And some that stood there and heard said: This man calleth Elias.
τινες δε των εκει εστωτων ακουσαντες ελεγον οτι ηλιαν φωνει ουτος
11 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Observe also their arrogance, their shamelessness, and their insanity. The evangelist notes that they believed He was calling for Elijah, and without hesitation, they offered Him vinegar to drink. Additionally, another approached and drove a spear into His side. What could be more despicable than this, what could be more savage? Their wrath has escalated to the point that they even take oaths over lifeless bodies.
The ordinary crowd, lacking knowledge and understanding of the prophetic scriptures, misinterpreted this declaration and believed that Christ was invoking Elijah. This reflects the fact that not every Jew was familiar with the prophetic texts, similar to how not all Christians today are aware of the Gospel.
Only certain individuals, specifically the Roman soldiers, failed to grasp the nuances of the Hebrew language and mistakenly interpreted the cry, "Eat, eat," as a call to Elijah. If we are to view these soldiers through a Jewish perspective, we must consider their common assumption, which suggests that they perceived the Lord's request for help as a sign of His vulnerability.
Who were those who remarked, "Elijah speaks"? It is evident that one of these same individuals offered a drink to the Sufferer, despite the Roman guards prohibiting anyone from providing aid to the crucified. As noted in the clear statements of St. John, the soldiers possessed a vessel of vinegar, from which they gave a taste to the Divine Sufferer (John 19:29). Therefore, it can be inferred that the soldiers referred to Christ by saying, "This is Elijah." This conclusion is further supported by the reality that the soldiers, rather than the Jews, could not have comprehended the Syro-Chaldean words spoken by the Savior to the Father. The Jews held the belief that the great prophet Elijah must come before the arrival of the Messiah.
This prophecy was fulfilled in the person of John the Baptist, as explained by the Savior (Matthew 11:14; Matthew 16:14; Matthew 17:10, 11). However, the scribes and Pharisees failed to recognize either the Messiah or His Forerunner. Since the belief about Elijah was widely known among the Jewish people, it stands to reason that the Roman soldiers, who were present among them, were also aware of it. Thus, they expressed their understanding when they declared, "This Elijah speaks; let Him be left alone to see if Elijah comes to save Him." How pitiable it was! In their attempt to mock Jesus as a false Messiah, they only ridiculed themselves. By misinterpreting the Savior's proclamation to the Father as a call to Elijah, they revealed their profound ignorance. Yet, even within this group, there was one who hurried to show compassion, seeking to alleviate the thirst of the sufferer on Golgotha. Admittedly, that individual also said, "Leave Him, that we may see if Elijah comes to save Him," a submission to the boisterous mocking of his fellow soldiers. Nonetheless, he urged his companions, "Let us wait until Elijah comes, and to that end, we should offer Him some relief." Acts of cowardice did not negate acts of mercy. St. Mark and St. Matthew record that after filling a vessel, they placed it on a staff and offered it to Him. According to St. John, the sponge was set on a hyssop branch, which is notably a bitter and hollow herb. The vinegar, when combined with the hyssop, should have absorbed its bitterness. Instead, this mixture became a fortifying remedy for the Sufferer. The eastern hyssop, which can grow up to three-quarters of a cubit high, could serve as a staff for the vinegar-soaked sponge. The compassionate soldier aimed to offer Jesus a drink—though not pleasant, it was intended to be beneficial for the one who thirsted as He faced death. This is how men accounted for the Lord Jesus as He uttered, "I thirst." In His agony, He yearned to fulfill the will of His heavenly Father and to bestow the waters of Grace upon humanity; and what was His reward? After such reflections, should any sinner resent their own occasional unrecognizability before Him, or the fact that their offerings are often marked by negativity instead of goodness? Such grievances should not be our focus. Instead, we should reflect on how we reciprocate the blessings that the Lord bestows upon us. What occupies our hearts that should be ignited with love for His life-giving commandments? O Divine Love, forgive our apathy and our blindness. With Thy thirst, we implore Thee to extinguish our craving for sinful pleasures, and ignite in our cold souls a holy zeal for our salvation—zeal for fulfilling the will of our heavenly Father, which Thou hast desired and seek to light within us. Without this divine fire, without such a longing for heaven, a dismal fate lies in wait for our eternal souls. Amen.
