Why did passersby mock Jesus in Matthew 27:39? Matthew 27:39 “And those passing by kept deriding Him, shaking their heads.” Immediate Literary Setting Jesus has been scourged, nailed to the cross, and hoisted beside two criminals (Matthew 27:26-38). Matthew now catalogues three concentric circles of ridicule: (1) casual passersby (v. 39), (2) the religious elite (vv. 41-43), and (3) the dying criminals (v. 44). The first group forms the largest and least informed audience, yet their taunts inaugurate the prophecy-laden cascade of mockery that Matthew wants the reader to notice. Public Traffic near Golgotha Archaeology confirms that Roman crucifixions were staged beside busy roadways to maximize deterrence (cf. Cicero, Pro Rabirio 16; Josephus, War 5.11.1). Excavations around the traditional site of Gordon’s Calvary and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre reveal first-century quarry roads leading north out of the Damascus Gate. Thus, pilgrims entering Jerusalem for Passover (cf. John 12:12) would necessarily pass within earshot and eyesight of the crucified. Fulfillment of Messianic Prophecy 1. Psalm 22:7-8—“All who see me mock me; they shake their heads…” 2. Psalm 109:25—“I have become an object of scorn to them; when they see me, they shake their heads.” 3. Lamentations 2:15; Isaiah 53:3. Matthew repeatedly cites or alludes to Psalm 22 in his passion narrative. The physical act of shaking the head is therefore not incidental but evidentiary: these unthinking travelers unknowingly authenticate Scripture’s portrait of the Suffering Servant. Religious Preunderstandings of the Crowd • Deuteronomy 21:23—“Anyone hung on a tree is under God’s curse.” First-century Judeans routinely interpreted crucifixion as proof of divine rejection. • Expectation of a political Messiah (John 6:15; Luke 24:21). A bleeding, immobilized Jesus contradicted prevailing eschatology; ridicule was an emotional defense against disappointed messianic hopes. Social Psychology of Mob Contempt Behavioral studies of deindividuation and diffusion of responsibility (e.g., Zimbardo, 1969) explain why anonymous crowds manifest greater cruelty. Passersby, insulated by numbers and convinced of moral superiority, feel licensed to express contempt with no fear of repercussion. Scripture anticipated this reflexive scorn as a symptom of fallen human nature (Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:10-18). Roman Judicial Framing The trilingual titulus “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” (John 19:20) framed Jesus as a failed revolutionary. To disassociate themselves from insurrection—and from Rome’s punitive reprisal—pilgrims instinctively distanced themselves through ridicule (cf. Matthew 26:74, Peter’s denial). Their mockery thus functioned as a public oath of political loyalty. Satanic Opposition and Cosmic Irony Revelation 12:9 portrays Satan as the deceiver of the whole world. The derision amplified spiritual darkness at Calvary, yet—by divine irony—each sneer magnified the glory of atonement. What looked like defeat fulfilled the redemptive plan “before the foundation of the world” (1 Peter 1:20). Archaeological and Extra-Biblical Corroboration • 1968 discovery of Yehohanan’s crucified remains in Giv’at HaMivtar corroborates the Roman practice of nailing victims. • Pilate Stone (1961, Caesarea) anchors the historicity of the prefect who ordered Jesus’ execution. • Ossuaries inscribed with phrases like “Jesus, Jehovah rise up” (Talpiot tomb inscription) indicate early expectation of resurrection, implying public knowledge of the crucifixion event. Theological Significance 1. Demonstrates total identification of Christ with human shame (Hebrews 12:2). 2. Highlights the blindness of unregenerate humanity (1 Colossians 2:14). 3. Underscores the divine foreknowledge and inspiration of Scripture. 4. Exposes the insufficiency of cultural religion; proximity to sacred events does not equal saving faith. Application for Today Ridicule of Jesus persists—whether academic, artistic, or casual. The passage challenges observers to move from scoffing indifference to humble recognition: the mocked One is the risen Lord who “will judge the living and the dead” (2 Timothy 4:1). Concise Answer to the Question Passersby mocked Jesus because (a) the public roadway made them eyewitnesses, (b) their theological grid deemed any crucified man cursed, (c) social-psychological forces encouraged mob scorn, (d) Roman propaganda framed Him as a failed rebel, and (e) divine prophecy required it—all combining to manifest humanity’s sin and God’s sovereign redemptive plan simultaneously. |
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