke 22:70). The sarcastic sneer (he saved others; let him save others, for himself he cannot save) is in Mark 15:31; Matt 27:42. Luke alone gives the contemptuous use of (this fellow) and the fling in “the elect” ( ). These rulers were having their day at last.

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

Beholding. See on ch. Luk 10:18.

Scoffed. See on ch. Luk 16:14.

If he. The A. V. does not give the contemptuous emphasis on ou=tov, this fellow.

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

1) “And the people stood beholding,” (kai heistekei ho laos theoron) “And the people stood gazing,” at the gory and gruesome scene, out of many moods, curiosity, grief, anger and some with demonish glee, as prophesied, Psa 22:17; Zec 12:10.

2) “And the rulers also with them derided him, saying,” (ekseonukterizon de kai hoi archontes legontes) “Then the rulers also scoffed, repeatedly saying,” deriding, Psa 22:6-8; Psa 69:12; Psa 69:21. They reviled Him, wagging their heads, Mat 27:39; Psa 109:25; Mar 15:29.

3) “He saved others; let him save himself,” (allous esosei sosato heauton) “He saved others, let him save or deliver himself,” Mat 27:42; Mar 15:30-31.

4) “If he be Christ, the chosen of God.” (ei houtos estin ho Christos tou theou ho eklektos) “If he exists as the Christ, the chosen one of God,” Mat 27:40; Mat 27:43.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

(35) And the rulers also with them derided him.St. Luke uses the generic term for the members of the Sanhedrin, whom St. Matthew particularises as chief priests, scribes, and elders. The verb is the same as in 16:14, and implies the curled lip and distended nostril of scorn.

He saved others.The words were, like those of Caiaphas (Joh. 11:50), an unconscious prophecy, in part also an admission of the work that He had done, as in the case of Lazarus, in rescuing others from the power of death.

If he be Christ, the chosen of God.It may be noted that this is the only passage in the New Testament in which the adjective chosen, or elect, is directly applied to Christ. The participle of the verb, is, however, found in the better MSS. of Luk. 9:35, and the adjective is used of Him as the stone, elect and precious, in 1Pe. 2:6.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

35. He saved others Saved them by his miracles from disease and death.

Let him save himself This is the true test miracle. All his other deeds of power and mercy are of no validity, unless he now asserts his power and demonstrates his Messiahship by making his own crucifixion impossible. If he can be crucified he is not the Christ. This argument, derived from the rulers, satisfies the people.

If he be Christ If he be the MESSIAH.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

‘And the people stood watching, and the rulers also scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others, let him save himself, if this is the Christ (Messiah) of God, his chosen.” ’

Meanwhile the people, and the rulers, combined in gazing at the spectacle before them (compare Luk 23:13-23 where they had united in condemning Him). The use of ‘watched’ may reflect Psa 22:7 (in LXX Luk 21:8). And the rulers scoffed at Him. This mirrors Psa 22:7-8 where the description of the treatment of ‘David’ is remarkably apposite. Here was the greater David was suffering it to an even greater extent, another case of prophecy being ‘filled full’. This idea of the attitude of the rulers will later be taken up in Acts and compared with the action of the rulers in Psalms 2 towards the Davidic house (Act 4:25-28). But here all concentration is on their act. And they jeered at Jesus and congratulated themselves on the fact that in spite of His bold words at His trials He was unable to do anything to help Himself. They clearly felt that it vindicated them. He had ‘saved others’. Even they had at this time had to admit to the reality of His healings and exorcisms. But He could not save Himself. Surely if He really were the Messiah of God He would now be able to save Himself? Why then did He not do so? Peter could have given them the answer, ‘He suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous that He might bring us to God (1Pe 3:18). Paul could have informed them, ‘He was made sin for us, He Who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him’ (2Co 5:21). Luke could have told them, ‘He was reckoned among the transgressors’ (Luk 22:37). He was buying His people with His own blood (Act 20:28). He was sealing the new covenant with His blood (Luk 22:20).

