Why did the soldiers mock Jesus in Luke 23:36? Text Under Consideration (Luke 23:36) “The soldiers also mocked Him and came up to offer Him sour wine.” Immediate Narrative Context Luke frames the crucifixion with three groups deriding Jesus: Jewish leaders (v. 35), Roman soldiers (v. 36), and the unrepentant criminal (v. 39). The soldiers’ taunt—coupled with the placard “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS” (v. 38)—sharpens the irony that the true King is being rejected by both Israel and the Gentile powers that should have recognized Him (cf. Psalm 2:1-2). Roman Military Culture and the Practice of Mocking Condemned Prisoners Roman execution squads habitually humiliated victims to display imperial dominance. Ancient sources—e.g., Cicero (In Verrem 2.5.169) and Josephus (War 2.305)—describe soldiers scourging and jeering at the crucified to reinforce Rome’s warning: “This is what happens to rebels.” Jesus had already been flogged (Luke 23:22). Mockery, then, was the psychological extension of physical torture, intended to break any lingering dignity of the condemned. Political Overtones: “King of the Jews” and the Imperial Cult Calling Jesus “King” was treasonous rhetoric under Caesar. Soldiers of the praetorium had earlier staged a mock coronation (Matthew 27:27-30; Mark 15:16-20; John 19:2-3), dressing Him in scarlet, pressing a thorny crown, and hailing, “Hail, King of the Jews!” Their jeers in Luke continue the same theme: Rome’s might versus a powerless so-called king. In imperial religion the emperor was “lord” (dominus). By sarcasm they signal that anyone challenging Caesar ends up on a Roman cross. Fulfillment of Messianic Prophecy 1. Psalm 22:7-8 – “All who see me mock me; they sneer and shake their heads: ‘He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD deliver him….’” 2. Isaiah 50:6 – “I did not hide My face from scorn and spitting.” 3. Isaiah 53:3 – “He was despised and rejected by men.” Luke, steeped in Septuagint phraseology, records the soldiers’ derision to show that Jesus precisely embodies the Suffering Servant profile. The sour wine (oxos)—a cheap soldiers’ drink (John 19:29)—links to Psalm 69:21, “They gave me vinegar to drink.” Luke’s Literary and Theological Purposes Luke highlights innocence (23:4, 14, 15, 22, 47) and kingship (1:32-33; 19:38). By allowing Gentile soldiers to ridicule that kingship, he magnifies the paradox: the Messiah establishes His reign through apparent defeat. The soldiers’ mockery exposes spiritual blindness; yet their later proclamation—via the centurion, “Surely this was a righteous man” (v. 47)—shows the firstfruits of Gentile recognition foretold in Simeon’s prophecy (2:32). Spiritual Blindness and Human Depravity The soldiers embody Romans 1:21-22—“Although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God… claiming to be wise, they became fools.” Their ridicule demonstrates humanity’s universal rebellion that necessitated the cross (Isaiah 53:6). As 1 Corinthians 2:8 notes, “None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” Historical and Archaeological Corroboration • The Pilate Stone (Caesarea Maritima, A.D. 26-36) confirms the prefect who authorized the crucifixion. • The crucified ankle bone of Yehoḥanan (Giv‘at ha-Mivtar) demonstrates first-century Roman crucifixion mechanics identical to Gospel descriptions. • First-century graffiti like the Alexamenos graffito (“Alexamenos worships his god”) shows Romans lampooning a crucified figure—social proof that Christians preached a crucified deity whom pagans mocked. Practical and Pastoral Applications 1. Expect opposition when identifying with Christ (John 15:18-20). 2. Respond to reviling with blessing (Romans 12:14). 3. Recognize Christ’s empathy for our shame; He was mocked so He might clothe believers in honor (Revelation 3:5). |
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