So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The chief priests and scribes aren't just mocking Jesus; they're mocking the very power they just witnessed. They acknowledge he did save others, but their scoffing reveals their refusal to see that same power at work in his current helplessness, twisting his sacrifice into proof of his failure.
So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself.
English Standard Version (ESV)
As Jesus hangs on the cross, enduring immense suffering, the crowd passing by mocks him, repeating the accusations that led to his crucifixion. The religious authorities, the chief priests and scribes, join in the scorn, engaging in a cruel taunt among themselves. They highlight the perceived contradiction between Jesus' claims to save others and his current inability to save himself.
Imagine the scene: the most powerful religious leaders, the scribes, standing together. They aren't praying or seeking understanding; they're mocking.
The chief priests and scribes weren't just random onlookers; they were the spiritual authorities, the ones who should have recognized God's work. Yet, in this moment, they revel in what they perceive as their triumph. They gather together, not in sorrow or even reasoned debate, but in shared scorn. This wasn't just casual taunting; it was the calculated, self-congratulatory ridicule of those who felt they had finally defeated a rival and proven their own authority. Their unity in mocking Jesus highlights their hardened hearts and their complete rejection of His divine identity and mission.
They pointed to Jesus' past actions: 'He saved others.' But what they meant as an insult was, in fact, the very proof of His power and purpose.
The mockery hinges on a profound irony. The religious leaders acknowledge Jesus' past miracles: 'He saved others.' They can't deny the evidence of His compassion and power in healing the sick, casting out demons, and even raising the dead. Yet, they twist this undeniable fact into an accusation. They imply that if He truly had power, He would use it to save Himself now. They completely miss—or deliberately ignore—that His purpose wasn't self-preservation, but our salvation. His willingness to suffer and die was the ultimate act of saving others, a sacrifice they couldn't comprehend because they were looking for a conquering king, not a suffering servant.
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archiereus kai grammateus · Greek Noun Phrase
The chief religious leaders and legal scholars of Israel. They were responsible for interpreting the Law of Moses but are frequently depicted in the Gospels as opposing the authority and mission of Jesus.
empaizō · Greek Verb
To treat with scorn, insult, or derision. In the Gospels, it underscores the suffering of Jesus as he is rejected and humiliated by those he came to redeem.
The chief priests and scribes, who had challenged Jesus throughout his ministry and during his trial, now resort to mockery at his crucifixion. Their taunts, 'He saved others; he cannot save himself,' reveal their bitter resistance to acknowledging Jesus' divine power and mission, even in his moment of ultimate sacrifice.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus' Crucifixion and Death
Jesus is arrested, tried, and crucified at Golgotha. This event is the central focus of the Gospel narratives, representing a moment of ultimate suffering and sacrifice.
c. AD 30
Mockery by Religious Leaders
While Jesus is on the cross, the chief priests, scribes, and elders mock him, challenging his claims of being the Son of God and the King of Israel.
c. AD 30
Pilate's Inscription
The inscription 'The King of the Jews' is placed above Jesus on the cross, a detail intended as a taunt by the Roman authorities and religious leaders.
c. AD 30
The Two Thieves
Two criminals are crucified alongside Jesus, with one mocking him and the other repenting and asking to be remembered.
c. AD 30
Jesus Commits His Mother to John
Jesus, from the cross, entrusts the care of his mother, Mary, to his beloved disciple, John.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Final Words and Death
Jesus utters several final sayings from the cross, including 'It is finished,' and then gives up his spirit.
This passage directly parallels the mockery of the chief priests and scribes, showing their similar disbelief and challenge to Jesus to save Himself if He is truly the Son of God.
Luke 23:35This verse describes the rulers mocking Jesus along with the people, highlighting the widespread scorn He faced from those in authority and the crowd.
John 10:25Jesus Himself stated that His works testified about Him, but the leaders' demand for Him to save Himself shows their refusal to believe His actions and their focus on a different kind of 'saving' than He came to accomplish.
Hebrews 12:2This verse speaks of Jesus enduring the cross 'for the joy set before him,' providing a crucial contrast to the mocking words that focused only on His present suffering and inability to 'save Himself' from it.
cambridgeMark 15:31: "Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save."
31 . the chief priests ] whose high dignity and sacred office should have taught them better than to descend to the low passions of the mob. mocking said ] “scornynge him, ech to other, with; scribis, seiden,” Wyclif. The ordinary bystanders blaspheme ( Mark 15:29 ), the members of the Sanhedrim mock , for they think they have achieved a complete victory.
gillMark 15:31: "Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save."
Likewise also the chief priests mocking,.... Or "laughed at one another", as the Syriac version renders it, having gained their point, and satiated their revenge on him: said among themselves with the Scribes; who were likewise his implacable enemies; he saved others, himself he cannot save; See Gill on Matthew 27:41, Matthew 27:42.
The chief priests and scribes aren't just mocking Jesus; they're mocking the very power they just witnessed. They acknowledge he did save others, but their scoffing reveals their refusal to see that same power at work in his current helplessness, twisting his sacrifice into proof of his failure.
As Jesus hangs on the cross, enduring immense suffering, the crowd passing by mocks him, repeating the accusations that led to his crucifixion. The religious authorities, the chief priests and scribes, join in the scorn, engaging in a cruel taunt among themselves. They highlight the perceived contradiction between Jesus' claims to save others and his current inability to save himself.
As Jesus hangs on the cross, enduring immense suffering, the crowd passing by mocks him, repeating the accusations that led to his crucifixion. The religious authorities, the chief priests and scribes, join in the scorn, engaging in a cruel taunt among themselves. They highlight the perceived contradiction between Jesus' claims to save others and his current inability to save himself.
"So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself." — The chief priests and scribes aren't just mocking Jesus; they're mocking the very power they just witnessed. They acknowledge he did save others, but their scoffing reveals their refusal to see t…
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Last reviewed October 2026