As a Man engulfed in profound sorrow and intense suffering, He raises His voice to God in a fervent plea; yet, His heartfelt cry becomes an opportunity for His adversaries to ridicule Him: Some of those present, overhearing Him, said: "ELIJAH CALLS HIM." If they were soldiers, they might not have comprehended the Hebrew language and could have misinterpreted the term or for the prophet Elijah; however, if they were not soldiers but rather foes of Christ, it is evident that these individuals feigned ignorance to His mournful and loud invocation: they sought merely to find a reason to mock the dying Redeemer further.
"Look," they mocked, "even in His final moments, He continues to embody the visage of the Messiah: He calls upon His forerunner Elijah for aid." Many believed then, based on Malachi's prophecy interpreted literally, that Elijah would appear prior to the Messiah’s arrival; they also understood that this prophet was known to assist those who sought him. Meanwhile, the Divine Sufferer was overwhelmed by a debilitating thirst, which, due to significant blood loss and its rush to His head and heart, became increasingly intense and unbearable with each passing moment. This thirst, a precursor of imminent death, tormented Him with a desperate longing. In His weakened state, He proclaimed: "I thirst" (John 19:28). His thirst was not merely for water to quench His dryness, but for the completion of His Father’s divine purpose; He yearned to fulfill yet another of David’s prophecies: "and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink" (Ps. 68:22).
The anguish of the soul, burdened by the awareness of the sins of humanity placed upon the Savior, was not easily alleviated by the anticipation of His forthcoming glory. As He neared the final, sacred moment of tranquility, He must have felt with greater intensity the dread of this state of being a sinner separated from God. Overwhelmed by this abyss of grief, He cried out: ‘My God, My God - why hast Thou forsaken Me?’ This lament resonated even within the hearts of the indifferent Jews surrounding Him.
In Hebrew, the name Elijah is rendered as Eliahu. Due to the phonetic similarity of this name to Eloi, some bystanders at the Cross misinterpreted Jesus' cry, hearing only the initial part and assuming he was summoning the prophet Elijah for assistance. A few individuals, particularly moved by Jesus' humility, his plea for forgiveness for those executing him, and the sudden darkness that enveloped the day, remarked in confusion and fear, “Behold, he calls Elijah” (Mark 15:35). The Jewish belief held that Elijah was to appear prior to the Messiah's arrival; thus, the notions of the Messiah and Elijah were deeply intertwined. Consequently, the question of Elijah responding to Jesus’ call was closely linked to the larger question of whether the crucified Jesus was indeed the Messiah. These reflections led some to articulate: ‘Elijah is calling Elijah.’ However, only a handful of people, who were clearly not part of the ruling group, engaged in such reasoning.
Amidst the loud turmoil of the gathering, numerous individuals failed to grasp the entirety of the cry and, upon hearing the word 'Or,' assumed that He was invoking Elijah. They stood in trepidation, anticipating whether this powerful champion of righteousness would indeed arrive.
He calls out for Elijah - This phrase, understood by those fluent in Hebrew, served as a fresh form of derision towards the suffering Christ. It can be assumed that such mockery arose from those deluded individuals, impervious to any evidence. The similarity between "Eli" and Elijah's name was the source of this scorn. They found it particularly biting that, prior to the arrival of the Messiah, the Jewish people had anticipated Elijah's return, now jeering at the one who felt abandoned by God and crucified, yet still claimed to be the Messiah, as he seemingly sought Elijah's assistance in his moment of anguish. It is also possible that some bystanders misheard the Lord’s words, genuinely believing he was calling for Elijah. This interpretation could have emerged from Roman soldiers, who poorly comprehended the Syrochaldaean language, while being aware of the Jewish expectation for Elijah's return, thus interpreting the repeated cry "Eli, Eli" in that context.
The enigmatic utterances of the Lord, rich in profound significance, provided some onlookers at the crucifixion with a fresh opportunity for scorn. They either failed to grasp the meaning behind the cry of the One being crucified or feigned ignorance. At that time, it was common among the Jews to interpret the prophecy of Malachi (3:1; 4:5) literally, leading to a prevalent expectation that the Messiah's arrival would be preceded by the return of the prophet Elijah (Mt. 16:14; 17:10-11; Mk. 8:28). Seizing on the similarity between the name of God and that of the prophet, Christ's adversaries taunted: "He is invoking Elijah," suggesting that even at the point of death on the cross, he remained steadfast in his messianic mission and called upon his Forerunner.
Whether the intention was to suggest that the Messiah required Elijah to come before Him, or merely to indicate that Jesus was in grave peril and appealing to Elijah for deliverance, the remarks were, nonetheless, a harsh form of derision. It was clear that the declaration pointed to God; however, through a mocking play on words, it was attributed instead to the prophet Elijah.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 11 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS