Mark 15 23

Mark 15:23 kjv

And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.

Mark 15:23 nkjv

Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it.

Mark 15:23 niv

Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.

Mark 15:23 esv

And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.

Mark 15:23 nlt

They offered him wine drugged with myrrh, but he refused it.

Mark 15 verses

Mark 15 23 Meaning

Mark 15:23 describes an incident during the crucifixion of Jesus where Roman soldiers offered Him wine mixed with myrrh to drink. This specific mixture was intended to act as an anaesthetic or pain-dulling agent. However, Jesus consciously refused to drink it, signifying His resolute intention to endure the full, unmitigated suffering of the crucifixion without any form of physical or mental alleviation. His refusal highlights His deliberate, willing, and complete sacrifice for the redemption of humanity.

Mark 15 23 Context

Mark 15:23 is set during the climax of Jesus' earthly ministry – His crucifixion. After being scourged, mocked, and condemned by Pontius Pilate, Jesus is led to Golgotha, the place of the skull, to be crucified by Roman soldiers (Mk 15:20-22). The verse immediately precedes the actual nailing of Jesus to the cross. Roman crucifixions were brutal, slow, and agonizing. It was a customary practice, sometimes out of a perverted sense of mercy or to expedite death, to offer the condemned a pain-numbing draught. This specific offering by the soldiers falls within this historical and cultural context of Roman execution methods. It also follows the general tone of mockery and torment leading up to the cross, yet paradoxically, offers a means to lessen suffering. Jesus' refusal underscores His intentional engagement with the suffering that awaited Him.

Mark 15 23 Word analysis

• And they gave him: The "they" here refers to the Roman soldiers who were carrying out the crucifixion, as detailed in the preceding verses (Mk 15:20). This act was part of their procedure for handling the condemned, sometimes intended to mitigate the agony, albeit slightly, before the full horror of crucifixion began.
• wine: (Greek: oinon, οἶνον). A common fermented drink in the ancient world. In this context, it serves as the base for the medicinal mixture. Its bitterness in some preparations or its typical association in prophecies with suffering (Ps 69:21) adds depth to the scene.
• mingled with: (Greek: memigmenon, μεμιγμένον). This perfect participle indicates a completed action of mixing, suggesting the preparation of this specific concoction was deliberate. It was not just wine, but a compound, specially prepared.
• myrrh: (Greek: smyrnan, σμύρναν). Myrrh is an aromatic gum resin, known for its bitter taste and its medicinal properties. It was widely used in ancient times as a perfume, for embalming the dead (Jn 19:39), and as an anodyne or sedative due to its narcotic effects. When mixed with wine, it would have served as a mild painkiller or narcotic, designed to dull the senses and lessen the agony of crucifixion. The myrrh here symbolically represents the bitterness of suffering, yet Jesus refused its attempt to mitigate His pain. Its connection to death and embalming also subtly foreshadows His impending death.
• to drink: (Greek: piein, πιεῖν). The simple infinitive expressing the purpose: for Him to consume.
• but he received it not: (Greek: oủk elaben, οὐκ ἔλαβεν). This phrase is crucial. "He did not take/accept it." This highlights Jesus' conscious and deliberate refusal. Unlike the sour wine/vinegar offered later (Mk 15:36; Jn 19:28-30), which He did accept to quench His physical thirst and fulfill scripture, this myrrh-laced wine was refused because its purpose was to numb His senses. Jesus chose to experience the full intensity of the physical and spiritual anguish of the cross, bearing the complete weight of humanity's sin and curse, without any artificial dulling of His mind or body. This conscious decision emphasizes the voluntary and perfect nature of His atoning sacrifice (Jn 10:18; Heb 12:2).

Mark 15 23 Bonus section

The distinction between the offer in Mark 15:23 (wine mixed with myrrh, refused) and the later offer in Mark 15:36 and John 19:28-30 (sour wine/vinegar, accepted) is critical. The myrrh-wine was a narcotic, whereas the sour wine, a common drink for Roman soldiers and laborers, was likely a simple, albeit harsh, refreshment offered to a man parched on the cross to quench thirst and fulfill prophetic scripture regarding vinegar. Jesus’ acceptance of the latter while refusing the former reveals His clear discernment and commitment to fulfilling every aspect of His mission and prophecy while enduring the agony of atonement. The presence of myrrh also has rich symbolic value, being associated with bitterness, purification rites (Esth 2:12), embalming (Jn 19:39), and offerings at His birth (Matt 2:11) and death. His refusal emphasizes that His death was a fully conscious, willed, and redemptive act.

Mark 15 23 Commentary

Mark 15:23 is a profoundly significant verse in the narrative of the crucifixion, underscoring the voluntary and unmitigated nature of Jesus' atoning sacrifice. By refusing the wine mixed with myrrh, an intended pain-dulling agent, Jesus deliberately chose to endure the full, excruciating reality of the cross – physically, mentally, and spiritually. This act sets His suffering apart, not as a random or compelled ordeal, but as a conscious act of perfect obedience and infinite love. He intended to taste the 'cup of suffering' (Matt 26:39; Jn 18:11) in its entirety, bearing the sin of humanity without compromise or artificial relief. This choice affirms the completeness of His redemption and His empathetic identification with human suffering while accomplishing our salvation without any numbing of His faculties.