What Does Matthew 27:39-44 Mean?
Matthew 27:39-44 describes people mocking Jesus as He hangs on the cross, challenging Him to save Himself if He truly is the Son of God. They misunderstand His mission - He wasn’t there to save Himself, but to save others through sacrifice. Even the robbers join in, echoing the same cruel words.
Matthew 27:39-44
And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, "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." He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, 'I am the Son of God.'" And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.
Key Facts
Book
Author
Matthew
Genre
Gospel
Date
c. 70-80 AD
Key People
- Jesus
- Chief Priests
- Scribes
- Elders
- Robbers
Key Themes
- The suffering Messiah
- Mockery and rejection of Christ
- Fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy
- Salvation through sacrifice
Key Takeaways
- Jesus endured mockery to fulfill God’s saving plan.
- The cross reveals true kingship through self-giving love.
- Faith trusts God even when He seems silent.
The Mocking of the Messiah
Jesus stands on the cross, not as a defeated man, but as the promised Savior fulfilling God’s plan - though to the eyes of those passing by, it looked like failure.
The crowd’s taunt about destroying the temple and rebuilding it in three days refers back to false testimony during Jesus’ trial, where His words in John 2:19 were twisted - He spoke of His body and resurrection, not the physical temple. The chief priests, scribes, and elders, who held religious authority among the Jews, rejected Jesus’ claim to be God’s Son because they expected a powerful, political Messiah, not a suffering servant. Even the robbers crucified with Him echoed the same mockery, showing how widespread the misunderstanding of His mission truly was.
Yet this scorn and rejection were part of the very path Jesus came to walk - not to save Himself, but to give His life so others could live.
The Weight of Mockery and the Irony of the Cross
The insults hurled at Jesus were random cruelty that struck at the heart of who He claimed to be and why He came.
The crowd twisted Jesus’ words about the temple, not understanding that when He said, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up' (John 2:19), He was speaking of His own body and resurrection. To them, it sounded like arrogance. To God, it was prophecy unfolding. The title 'King of Israel' was meant as sarcasm, but it carried deeper truth than they knew - Jesus *was* a king, but His throne was the cross. In the ancient world, honor was everything, and public shaming like this - wagging heads, cruel shouts - was meant to strip a person of dignity, yet Jesus bore it willingly.
Even the chief priests used Scripture against Him, echoing Psalm 22:8 - 'He trusts in God; let God deliver him now'. They did not realize they were fulfilling the very psalm that foretold the Messiah’s suffering. That psalm begins with Jesus’ own cry from the cross: 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' and ends with victory among the nations. The irony is thick: they quoted God’s Word to mock God’s Son, blind to the fact that His death was the very act that would bring salvation. The robbers initially joined in, showing how even those close to Him misunderstood His mission.
They mocked His identity, not realizing they were declaring the truth: He really was the Son of God who would rise again.
The Greek word *'epreazon'*, translated 'reviled' or 'insulted,' carries the sense of harsh, abusive speech - more than disagreement, it was degrading. But in that degradation, Jesus fulfilled His role: the suffering servant who, though innocent, took the shame so others could be set free. This wasn’t the end of the story - the necessary path to resurrection.
The True King Who Would Not Save Himself
The mockery Jesus endured reveals a deeper truth: the kind of Messiah He was - exactly as foretold in Scripture.
Psalm 22:7-8 says, 'All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, saying, ‘He trusts in the Lord, let the Lord rescue him.’' This is exactly what happened at the cross, yet the mockers didn’t realize they were fulfilling prophecy. Isaiah 53:7 also foretold His silence: 'He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth,' showing Jesus’ willing surrender as the suffering servant.
Jesus didn’t come to escape the cross but to fulfill God’s plan - proving that real faith means trusting God even when He seems absent.
How the Gospels Tell the Same Story Differently
While Matthew says both robbers mocked Jesus, Luke 23:39-43 tells of one who repented, showing how each Gospel writer highlights different aspects of the same moment to reveal deeper truth.
Mark 15:29-32 echoes Matthew’s account of the crowd and religious leaders sneering, 'He saved others; he cannot save himself.' This fulfills Psalm 22’s prophecy of mockery. These variations aren’t contradictions but complementary views - one emphasizing universal rejection, the other showing that even at the cross, grace was at work as one criminal turned to Jesus in faith.
This moment fulfills the bigger story: Jesus, rejected by many, became the cornerstone of a new covenant where faith, not perfection, brings salvation.
Application
How This Changes Everything: Real Life Impact
I once heard a woman share how, after years of trying to prove she was good enough - through success, morality, even religious effort - she finally broke down during a sermon on the cross. She realized she’d been mocking Jesus in her heart by thinking she could save herself. The taunt 'He saved others; he cannot save himself' hit her like a mirror. The words reflected her own doubts. She saw that her own efforts were another form of rejection - choosing control over trust. But in that moment, she let go. She stopped demanding proof from God and instead received His love. That shift didn’t fix her circumstances, but it changed everything: her guilt lost its grip, not because she was perfect, but because Someone had stayed on the cross for her.
Personal Reflection
- When have I, like the crowd, demanded that God prove Himself on my terms - and how might that reveal a misunderstanding of His true mission?
- In what areas of my life am I trying to 'save myself' through performance, pride, or control, instead of trusting the One who did not save Himself for me?
- How can I respond with humility when I see others mocked or rejected, knowing that Christ entered shame for people like us?
A Challenge For You
This week, when you feel guilty or pressured to perform, pause and remember: Jesus didn’t come down from the cross. That means your worth isn’t something you earn - it’s something He already secured. Write down a lie you’ve believed about needing to prove yourself, then replace it with the truth: 'He saved others; He did not save Himself - for me.'
A Prayer of Response
Lord, I see how easy it is to mock Your ways by demanding signs or shortcuts. Forgive me for the times I’ve doubted Your presence, especially when You seem silent. Thank You for staying on the cross, for not giving in to the pressure to prove Yourself. Help me trust that Your love is strong enough to carry me, even when I feel weak. I want to live not by my strength, but by the power of Your sacrifice.
Related Scriptures & Concepts
Immediate Context
Matthew 27:38
Sets the scene with two criminals crucified alongside Jesus, highlighting His rejection among sinners.
Matthew 27:45
Darkness covers the land, signaling divine significance in Jesus’ suffering and impending death.
Connections Across Scripture
Psalm 69:10
Speaks of reproach endured for God’s house, echoing the insults Jesus faced at the cross.
Hebrews 12:2
Points to Jesus enduring the cross for joy set before Him, emphasizing His purposeful sacrifice.
1 Peter 2:23
Describes Jesus entrusting Himself to God when maligned, reflecting His response to mockery.