The suggestion here is probably not that the people did not scoff, but that they scoffed in their hearts while their representatives did it vocally for them. They were there supporting what their leaders did. Others who were simply passers-by also scoffed (Mar 15:29), but Luke is concentrating on those who were there more permanently. ‘The people’ here represents the unbelieving mass of Judaism. It is the vox populi. It does not have in mind those who have believed. Note the direct connection between ‘the Messiah’ and ‘His chosen’. The latter expression reflects Isa 42:1 and the voice at Jesus’ transfiguration (Luk 9:35). The One Whom God has sent, and has revealed in glory on the mountain before His own people as represented there by the three Apostles (Luk 9:28-36), is now mocked on the cross, before a rejecting people. The believer therefore has seen what the rulers cannot see. He has seen the glory of Christ (2Co 4:4-6). That is the difference between the believer and the unbeliever.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

The mocking of the people:

v. 35. And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided Him, saying, He saved others; let Him save Himself, if He be Christ, the Chosen of God.

v. 36. And the soldiers also mocked Him, coming to Him, and offering Him vinegar,

v. 37. and saying, If Thou be the king of the Jews, save Thyself.

v. 38. And a superscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek and Latin and Hebrew, this is the King of the Jews.

The anticlimax of the people’s frenzy had now been reached. Their bloodthirstiness had been satisfied, and it was only their curiosity that kept them at Calvary. They watched the soldiers in their gruesome work until the crucifixion had been completed. Then, however, they did not remain idle. No other distraction offering itself, they joined the rulers. For these worthies, who would at any other time have felt it a disgrace to mingle with the vulgar crowd, could not deny themselves the joy of coming out from the city and expressing their satisfaction over the success of their plan. They turned up their noses in token of utter contempt of the Lord, and sneeringly remarked: Others He saved; let Him save Himself, if this be indeed the Christ of God, the Chosen One. What they had formerly denied with all the bitterness of their envious hearts they now confessed, showing that they were hypocrites and rotten to the core. They had seen and heard a large enough number of evidences of His Godhead to satisfy any ordinary person, but here they again cast doubt upon the entire matter by challenging Him to come down from the cross to save Himself. See Psa 22:6-8; Psa 22:17. But the Lord did not return the insults in kind. When He was Revelation led, He Revelation led not again; when He suffered, He threatened not, 1Pe 2:23. The soldiers also, tiring of their game of dice, joined in the mockery, making fun especially of the appellation “King of the Jews. ” That seemed to them the height of ridiculousness, that this man should have aspired to be the ruler of the despised Israelites. The occasion for using just this name was given by the fact that Pilate had had a superscription placed over the head of Jesus, at the top of the cross, naming the cause or reason for His condemnation: The king of the Jews is this man, or, as it read literally: Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews. In Greek, the language commonly spoken on the street and in business, in Latin, the official language of the Romans, and in Hebrew, or Aramaic, the home language of the majority of the Jews, the superscription had been written out. Note: Jesus here became, as Luther says, the rock of offense before the whole world, every class of people and the most representative languages of the world being here represented. Also: Pilate undoubtedly wanted to express his contempt both for the Jews and for Jesus by choosing the superscription in that form. But his words were actually true and should be a comfort to this day to all that are children of Abraham in the real, the spiritual sense. The King of Grace, the King of Glory, that is the Savior in whom we place our trust.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

Luk 23:35-38 . According to the corrected text (see the critical remarks), it is not in Luke the people that mock (comp., on the other hand, Mat 27:39 f.; Mar 15:29 f.), for they rather stand there as spectators, but the members of the Sanhedrim. refers merely to the of the . To the standing by and looking on of the people (not further sympathizing) is added, however, also mockery on the part of the members of the Sanhedrim . On . comp. Psa 22:8 , and see on Luk 16:14 .

