What is the meaning of Mark 15:35? When some of those standing nearby • The scene surrounds the cross (Mark 15:24–32), crowded with Roman soldiers, religious leaders, and ordinary passers-by. • These witnesses have already mocked Jesus (Mark 15:29–31); their hearts are hard, fulfilling Psalm 22:7–8. • Their nearness means they can hear every word, yet spiritual blindness keeps them from grasping its meaning (Isaiah 6:9–10). Heard this • “This” refers to Jesus’ loud cry, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”—“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Mark 15:34, quoting Psalm 22:1). • The shout demonstrates both real anguish and steadfast trust in the Father (Luke 23:46). • The crowd hears the sound but not the heart; they overlook the prophetic fulfilment unfolding before their eyes (Psalm 22:16–18). They said • Immediate chatter breaks out, showing a mixture of curiosity, mockery, and superstition (Luke 23:35–36). • No one turns to Scripture for clarity; instead they lean on rumor and folklore, missing the plain testimony of the Son of God (John 5:39–40). • Their spoken response mirrors earlier taunts to “come down from the cross” (Mark 15:30), revealing their demand for a sign rather than faith (Matthew 12:38–40). "Behold, He is calling Elijah" • Elijah was expected to return before “the great and awesome day of the LORD” (Malachi 4:5–6). • Some Jews believed Elijah could rescue the righteous in distress, much like his dramatic appearance for the widow’s son (1 Kings 17:17–24) or his fiery ascent (2 Kings 2:11). • Jesus’ Aramaic “Eloi” sounds similar to “Elijah,” giving the crowd an excuse to ridicule while pretending interest. • Ironically, Jesus had already taught that John the Baptist came “in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Mark 9:11–13; Luke 1:17), and the true rescue Elijah prefigured is now happening through the cross (Colossians 1:20). • Their misunderstanding underscores how close one can be to divine truth and still miss it without faith (1 Corinthians 2:14). summary Mark 15:35 reveals a crowd close enough to hear Jesus’ cry yet too spiritually deaf to understand it. They turn His anguished call to the Father into a misguided expectation of Elijah, reflecting superstition, mockery, and unbelief. While they look for a dramatic external rescue, the real deliverance is occurring through Christ’s willing sacrifice, perfectly fulfilling Scripture and securing salvation for all who believe. |
    |