Discovery BoxHebrews 12:2
Context12:2 keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. 1
Matthew 27:38-44
Context27:38 Then two outlaws were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 27:39 Those 2 who passed by defamed him, shaking their heads 27:40 and saying, “You who can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! 3 If you are God’s Son, come down 4 from the cross!” 27:41 In 5 the same way even the chief priests – together with the experts in the law 6 and elders 7 – were mocking him: 8 27:42 “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! He is the king of Israel! If he comes down 9 now from the cross, we will believe in him! 27:43 He trusts in God – let God, if he wants to, deliver him now 10 because he said, ‘I am God’s Son’!” 27:44 The 11 robbers who were crucified with him also spoke abusively to him. 12
Mark 15:29-32
Context15:29 Those who passed by defamed him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 15:30 save yourself and come down from the cross!” 13 15:31 In the same way even the chief priests – together with the experts in the law 14 – were mocking him among themselves: 15 “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! 15:32 Let the Christ, 16 the king of Israel, come down from the cross now, that we may see and believe!” Those who were crucified with him also spoke abusively to him. 17
Luke 23:35-39
Context23:35 The people also stood there watching, but the rulers ridiculed 18 him, saying, “He saved others. Let him save 19 himself if 20 he is the Christ 21 of God, his chosen one!” 23:36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, 22 23:37 and saying, “If 23 you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!” 23:38 There was also an inscription 24 over him, “This is the king of the Jews.”
23:39 One of the criminals who was hanging there railed at him, saying, “Aren’t 25 you the Christ? 26 Save yourself and us!”
[12:2] 1 sn An allusion to Ps 110:1.
[27:39] 2 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[27:40] 3 sn There is rich irony in the statements of those who were passing by, “save yourself!” and “come down from the cross!” In summary, they wanted Jesus to come down from the cross and save his physical life, but it was indeed his staying on the cross and giving his physical life that led to the fact that they could experience a resurrection from death to life.
[27:40] 4 tc ‡ Many important witnesses (א* A D pc it sy[s],p) read καί (kai, here with the force of “then”) before κατάβηθι (katabhqi, “come down”). The shorter reading may well be due to homoioarcton, but judging by the diverse external evidence (א2 B L W Θ 0250 Ë1,13 33 Ï lat) it is equally possible that the shorter reading is original (and is so considered for this translation). NA27 puts the καί in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
[27:41] 5 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[27:41] 6 tn Or “with the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[27:41] 7 tn Only “chief priests” is in the nominative case; this sentence structure attempts to capture this emphasis.
[27:41] 8 tn Grk “Mocking him, the chief priests…said.”
[27:42] 9 tn Here the aorist imperative καταβάτω (katabatw) has been translated as a conditional imperative. This fits the pattern of other conditional imperatives (imperative + καί + future indicative) outlined by ExSyn 489.
[27:43] 10 sn An allusion to Ps 22:8.
[27:44] 11 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[27:44] 12 sn Matthew’s wording suggests that both of the criminals spoke abusively to him. If so, one of them quickly changed his attitude toward Jesus (see Luke 23:40-43).
[15:30] 13 sn There is rich irony in the statement of those who were passing by, “Save yourself and come down from the cross!” In summary, they wanted Jesus to come down from the cross and save his physical life, but it was indeed his staying on the cross and giving his physical life that led to the fact that they could experience a resurrection from death to life. There is a similar kind of irony in the statement made by the chief priests and experts in the law in 15:31.
[15:31] 14 tn Or “with the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22. Only “chief priests” is in the nominative case; this sentence structure attempts to capture this emphasis.
[15:31] 15 tn Grk “Mocking him, the chief priests…said among themselves.”
[15:32] 16 tn Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[15:32] 17 sn Mark’s wording suggests that both of the criminals spoke abusively to him. If so, one of them quickly changed his attitude toward Jesus (see Luke 23:40-43).
[23:35] 18 tn A figurative extension of the literal meaning “to turn one’s nose up at someone”; here “ridicule, sneer at, show contempt for” (L&N 33.409).
[23:35] 19 sn The irony in the statement Let him save himself is that salvation did come, but later, not while on the cross.
[23:35] 20 tn This is a first class condition in the Greek text.
[23:35] 21 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[23:36] 22 sn Sour wine was cheap wine, called in Latin posca, and referred to a cheap vinegar wine diluted heavily with water. It was the drink of slaves and soldiers, and the soldiers who had performed the crucifixion, who had some on hand, now used it to taunt Jesus further.
[23:37] 23 tn This is also a first class condition in the Greek text.
[23:38] 24 sn Mention of the inscription is an important detail, because the inscription would normally give the reason for the execution. It shows that Jesus was executed for claiming to be a king. It was also probably written with irony from the executioners’ point of view.
[23:39] 25 tc Most
[23:39] 26 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