] this fellow! with scornful contempt.

] Luk 9:35 .

Luk 23:36 is not a misunderstanding of Mat 27:48 (de Wette), but something special which the other evangelists have not got. A mocking offer , not an actual giving to drink; for here the offer was not made by means of a sponge, so that naturally Jesus could not accept the drink. The proceeding was a grim joke!

Luk 23:38 . ] over Him on the cross. The supplementary statement of the title on the cross (see on Mat 27:37 ) explains the fact that the soldiers scoffed at Him as the King of the Jews .

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

“And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. (36) And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, (37) And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.”

I pray the Reader, again and again to mark the insults offered to the person of the Redeemer in his offices. As the Church by sin had put an affront on all the characters of her Lord, Jesus, in redeeming her, shall sustain in his own person those insults. Hence the rabble mocked at his office as the Great Prophet of his people, when they smote him, and said unto him, prophecy, thou Christ, who is he that Smote thee. So again, in his Priestly office; the derision of the rulers in all those instances of pardon, Jesus had shewn (Mar 2:5-12 ) was blasphemously used, when, as in the passage before us, they said, He saved others, himself he cannot save. Think, Reader! what an awful instance was here! And his Kingly office, the Roman soldiers insulted, when they said, as they offered Christ the predicted vinegar, (see Psa 69:21 .) If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. Reader! do not fail to behold the hand of Jehovah in these solemn transactions. Both Jew and Gentile shall bear part in those insults offered to Christ’s person and offices. For the Lord Jesus was at that moment redeeming his whole Church, both Jew and Gentile. The heathen was his for an inheritance, now Christ, was set as king on his holy hill of Zion. Psa 2 throughout. Never did the glory of the Lord Jesus shine out more fully! Never did Christ more fully prove his suretyship character as now, when his glorious offices were thus set at nought and despised.

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him , saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.

Ver. 35. Derided him ] Gr. , blew their noses at him.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

35. ] The insults of the people are by no means excluded, even with omitted: nay they are implied, by the which follows. To find a discrepancy with Matt. and Mark here, is surely unfair (Meyer, De Wette): the people’s standing looking on , does not describe their mind towards Jesus: Luke reports no more than he had before him: and the inference may be drawn that those whom he has related to have cried out an hour ago, ‘Crucify him,’ would not have stood by in silence.

On Luk 23:48 , see note there.

are the chief priests and members of the Sanhedrim: Mat 27:41 .

. . ., either the Christ of God, His elect one, or, the elect Christ of God; I prefer the former: but either way, . . must be taken together, not as in re [115] .

[115] The Textus Receptus or received text of the Greek Testament. Used in this Edition when elz and Steph agree

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Luk 23:35 . : the people are now mere spectators. Have they begun to rue already when they see what their demand has come to? Observe the words and in Luk 23:48 . When they had gazed long enough it came to decided poignant regret. Fickle mob! : they alone, the rulers of the people, mock and sneer. The (T.R.) is a badly attested reading and clearly contrary to the spirit of the narrative. , the Elect One, and come to this? Incredible? No! thus all the truest sons and elect of God have fared in this evil world.

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

beholding = looking on, or gazing at. Greek theoreo. App-133. Not the same word as in Luk 23:29.

derided = were mocking: i.e. turning up their noses at Him. Same word as in 16. is. Compare Psa 2:4; Psa 22:7; Psa 35:16.

others. Greek. allos. App-124. Not the same word as in Luk 23:32; Luk 23:40.

he = This fellow.

Christ = the Messiah. App-98.

God. App-98.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

35.] The insults of the people are by no means excluded, even with omitted: nay they are implied, by the which follows. To find a discrepancy with Matt. and Mark here, is surely unfair (Meyer, De Wette):-the peoples standing looking on, does not describe their mind towards Jesus: Luke reports no more than he had before him: and the inference may be drawn that those whom he has related to have cried out an hour ago, Crucify him,-would not have stood by in silence.

