John 19:29Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

But consider the wickedness of those standing by the Cross. Even if we had countless enemies and had suffered unbearable wrongs from them, we would weep from pity when we saw them being put to death. But the enemies of Christ were not reconciled with Him even then. They were not softened as they looked upon His sufferings, but became still more hardened and increased their mockery. Offering vinegar on a sponge, they gave Him drink in the way criminals are usually given drink. This is why they had a reed with them.

But they, displaying their criminal disposition, give Him vinegar to drink, as they used to do with criminals. Hyssop is applied for this reason, that it is harmful. Some say that hyssop means a reed, for such is the tip of a reed. They attached the sponge to the reed because the mouth of Jesus was high above them. In this way the prophecy was fulfilled which says, "In My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink" (Ps 69:21).

But the blessed Evangelist John says that they gave a “sponge” with vinegar, “putting it on hyssop.” Luke, however, mentions nothing of this kind at all, and only states that vinegar was given (Lk 23:36).

Matthew and Mark say (Mt 27:48; Mk 15:36) that they “put the sponge on a reed.” Because of this, perhaps someone might think the Evangelists disagree with one another.

But I think no one of sound mind would allow such a thought. It was important to report the form of impiety. There was no necessity at all to indicate also the manner in which it was done.

Therefore the divine Luke did not deem the manner of giving the sponge worthy of mention, but says only in general that vinegar was given to Him when He thirsted.

By saying, “I thirst,” He sought the faith of His own. But since “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him” (Jn 1:11), they offered Him the vinegar of unbelief instead of the nectar of faith.

And they offered it on a sponge. They may truly be likened to a sponge: not solid, but swollen.

They were not open for the straight entrance of faith, but hollow for distortions and plots.

It was fitting that this drink also contained hyssop. This plant, they say, has a very strong root, which clings even to rock.

Certainly among the people there were also those for whom this dark deed became an occasion to humble their souls through renunciation and repentance.

He is given vinegar to drink and is fed with gall. Who is this? He Who changed water into wine, the destroyer of bitter taste, sweetness itself and perfect desire. See Jn 2:1-11.

This alone was still lacking. By Scripture here is meant David's saying: "They gave Me gall for food, and in My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink" (Ps 69:21). Also find and read the interpretation of the words, "They gave Him vinegar mixed with gall to drink; and when He had tasted it, He would not drink" (Mt 27:34). They placed the sponge with vinegar on hyssop, that is, on a hyssop reed that came to hand, since the Cross was high. By offering vinegar, the Jews were of course only mocking Jesus Christ.

It seems to me that the vinegar offered to Him became His symbol. For the soured wine evidently signified His sharp turn and transformation, which He received. In place of suffering He received passionlessness; in place of death, immortality; in place of corruption, incorruption; in place of condemnation, judgment; in place of tyranny, the Kingdom. The sponge, I think, foretold the complete mingling in all things of the Holy Spirit that took place in Him. The reed foretold the royal scepter and the divine law. The hyssop manifested His life-giving and saving Resurrection, through which He also healed us.

Yet He endured this, having come for the salvation of all. But the people repaid Him with evil for it. Jesus says, "I thirst." He Who brought forth waters for them from the hard rock (Ex 17:6) asks fruit from the vineyard planted by Him. But what does this vineyard offer, which by birth comes from the Holy Fathers, yet by choice from the Sodomites? "For their vine is from the vine of Sodom, and their branches from Gomorrah" (Deut 32:32). Having filled a sponge and fixed it on a reed, it brings vinegar to the thirsty Lord: "They gave Me gall for My food, and for My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink" (Ps 68:22). Do you see the clarity of the prophetic prediction?

[...] That after the darkening of the sun He gave up His spirit is an indication to us. If the mind is freed from every hope in this visible world, this serves as a sign that sin has died in you.

Remembering this, let us cry out to Him with compunction of heart:

“Crucified for us, Christ our Savior, our sweetness, give us drink from the abundance of Your house, the drink of sweetness. When You come to judge with glory, may we be satisfied when Your glory appears.

Here, do not despise us who hunger and thirst. But count us worthy to be worthy communicants of the Most Pure Mysteries of the Body and Blood which You shed for us.

Make us worthy and uncondemned unto the ages of ages.”

“God opened the hollow place in the jaw, and water came out from it, and he drank” (Judg 15:19).

But the spiritual Samson, who in the wilderness fed them with honey from the rock, is, alas, given vinegar and gall to drink: “In My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink” (Ps 68:22).

Let us see what they give to drink to the Son of God, who thirsts in suffering.

We see that the One who covers heaven with clouds is not deemed worthy even of cold water. Instead they give Him vinegar to drink: “They filled a sponge with vinegar, put it on hyssop, and brought it to His mouth.”

He Himself also says through the prophet: “They gave Me gall for food, and in My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink” (Ps 68:22).

Our Deliverer tastes gall and is given bitter vinegar to drink, so that He may take away our bitterness, which clung to our souls from the fruit of the forbidden tree.

He does this to grant us to eat and drink at His table in His Kingdom (Lk 22:30).

And the holy Church sings to Him: “That we might be delivered from the sweetness of sin, You tasted gall, O Sweetness of life!”

There was a vessel full of vinegar, that is, sour wine, which formed the drink of the Roman soldiers; cf. the note on Mt 27:48. Having filled a sponge, and so forth: see the note on Mt 27:48 and parallels. Hyssop: in Matthew and Mark, it is a reed. John is more precise, saying that this reed was the stem of the plant called hyssop. It is generally not tall, yet high enough to give drink from it to one hanging on the cross. They put it to Him: the plural is used for the singular, as also in Luke. According to Matthew and Mark, one soldier put it to Him.

Saint Mark and Matthew say: they filled a sponge with vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave Him to drink. According to Saint John, the sponge was placed on hyssop.

Hyssop is an unusually bitter and hollow herb. When the vinegar touched the hyssop, it must have taken into itself the bitterness of the hyssop.

Yet in this form it was a strengthening medicine for the Sufferer. The stem of eastern hyssop, which reaches up to three quarters of an arshin in height, could be the reed upon which the sponge soaked with vinegar was placed.

A compassionate soldier wished to strengthen Jesus with a drink, though it was not pleasant, but useful for one tormented by the thirst that comes before death.

So this is what people did for the Lord Jesus when He said, “I thirst.”