The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine
English Standard Version (ESV)
The soldiers' "offering" of sour wine wasn't necessarily an act of intended cruelty; it was their common drink, and they may have been mocking Jesus' thirst by bringing it near, only to snatch it away. This subtle detail reveals their callousness and the brutal, mundane indignity of the scene.
The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine
English Standard Version (ESV)
While the other leaders and the crowd have already mocked Jesus, the Roman soldiers now join in, approaching him on the cross to offer him their sour wine. This act of mockery, a common drink for soldiers, highlights the deep degradation and suffering Jesus endured, even as other events of his crucifixion unfold around him, including the repentance of one of the thieves beside him.
We see the soldiers joining in the jeering, but what does their specific action of offering vinegar reveal about their mindset and the brutal reality of crucifixion?
The soldiers, as part of their duty, stood guard during the crucifixion. "Coming to him" means they approached the cross closely.
Their act of "offering him vinegar" – a sour wine, their common drink – wasn't necessarily a gesture of kindness. It’s understood by many scholars that they likely lifted the vessel to Jesus' lips and then snatched it away, prolonging His agony and thirst. This was a deliberate torment, a cruel game played with a dying man. It highlights the depths of human callousness, even towards someone suffering so intensely.
Amidst the soldiers' cruelty, could there have been something more complex in their actions? Was it pure malice, or something else?
While the primary interpretation points to mockery, some scholars suggest a potential ambiguity in the soldiers' actions. It's possible that beneath the rough exterior and ingrained brutality of these Roman soldiers, there might have been a flicker of awe or even a rough, unrefined kindness.
They were accustomed to death and violence, but Jesus' dignity and peaceful demeanor, even in His agony, might have stirred something unexpected. The "offering" of vinegar could, for some, have been a perverted act of pity – a way to quench the thirst associated with crucifixion, even if done with a mocking tone. It's a complex interplay of their duty, their background, and the extraordinary Person they were dealing with.
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empaizō · Greek Verb
To treat with contempt or ridicule, often directed at God's messengers or the Messiah, reflecting the spiritual blindness of those who oppose God's kingdom.
oxos · Greek Noun
A common, cheap, acidic wine or vinegar drink (posca) consumed by Roman soldiers, offered to Jesus as a final act of derision during the crucifixion.
c. AD 30— this verse
Crucifixion of Jesus
Jesus is arrested, tried, and sentenced to crucifixion by the Roman prefect Pontius Pilate.
c. AD 30
Mockery by Soldiers
Roman soldiers, carrying out the execution, taunt and mock Jesus on the cross, offering him sour wine (posca). This act highlights the soldiers' indifference and cruelty, a common feature of Roman executions.
c. AD 30
Jesus's Last Words
During his crucifixion, Jesus utters several significant phrases, including a prayer for his persecutors and entrusting his mother to John's care.
c. AD 30
Darkness and Earthquake
A supernatural darkness covers the land for three hours, and a violent earthquake shakes the region at the moment of Jesus's death.
c. AD 30
Centurion's Confession
The Roman centurion in charge of the execution witnesses the events and declares, 'Truly this man was innocent!' and 'Truly this was the Son of God!'
This psalm prophesies the offering of vinegar to the suffering one, directly foreshadowing the soldiers' cruel act in Luke 23:36.
Matthew 27:34Matthew describes a similar offering of wine mingled with gall or myrrh before Jesus' crucifixion, highlighting a different, perhaps more merciful, attempt to ease his suffering, contrasting with the soldiers' mockery in Luke.
John 19:29John also mentions the offering of sour wine (vinegar) after Jesus' cry of thirst, specifying that it was placed on a hyssop branch and brought to his lips, offering a more detailed account of this interaction.
Isaiah 53:12This prophecy speaks of the suffering servant being 'numbered with the transgressors,' which aligns with Jesus being crucified between two criminals and enduring mockery from all sides, including the soldiers.
vincentLuke 23:36: "And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,"
Coming to himComing up close to the cross.VinegarSee on Matthew 27:34.
cambridgeLuke 23:36: "And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,"
- the soldiers also mocked him ] A quaternion of soldiers ( John 19:23 ) with a centurion. Similarly Tacitus says of the Christian martyrs who perished in the Neronian persecution, “ pereuntibus addita ludibria” (Ann. xv. 44). offering him vinegar ] It was their duty to watch Him ( Matthew 27:36 ), for sufferers sometimes lingered alive upon the cross for days. It is hardly to be wondered at if, with such…
The soldiers' "offering" of sour wine wasn't necessarily an act of intended cruelty; it was their common drink, and they may have been mocking Jesus' thirst by bringing it near, only to snatch it away. This subtle detail reveals their callousness and the brutal, mundane indignity of the scene.
While the other leaders and the crowd have already mocked Jesus, the Roman soldiers now join in, approaching him on the cross to offer him their sour wine. This act of mockery, a common drink for soldiers, highlights the deep degradation and suffering Jesus endured, even as other events of his crucifixion unfold around him, including the repentance of one of the thieves beside him.
While the other leaders and the crowd have already mocked Jesus, the Roman soldiers now join in, approaching him on the cross to offer him their sour wine. This act of mockery, a common drink for soldiers, highlights the deep degradation and suffering Jesus endured, even as other events of his crucifixion unfold around him, including the repentance of one of the thieves beside him.
"The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine" — The soldiers' "offering" of sour wine wasn't necessarily an act of intended cruelty; it was their common drink, and they may have been mocking Jesus' thirst by bringing it near, only to snatch it awa…
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Last reviewed October 2026