16. BY THE PEOPLE Mark 15:29-32 (Matthew 27:39-44; Luke 23:35-37) 29 And they that passed by--This indicates that the place of crucifixion adjoined some public thoroughfare. railed on him, wagging their heads,--Called to him in a loud, jeering voice. Indicating by the motion of the head, according to Psalms 22:7-8, a malicious jeering at the helplessness of one who had made such lofty pretensions. and saying, Ha! thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days,--The charge made against him before the Sanhedrin at their first meeting in the night. [They ridiculed him, hooted at him. They fulfilled the prophecy in Psalms 22:7-8 : "All they that see me laugh me to scorn; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, Commit thyself unto Jehovah; let him deliver him:let him rescue him, seeing he delighteth in him." God so overruled the wickedness of both the Jews and Gentiles as to fulfill all the prophecies and prophetic types concerning Jesus that had gone forth in the Old Testament. The very things they did to degrade him, and show he was not divine, proved he was a child of prophecy, the Son of God. He had early in his ministry--referring to his body, and foretelling his resurrection from the dead--said, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." (John 2:19.) They had this one of the chief charges to prove his blasphemy before the Sanhedrin, and now, as he is nailed to the cross, suffering its excruciating torments, they taunt him with the claim. They think his helpless and suffering condition an expressive comment upon the pretentious claim. Yet God is preparing through this course for the wonderful explanation and fulfillment of the prophecy by his resurrection from the dead. His own disciples did not understand it when spoken. "When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he spake this; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said." (John 2:22.) They then understood what he meant, and saw its wonderful fulfillment in his resurrection from the dead.] 30 save thyself, and come down from the cross.--Matthew adds, "If thou art the Son of God." It was a challenge which, though it came from malignant hearts, Jesus must meet. It was absolutely necessary to the authenticity of his claims that he should show his power to come down from the cross, but he chose his own time to do it. Little did they know that Jesus was in the act of providing their own salvation. He did, however, more than come down from the cross--he came up again from the dead. [This reasoning was, if he could rebuild the temple in three days, he could save himself from the cross. They looked at the outward appearance, and thought his suffering and helpless condition a sad commentary upon his claims to be able to save the world, so they ridiculed him as a Savior. If he could not save himself, how could he save others? Their heartless cruelty was shown in the manner in which they could rejoice and make merry over his sufferings.] 31 In like manner also the chief priests mocking him among themselves with the scribes--With the same indications of malicious and derisive joy. It is easy to imagine the scene. These haughty priests and teachers would not mingle with the common people. They had gotten off in a. group by themselves, to rejoice over the result of their night and day's work. They would now retain, they thought, their lease of power over the people. said, He saved others;--The rescuing of Lazarus from death had caused them to mature and hasten their plans for his destruction. They may have heard, also, of Jairus' daughter and the son of a widow of Nain, since Jerusalem was full of Galileans. himself he cannot save.--Or, as in the margin, "Can he not save himself?" A just question from wicked hearts. But nothing would have angered them more than its affirmative answer. [From the chief priests and scribes--the religious teachers--a high show of the feelings of humanity ought to have been expected. They were teachers of the scriptures. Solomon (Proverbs 24:17-18) said: "Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he is overthrown: lest Jehovah see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him." But they joined in the taunts cast upon Jesus, and said, "He saved others"--referring doubtless to his healing their infirmities and sicknesses, and raising them from the dead--"let him save himself." They cannot understand but that his first and supreme desire was to be saved from the suffering he was undergoing. While the flesh drew back from the torture, his soul sincerely desired to do his Father's will, and to suffer that men might be saved. So Jesus could call twelve legions of angels to his deliverance, but chose to suffer to redeem men. To do his Father's will was the leading desire of his soul. He did not act as men would act under similar circumstances.] 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel,--Savage and exultant irony, but, if the resurrection be not a fact, most thoroughly deserved. But, thank God, the resurrection is a fact. now come down from the cross, that we may see and believe.--Luke uses the general term "the rulers" at this point, which would include the elders, so we have all his enemies joining in the chorus of derision. It needs not to say that the last words were ironical, that they had no thought of accepting him, if they had "seen" what they asked. And they that were crucified with him reproached him.--"The robbers also that were crucified with him cast upon him the same reproach." (Matthew 27:44.) They reviled him. Luke tells us what they said: "And one of the malefactors that were hanged railed on him, saying, Art not thou the Christ? save thyself and us. But the other answered, and rebuking him said, Dost thou not even fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man bath done nothing amiss. And he said, Jesus, remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom. And he said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in Paradise." (Luke 23:39-43.)