On Luk 23:48, see note there.

are the chief priests and members of the Sanhedrim: Mat 27:41.

. . ., either the Christ of God, His elect one,-or, the elect Christ of God; I prefer the former: but either way, . . must be taken together, not as in re[115].

[115] TheTextus Receptus or received text of the Greek Testament. Used in this Edition when elz and Steph agree

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Luk 23:35. [ , the people) not the rabble () indiscriminately (whether Jews or Gentiles), as in Luk 23:48, but the Jewish people is here meant.-V. g.-, beholding) The people no doubt feasted their eyes with that spectacle; for Luke states, that the rulers with them.[258] namely, with the people, derided the Saviour. But, a short while after, a check was put upon their fondness (lit. itching) for derision, Luk 23:48.-Harm., p. 564.]- ) viz. with those who had crucified Him.[259] [Luke collects into one passage the mocking insults with which Jesus was harassed when being crucified, Luk 23:35-39. The inscription on the cross was itself an insult in the eyes of the heathens. For which reason, Luke makes mention of the vinegar also, which was offered to Him by the soldiers, sooner than the other evangelists.[260]-Harm., p. 566. Men of respectability do not usually, under ordinary circumstances, blend themselves with such scenes; but wantonness and desire of revenge in the present instance took away all regard for their own dignity. No one ever was derided with such sneers as was Jesus. See that you feel grateful to Him, and learn to endure meekly insults, especially when for His sake.-V. g.]-[ , the chosen of GOD) It is not befitting, say they, that the chosen of GOD (if Jesus were really so) should die upon a cross.-V. g.]-, this man) Used as a demonstrative, with contempt.

[258] is read in A Vulg. and Rec. Text. But BCDLQbc omit the words.-E. and T.

[259] But the Harm., quoted above, makes it with the people.-E. and T.

[260] Mat 27:48; Mar 15:36; Joh 19:29. But all these describe the second offering of the vinegar, in compassion, to refresh His thirst, just before death. Whereas Mat 27:34, Mar 15:23, and Luke here, Luk 23:35. describes the vinegar, mingled with gall, offered in mockery, and at an earlier point of time-E. and T.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

Saving Others by not Saving Himself

Luk 23:35-46

Rulers, soldiers, and malefactors all heaped their insults on the dying Lord, little realizing that they were all included in the great love which was pouring itself out as the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. It may be that we shall have to share the same opprobrium, if we drink of His cup and are baptized with His baptism. But God will do for us as He did for Jesus; He will not leave our soul in the grave nor suffer His own to see corruption, Psa 16:10.

The signs of renewal, wrought in the heart of the penitent thief, showed the sure work of the Holy Spirit. These were the fear of God, the sense of justice in His suffering, the confession of evil deeds, the recognition of our Lords sinlessness and dignity, and the anticipation of His coming Kingdom. We may begin a day under the dull skies of earth and close it where there is no need of sun or moon. See Php 1:23; 2Co 5:6. For the rent veil, see Heb 10:20. Dying saints have often passed home with our Lords last words on their lips, Psa 31:5; Act 7:59.

Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary

people

Jesus crucified is the true touchstone revealing what the world is: “The people stood beholding” in stolid indifference; the rulers, who wanted religion, but without a divine Christ crucified for their sins, “reviled”; the brutal amongst them mocked or railed; the conscious sinner prayed; the covetous sat down before the cross and played their sordid game. The cross is the judgment of this world. Joh 12:31

Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes

the people: Psa 22:12, Psa 22:13, Psa 22:17, Zec 12:10, Mat 27:38-43, Mar 15:29-32

derided: Luk 16:14, Gen 37:19, Gen 37:20, Psa 4:2, Psa 35:15, Psa 35:19-25, Psa 69:7-12, Psa 69:26, Psa 71:11, Isa 49:7, Isa 53:3, Lam 3:14

