King James Version

What Does Luke 23:35 Mean?

Luke 23:35 in the King James Version says “And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself...” — study this verse from Luke chapter 23 with commentary, cross-references, and original Greek word analysis.

“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 · KJV

Salvation

Context

33

And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Calvary: or, The place of a skull

34

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

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.

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.

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Commentary

KJV Study 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. The scene divides into two groups: passive spectators and active mockers. "The people stood beholding" (ho laos heistēkei theōrōn, ὁ λαὸς εἱστήκει θεωρῶν)—the crowd watched, stunned into silence, perhaps sensing they had demanded something monstrous. But "the rulers" (hoi archontes, οἱ ἄρχοντες)—the Sanhedrin members, chief priests, and scribes—"derided" (exemyktērizon, ἐξεμυκτήριζον), literally "turned up their noses" in contemptuous mockery.

Their taunt—"He saved others; let him save himself"—drips with irony. They meant it sarcastically, but spoke profound truth. Jesus did save others through healings, exorcisms, and resurrections. But the salvation He now accomplished infinitely surpassed those temporal deliverances—He was purchasing eternal redemption. The condition "if he be Christ, the chosen of God" (ei houtos estin ho Christos tou Theou ho eklektos, εἰ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ὁ ἐκλεκτός) reveals their blindness. He was Christ, the Anointed One, but proved it by not saving Himself.

Here lies Christianity's paradox: Christ saved others precisely by not saving Himself. Had He come down from the cross, He would have saved only His own life but forfeited ours. His refusal to save Himself was the very means of saving us. As Hebrews 5:7-9 explains, "though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him." The mockers unwittingly proclaimed gospel truth.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Public mockery of crucifixion victims was common in Roman executions, designed to humiliate and deter. Victims were typically crucified naked along major roads, exposed to insults and abuse. Jewish leaders participating in this mockery reveals their intense hatred and determination to destroy Jesus' reputation completely. Their presence at Golgotha—outside the city walls, a place of ritual uncleanness—demonstrates how thoroughly they abandoned normal piety to ensure Christ's death.

The title "Christ, the chosen of God" (ho Christos tou Theou ho eklektos) echoes Isaiah 42:1: "Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth." The rulers unwittingly testified to Jesus' identity while attempting to disprove it. At Jesus' baptism and transfiguration, God declared Him "my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Luke 3:22, 9:35). Now at the cross, the Father remained silent—not because He rejected His Son, but because Jesus was bearing sin's curse and experiencing the abandonment our sins deserved (Matthew 27:46).

Reflection Questions

  1. How does the paradox that "Christ saved others by not saving Himself" reveal the nature of substitutionary atonement?
  2. What does the rulers' mockery despite witnessing Jesus' miracles teach about the hardness of unbelief and the insufficiency of signs to produce faith?
  3. How should we respond when God's apparent inactivity (silence during Christ's suffering) is interpreted as absence or impotence by unbelievers?

Original Language Analysis

Greek · 26 words
καὶ1 of 26

“And”

G2532

and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words

εἱστήκει2 of 26

“stood”

G2476

to stand (transitively or intransitively), used in various applications (literally or figuratively)

ὁ3 of 26
G3588

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

λαὸς4 of 26

“the people”

G2992

a people (in general; thus differing from g1218, which denotes one's own populace)

θεωρῶν5 of 26

“beholding”

G2334

to be a spectator of, i.e., discern, (literally, figuratively (experience) or intensively (acknowledge))

ἐξεμυκτήριζον6 of 26

“derided”

G1592

to sneer outright at

δὲ7 of 26

“And”

G1161

but, and, etc

καὶ8 of 26

“And”

G2532

and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words

οἱ9 of 26
G3588

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

ἄρχοντες10 of 26

“the rulers”

G758

a first (in rank or power)

σὺν11 of 26

“with”

G4862

with or together (but much closer than g3326 or g3844), i.e., by association, companionship, process, resemblance, possession, instrumentality, additi

αὐτοῖς,12 of 26

“them”

G846

the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons

λέγοντες13 of 26

“him saying”

G3004

properly, to "lay" forth, i.e., (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas g2036 and g5346 generally refer to an

Ἄλλους14 of 26

“others”

G243

"else," i.e., different (in many applications)

σωσάτω15 of 26

“He saved”

G4982

to save, i.e., deliver or protect (literally or figuratively)

σωσάτω16 of 26

“He saved”

G4982

to save, i.e., deliver or protect (literally or figuratively)

ἑαυτόν17 of 26

“himself”

G1438

(him- her-, it-, them-, my-, thy-, our-, your-)self (selves), etc

εἰ18 of 26

“if”

G1487

if, whether, that, etc

οὗτός19 of 26

“he”

G3778

the he (she or it), i.e., this or that (often with article repeated)

ἐστιν20 of 26

“be”

G2076

he (she or it) is; also (with neuter plural) they are

ὁ21 of 26
G3588

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

Χριστὸς22 of 26

“Christ”

G5547

anointed, i.e., the messiah, an epithet of jesus

ὁ23 of 26
G3588

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

τοῦ24 of 26
G3588

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

θεοῦ25 of 26

“of God”

G2316

a deity, especially (with g3588) the supreme divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; exceedingly (by hebraism)

ἐκλεκτός26 of 26

“the chosen”

G1588

select; by implication, favorite

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Luke. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Luke 23:35 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Luke 23:35 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Psalms 22:17Isaiah 42:11 Peter 2:4Matthew 12:18Mark 15:29-32Psalms 22:6-8

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