Luke 23 35

Luke 23:35 kjv

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.

Luke 23:35 nkjv

And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God."

Luke 23:35 niv

The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is God's Messiah, the Chosen One."

Luke 23:35 esv

And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!"

Luke 23:35 nlt

The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. "He saved others," they said, "let him save himself if he is really God's Messiah, the Chosen One."

Luke 23 verses

Luke 23 35 Meaning

Luke 23:35 portrays the intense mockery Jesus endured during His crucifixion, specifically from the rulers and the observing crowd. They scornfully challenged His claims as the Messiah ("Christ, the chosen of God") and derided His perceived inability to save Himself, ironically citing His past acts of saving others. This moment highlights the profound misunderstanding of Jesus' true mission—to save humanity through His sacrificial suffering, rather than to save Himself from it.

Luke 23 35 Context

Luke 23:35 takes place at Golgotha, immediately after Jesus has been crucified between two criminals (Lk 23:33). Following Jesus' prayer for forgiveness for His executioners (Lk 23:34), the focus shifts to the onlookers. The people, representing the general populace, are merely observing, while the "rulers"—identified in other Gospels and contexts as chief priests, scribes, and elders, the religious authorities of the Jewish people—actively engage in mocking Him. This public ridicule of a dying man was a common feature of crucifixions, but here it is laden with specific theological challenges directed at Jesus' identity as the Messiah and Son of God, against the backdrop of their understanding of what the Messiah should be: a triumphant, conquering king who would liberate Israel from Roman rule, not a suffering one who would die as a criminal.

Luke 23 35 Word analysis

• And the people stood beholding.

  • And the people (καὶ ὁ λαὸς - kai ho laos): Refers to the common crowd, a general populace present at the crucifixion. This differentiates them from the more hostile "rulers." Their initial stance is one of observation, not active participation in the derision.
  • stood (ἑστὼς - hestōs): From ἵστημι (histēmi), meaning to stand, stand still, or be present. Conveys a stationary position.
  • beholding (ἐθεώρει - etheōrei): From θεωρέω (theōreō), to gaze, observe intently, contemplate. It implies more than a passing glance, suggesting a conscious, somewhat detached observation, although Luke soon notes their participation in the mocking.

• And the rulers also with them derided him, saying,

  • And the rulers (οἱ ἄρχοντες - hoi archontes): Refers to the Jewish religious authorities—chief priests, scribes, elders—who held power and influence. They were key antagonists throughout Jesus' ministry.
  • with them: Implies that the rulers were part of the general gathering of people, but they initiate the direct verbal assault.
  • derided (ἐξεμυκτήριζον - exemyktērizon): A strong and vivid Greek verb, from ἐκμυκτηρίζω (ekmyktērizō). It means "to turn up one's nose at," to sneer, scoff, mock with contempt, expressing open disdain and ridicule. This term denotes aggressive, deliberate scorn, often implying insolence. It conveys deep contempt.
  • him: Refers to Jesus, the target of their scorn.
  • saying: Introduces their taunt.

• He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.

  • He saved others (Ἄλλους ἔσωσεν - Allous esōsen): "Saved" (ἔσωσεν - esōsen) comes from σῴζω (sōzō), meaning to save, deliver, heal, preserve. This statement is factually true, acknowledging Jesus' numerous miracles of healing and deliverance, yet it is spoken in derision. It acknowledges His past acts of power for the benefit of others.
  • let him save himself (σωσάτω ἑαυτόν - sōsatō heauton): A command, a challenge, demanding Jesus to apply His saving power to His own preservation. This tests the premise of His divine power and His claims to be Messiah, assuming such a figure would not suffer. It is a temptation similar to those Satan presented in the wilderness.
  • if he be (εἰ οὗτός ἐστιν - ei houtos estin): A conditional clause expressing doubt, sarcasm, and a challenge to His true identity.
  • Christ (ὁ Χριστὸς - ho Christos): The Anointed One, the Messiah. This is the central title challenged, embodying Jewish messianic expectations. They are challenging His core claim and role.
  • the chosen of God (ὁ ἐκλεκτὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ - ho eklektos tou Theou): This specific title is unique to Luke's account of the crucifixion mockery, appearing also in Lk 9:35 at the Transfiguration where God the Father declares Jesus to be His "Chosen One" (ESV "My Son, My Chosen"). It draws parallels with Isaiah's "chosen servant" (Isa 42:1), emphasizing divine election and purpose. It signifies a profound relationship with God and divine appointment, yet here it is used as a term of contempt by His enemies, implying their perception of God having "abandoned" Him.