Christ: Luk 22:67-70, Psa 22:6-8, Isa 42:1, Mat 3:17, Mat 12:18, 1Pe 2:4

Reciprocal: 2Ki 18:30 – make you 2Ch 30:10 – they laughed Job 16:10 – gaped Job 30:1 – whose Psa 22:7 – laugh Psa 22:8 – seeing Psa 119:51 – proud Psa 123:3 – for we are Isa 29:20 – the scorner Jer 20:7 – I am Mat 27:39 – reviled Mat 27:41 – General Mar 10:34 – mock Mar 15:31 – also Luk 18:32 – mocked Joh 11:37 – Could Act 13:41 – ye despisers 1Ti 5:14 – to speak reproachfully Heb 6:6 – an open Heb 12:2 – despising 1Pe 2:6 – elect

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

5

Had it been a matter of power or strength only, Jesus could have even prevented their nailing him to the cross. But the deed had to be performed in order to fulfill the scripture predictions (Mat 26:54).

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Luk 23:35. And the people stood beholding. At the time when the prayer was uttered. A crowd would not, however, remain still long on such an occasion, and others would be coming from the city, so that there is no disagreement with the accounts of Matthew and Mark.

But the rulers, etc. As if in contrast with the people, but the latter joined in the mockery (see Matthew). Luke tells of the charge of Peter (Act 2:23 : Ye have taken… and slain).

If this one, etc. The tone is that of contempt.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

Observe here, 1. A mighty aggravation of our Lord’s sufferings upon the cross; namely, the mocking derision which he met with in his dying moments. As he endured the pain so he despised the shame; cruel mockings was our Lord tried with, both from the common people and from the chief priests; yet the common people’s reviling him, and wagging their heads at him, was not so much to be taken notice of, as the chief priests, who were men of age and gravity, and the ministers of religion: for them barbarously to mock him in his misery; and, what was worse, atheistically to jeer and scoff at his faith and affiance in God, saying, He trusted in God that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, if he will have him; this was such an indignity as confounds our thoughts.

But from hence we learn,

1. That persecutors are generally atheistical scoffers: the chief priests and elders, who persecuted Christ, do blaspheme God; they mock at his power, and deride his providence, which was as wicked as to deny his being.

2. We learn from this example, that such as minister to God in holy things by way of office, if they be not the best, they are generally the worst of men; no such bitter enemies to the power of godliness, as such preachers who were never experimentally acquainted with the efficacy and power of it upon their own hearts and lives.

Observe, 2. The inscription wrote by Pilate over our suffering Saviour, this is Jesus, the king of the Jews. It was the custom of the Romans, when they crucified a malefactor, to publish the cause of his death in capital letters, placed over the head of the person.

Now it is observable how wonderfully the wisdom of God overruled the heart and pen of Pilate, to draw this title, which was truly honorable, and fix it to his cross. Pilate is Christ’s herald, and proclaims him King of the Jews.

Learn hence, that the kingship and regal dignity of Christ was proclaimed by an enemy, and that in time of his greatest sufferings and reproaches. Pilate without his knowledge did our Saviour an eminent piece of service: verily, he did that for Christ which none of his own disciples durst do; not that he did it designedly, and with any intent to put honor upon Christ, but from the special overruling providence of God. No thanks to Pilate for all this; because the highest services performed for Christ undesignedly, shall never be accepted nor rewarded by him.

