Matthew 27 42

Matthew 27:42 kjv

He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

Matthew 27:42 nkjv

"He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.

Matthew 27:42 niv

"He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! He's the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.

Matthew 27:42 esv

"He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.

Matthew 27:42 nlt

"He saved others," they scoffed, "but he can't save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him!

Matthew 27 verses

Matthew 27 42 Meaning

Matthew 27:42 presents the chief priests, scribes, and elders of Israel mocking Jesus while He is on the cross. Their words carry a profound, bitter irony: they acknowledge His past power to "save others"—referring to His miraculous healings and deliverances—yet taunt Him for being unable to "save himself" from the cross. They challenge His claim to be the "King of Israel," demanding that if He were truly such, He should miraculously descend from the cross as proof, promising their belief if He did so. This demand reveals their fundamental misunderstanding of the Messiah's role, expecting a conquering king free from suffering, and exposes their hardened hearts which would not believe, even if such a sign were given.

Matthew 27 42 Context

Matthew 27:42 occurs during the most critical moment of Jesus' earthly ministry: His crucifixion. It is nestled within a series of intense taunts hurled at Him by various groups present at Golgotha, specifically the chief priests, scribes, and elders (Mt 27:41), who represent the highest religious authorities and His accusers. They echo the soldiers' mockery (Mt 27:28-31) and are joined by the crucified robbers (Mt 27:44).

The immediate context (Mt 27:39-44) depicts passersby, religious leaders, and even the criminals on the crosses mocking Jesus, largely focusing on His claims of divine Sonship and kingship, daring Him to save Himself as proof. This ridicule directly fulfills Old Testament prophecies about the suffering Messiah (Ps 22).

Historically and culturally, crucifixion was the most horrific and humiliating form of execution used by the Roman Empire, reserved for the lowest criminals and rebellious slaves. For a Jew, hanging on a tree was seen as accursed by God (Deut 21:23). Thus, Jesus' death on the cross was, to their understanding, undeniable proof that He could not be the Messiah, who they envisioned as a glorious, conquering king who would free Israel from Roman rule and establish a powerful earthly kingdom, not one who would suffer and die in shame. Their demand to "come down from the cross" highlights this clash between their nationalistic expectations and God's spiritual plan of salvation through suffering.

Matthew 27 42 Word analysis

• He saved others: The Greek word used for "saved" is ἔσωσεν (esōsen), derived from σῴζω (sōzō), meaning "to save, preserve, heal, make well." It is in the aorist tense, denoting a completed action in the past, directly referring to Jesus' widely known miracles of healing, casting out demons, and raising the dead (e.g., Mk 1:32-34, Lk 7:21). The taunters acknowledge His power, yet pervert its true salvific meaning by contrasting it with His current apparent helplessness. They acknowledge physical salvation, but deny ultimate spiritual salvation.
• he cannot save himself: The verb "cannot" is δύναται (dynatai), the present indicative of δύναμαι (dynamai), meaning "to be able, to have power." The phrase reflects the taunters' human-centric view, misinterpreting Jesus' deliberate submission to God's will as an actual lack of power. Ironically, His "inability" was a demonstration of immense power through self-sacrificial obedience, willingly embracing suffering for the redemption of humanity (Jn 10:18, Mt 26:53).
• He is the King of Israel: "King of Israel" (Βασιλεὺς Ἰσραήλ, Basileus Israēl) is a deeply significant messianic title within Judaism, signifying the divinely appointed ruler who would deliver Israel and establish God's kingdom. While Pilate's charge called Him "King of the Jews" (Mt 27:37), a political accusation, the religious leaders used "King of Israel," focusing on His religious claims and their understanding of a nationalist Messiah. Their challenge is: if He is indeed this powerful King, let Him prove it by coming down from the cross. This reflects the pervasive Jewish expectation of a political and militaristic Messiah who would liberate them from Roman oppression, starkly contrasting with Jesus' spiritual mission as the suffering servant (Isa 53).
• let him come down from the cross: "Come down" (καταβάτω, katabatō) is an aorist imperative, expressing a direct command and demand. "Cross" (σταυροῦ, staurou) is the instrument of His death and ultimately, of universal salvation. The demand to descend signifies their expectation of a physical, dramatic display of power, akin to a magic trick, rather than a spiritual work. They desired a sign that confirmed their human conception of Messiahship, not one that revealed God's divine plan.
• and we will believe in him: "We will believe" (πιστεύσομεν, pisteusomen) is in the future active indicative, a conditional and disingenuous promise. Their history (Jn 12:37) shows that even abundant signs did not lead to true faith because their hearts were hardened (Jn 12:39-40, Rom 11:7). Their "belief" was contingent on spectacle and force, not genuine spiritual submission and understanding of the crucified Messiah.

Matthew 27 42 Bonus section

• Paradox of Power: This verse beautifully encapsulates the ultimate paradox of Christian theology: Jesus' greatest act of power and saving was performed in His greatest apparent weakness on the cross. His self-restraint and surrender to the Father's will (Mk 14:36) enabled Him to accomplish the atonement that could save all. His "inability" to save Himself was the only way for humanity to be truly saved from sin and death.
• Echoes of Temptation: The demand "If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross" mirrors the tempter's challenge in the wilderness, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread" or "throw yourself down" (Mt 4:3, 6). Both instances attempt to pressure Jesus into performing a sign outside the Father's will, prioritizing a worldly demonstration of power over divine obedience and the path of suffering.
• The True Kingly Act: The "King of Israel" theme is twisted here. The Jewish leaders expected a king who would avoid suffering and rule gloriously from a throne. However, Jesus' truest act as King of Israel and of all creation was not coming down from the cross but staying on it, enduring the ultimate humiliation to establish His eternal kingdom through the spiritual triumph of salvation. His "throne" became the cross, from which He reigned over sin and death (Col 2:14-15).

Matthew 27 42 Commentary

Matthew 27:42 captures the pinnacle of human rebellion and divine irony at the crucifixion. The religious leaders, the supposed custodians of God's truth, stand in blatant opposition to the incarnate truth, uttering words that simultaneously acknowledge Jesus' past miracles and ridicule His present "weakness." The supreme irony lies in the fact that it was precisely because He saved others through the sacrifice of Himself that He could not save Himself from the cross. His remaining on the cross was not an act of inability, but of absolute and costly obedience to His Father's will and perfect love for humanity (Jn 10:17-18).

Their demand for a spectacular descent from the cross, coupled with their conditional "we will believe," exposes a deep spiritual blindness. They sought an outward display of power that fit their preconceived notions of a political or military Messiah, rejecting the concept of a suffering servant who would redeem through humility and self-sacrifice. This refusal to accept a crucified Messiah represents the fundamental conflict between the world's wisdom (which despises the cross) and God's wisdom (where the cross is power and salvation) (1 Cor 1:18, 23-25). Even if Jesus had descended, their hardened hearts, having rejected all His prior signs and teachings, would likely have found another excuse not to believe. This verse serves as a powerful illustration that true faith does not coerce God through demands for specific signs, but submits to God's revealed will and methods, however counter-intuitive they may seem to human reasoning.