Word-groups analysis:

• "And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him": This progression shows an escalation from passive observation by the crowd to active, contemptuous mockery by the powerful religious leaders, who essentially egg on or set the tone for the general derision. The leaders are revealed as instigators.
• "He saved others; let him save himself": This is the heart of the cruel paradox. They accurately state Jesus' power to save others, yet they use this very truth as the basis for mocking His apparent inability or unwillingness to save Himself. This reflects their failure to comprehend His mission: His very power not to save Himself in this moment is the act of saving others (humanity).
• "if he be Christ, the chosen of God": This phrase combines the two key components of Jesus' identity being challenged. "Christ" points to His office as the Anointed King/Messiah, and "chosen of God" speaks to His unique relationship with the Father and His divine mission. The conditional "if" underlines their profound disbelief and serves as the ultimate theological challenge during His darkest hour. Their expectation of the Messiah was not one who suffered or died this way.

Luke 23 35 Bonus section

The mockery Jesus endures here ("if he be Christ, the chosen of God") echoes Satan's temptations in the wilderness (Lk 4:3, 9): "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread," and "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down..." The devil's earlier attempts to tempt Jesus to prove His divine sonship through self-serving acts of power are publicly re-enacted at the cross by the religious authorities. This reveals the true spiritual origin of their words – they are agents of the adversary, even if unwittingly, attempting to deter Christ from His saving mission. Jesus’ silent suffering here is a continuation of His earlier victory over temptation by perfect obedience to the Father's will.

Luke's specific inclusion of "the chosen of God" is significant. While Matthew and Mark include "King of Israel," Luke's "chosen of God" (from Greek eklektos tou Theou) emphasizes Jesus' divine election and unique relationship with God the Father, a title spoken by God at Jesus' baptism and transfiguration. By using this title mockingly at the cross, the rulers not only reject Jesus as Messiah but implicitly question God's choice and affirmation of Him. This serves to highlight the extreme blasphemy and profound theological misunderstanding of those who condemned Him.

Luke 23 35 Commentary

Luke 23:35 is a profoundly ironic verse, illustrating the spiritual blindness of those who witnessed Christ's ultimate act of love. The taunt, "He saved others; let him save himself," encapsulates the complete inversion of human expectation versus divine reality. The religious leaders, driven by envy and a misinterpretation of messianic prophecies, could not reconcile the idea of a powerful deliverer with a suffering criminal. Their challenge demanded a superficial demonstration of power – saving Himself from the cross – while remaining utterly oblivious to the true, cosmic salvation being achieved through His enduring the cross.

Jesus' power was not the ability to avoid suffering, but the divine strength to embrace it for the sake of humanity. Had He come down from the cross, He would have proven their shallow understanding of power and perhaps satisfied their craving for a temporal king, but He would have nullified the divine plan of atonement for sin. His refusal to save Himself was the very act by which salvation became possible for all who believe. This verse, therefore, serves as a poignant reminder that true divine power is often manifested not in human strength or triumph, but in sacrificial love and obedient endurance, even unto death.

• Example: Imagine a doctor who could cure himself of a minor illness, but instead, choosing to undergo a painful, life-saving surgery to pioneer a technique that would save millions. The taunters in Lk 23:35 are effectively mocking the doctor for not "saving himself" from the pain, entirely missing the profound, far-reaching impact of his sacrifice for others.