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

Luk 23:35-37. And the people stood beholding Him hanging on the cross, being, it seems, not at all concerned, but rather pleasing themselves with the spectacle. And the rulers Whom, from their office, one would have supposed to be men of sense and men of honour, stood among the rabble; and derided him, saying, He saved others, let him save himself Thus do they upbraid him for the good works he had done, as if it were indeed for these that they crucified him. They triumph over him as if they had conquered him, at the time that he was conquering sin and death for them! They challenge him to save himself from the cross, when he was saving others by the cross! See on Mat 27:39-44. Let him save himself if he be Christ, the chosen of God If he really be the true Messiah, the elect of God, and, in consequence of that divine choice, be the king of Israel, as he has often pretended, let him save himself from death, that we may see a demonstration of his saving power; and we will then believe him. Or, if he, as the Messiah, would deliver our nation from the Romans, (to do which they supposed would be the principal office of the Messiah,) let him deliver himself from the Romans that have him now in their hands. Thus these Jewish rulers ridiculed him, as captivated by the Romans instead of subduing them. The expression, , the elect, or chosen of God, is taken from Isa 42:1, and appears to be one of those titles by which the Messiah was at that time distinguished. The soldiers also Who kept guard at that time, joined with the rest of the spectators; and mocked him, coming and offering him vinegar To drink in the midst of his agonies. Compare Joh 19:29. And saying As the rulers and people had done; if thou be the king of the Jews As thou hast frequently pretended to be, before thou undertakest to deliver them, save thyself From our power, and thus begin to assert thy claim to a supreme authority. Their insult, it seems, did not lie in their offering our Lord vinegar, for that was the soldiers common drink, when mixed with water; (see note on Mat 27:48;) but it lay in what they said to him when they offered it, reproaching him for pretending to be a king, when he was so poor and mean a person, and now about to expire as a malefactor. As this claim of being a king, seemed to the soldiers most derogatory to the Roman authority, it is no wonder that they grounded their insult on this, rather than his professing himself the Son of God. Thus the priests derided his claiming the title of the Messiah, and the Romans his claiming that of a king.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

THEY REVILE HIM ON THE CROSS

Mar 15:29-32; Luk 23:35-43; Mat 27:39-44. And passing by, they continued to blaspheme Him, wagging their heads, and saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save Thyself. If Thou art the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise the high priests mocking Him, with the scribes and elders, continued to say, He saved others; Himself He is not able to save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe on Him. He trusted in God; let Him now deliver Him, if He wishes Him: for He said, I am the Son of God. This scene, led off by the high priests, elders, and scribes, whose honorable example, of course, many thoughtless people followed, both citizens and soldiers, was not only barbaric in the extreme and infinitely worse than brutal, but diabolical in the superlative degree. And yet it was perpetrated by the ministers and elders standing at the head of the Church, illustrating the significant fact that collegiate education, religious professions, official dignity, and clerical sanctity are no guarantee against the vilest and most demoniacal persecutions when the devil is in them. Shall we not all learn a profitable lesson by this scene, and that is, to have no faith in man, but all in God?

The thieves also, being crucified along with Him, continued to cast this same reproach on Him. Luk 22:39-43 : But one of the malefactors, having been hanged up, continued to blaspheme Him, If Thou art the Christ, save Thyself and us. There is no contradiction of the preceding with the following. Simply recognize the fact that both of the robbers at first joined with the high priest and the rabble in reproaching Him. But after so long a time, something in the look or the manner of Jesus sent conviction deep into the heart of one of the malefactors, superinducing a tremendous reaction, such as to evoke from the repentant thief the following: And the other one, responding, continued to rebuke him, saying, Dost thou not fear God, because thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the punishment worthy of the crimes which we have committed; but this One has done nothing wrong. He said to Jesus, Lord, when Thou mayest come in Thy kingdom, remember me. And Jesus said to him, Truly I say unto thee, This day thou shalt be with Me in paradise. On the resurrection morn, three days subsequently, Jesus said to Mary, I have not yet ascended unto My Father, setting forth the indisputable fact that He had not met the thief in heaven. He was a Jew, and was saved under the Abrahamic covenant, which all concentrates in Christ. So he went to Abrahams bosom (Luke 16), whither Lazarus and all of the Old Testament saints had been gathering since the days of Abel. Jesus, expiring on the cross, His disembodied human soul (1Pe 3:19) went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison i. e. the inmates of hell the victory won on Calvary (Act 2:27-31); then, crossing the impassable chasm, entered the intermediate paradise i. e., Abrahams bosom and met the thief before the expiration of that day at midnight; spent a wonderful hallelujah Sabbath with the patriarchs and prophets and all of the Old Testament saints; early, the first day of the week, abolished the intermediate paradise, and led up all the inmates with Him (Eph 4:8-10), and, coming to the tomb, received His body, the mighty host of Old Testament saints being invisible, because not having their bodies accompanied Him the forty days, and finally ascended with Him up to heaven. The prophetic eye of David (Psalms 24) catching the vision of the triumphant host, hears the shout, Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors, and let the King of glory come in. Then the shout roars back from the celestial portals, Who is this King of glory? The answer is prompt, The Lord, mighty to save and strong to deliver; He is the King of glory. Now the gates swing high, and millions of glorified spirits shout Him welcome, with the triumphant host captured from the cruel clutches of Satan. The grandest ovation heaven has seen in all the ages now monopolizes the interest of the celestial universe, while the Conqueror of Mount Calvary leads His blood-washed pilgrims up into the august presence of the Almighty Father, presenting them before Him, Behold, I and the children whom Thou hast given unto Me. O what a thrilling testimony-meeting follows, Father Abraham, the patriarchs and prophets, all participating, to the most delectable edification of angels, archangels, cherubim, and seraphim! A false exegesis has been put on this passage, in order to sustain that miserable materialistic heresy which deprives man of his soul, ignoring the idea that the soul is ever separate from the body, as this false dogma does not concede that you have a soul. As this positive statement of Jesus to the thief, This day thou shalt be with Me in paradise, so clearly and unequivocally recognizes the soul of the thief as going out of the body hanging on the cross and entering paradise that very day, to their ineffaceable shame be it said, they have condescended to the diabolical audacity to change the punctuation of the very identical words which Jesus spoke, so moving the comma as to make it read, Truly I say unto thee this day, Thou shalt be with Me in paradise, making the adverb semeron, this day, qualify say unto thee, instead of thou shalt be with Me in paradise, thus making our Savior commit a solecism and talk nonsense. As this occult form of infidelity i. e., soul-sleeping materialism has been sown by Satan throughout this continent, we feel it our duty to expose it, as it is utterly destitute of truth. The salvation of the thief on the cross is infinitely consolatory to penitent sinners in the hour and article of death. However, it is awfully risky to make our Lords mercy in this notable instance an apology for continuing in sin. All should bear in mind the obvious fact that this poor thief had never seen Jesus before, nor hardened his heart by slighting opportunities.

Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament

23:35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided [him], saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the {f} chosen of God.

(f) Whom God loves more than all others.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

The Jewish people (Gr. laos) stood by looking on in fulfillment of prophecy (Psa 21:8). Perhaps Luke wrote that even the rulers sneered at Jesus because they of all the people should have been the most compassionate toward someone in Jesus’ position (cf. Psa 22:6-8). Instead they mocked His apparent impotence. They may have meant "saved" (Gr. esosen) in the sense of physical deliverance, or they may have meant it ironically, meaning that He claimed to save people spiritually. Both meanings could have been in their minds. The title "God’s Chosen One" reflects what Jesus claimed that He was and what the Father had acknowledged Jesus to be at the Transfiguration (Luk 9:35; cf. Isa 42:1; 1Pe 2:4).

"Jesus crucified is the touchstone revealing what the world is: ’The people stood beholding’ in stolid indifference; the rulers, who wanted religion but without a divine Christ crucified for their sins, mocked (Mat 27:41); the brutal ’railed at him’ (Luk 23:39), i.e. reviled Him; the conscious sinner prayed (Luk 23:42); and the covetous sat down before the cross and played their sordid game (Mat 27:35-36). The cross is the judgment of this world (Joh 12:31)." [Note: The New Scofield . . ., p. 1119.]

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)