Mark 15:32, commentary and pictures

On the hill outside Jerusalem where criminals were put to death, Jesus hung on a cross between two condemned men while chief priests and elders, soldiers, passersby, the crowd and those crucified with Him reviled His claim to be the Christ, the King of Israel and the Son of God and demanded that He come down that they might see and believe. He heard every taunt yet answered nothing, though He had power to descend, because He would not save Himself while His work was still unfinished. By remaining and giving His life He bore the curse of the law as man's substitute, paid the penalty for sin, upheld the law and opened pardon and favor with God so the sinner has hope. Their challenge was Satan working through priests and mob to repeat the wilderness demand for proof that He was the Son of God, and in uttering the foretold mockery the professed expounders of prophecy fulfilled it in blindness while indignant angels were held back from rescuing Him. That demand for a visible miracle as the price of faith was impious unbelief, yet the mocking cry sounded down the ages and led many who beheld and heard to search and compare the Scriptures until truth shone into their hearts, and those who mocked the King will yet behold Him in kingly power and glory and need no further proof.

Setting and Mocking Voices

The taunt belongs to the leading of Jesus from the judgment-hall to Calvary, outside Jerusalem at the place where criminals were executed. News of His condemnation had spread throughout Jerusalem, and people of all classes and all ranks flocked toward the place of crucifixion, so a vast multitude followed Him there. The priests and rulers were bound by a promise not to molest His followers if He Himself were delivered to them, and therefore disciples and believers from the city and the surrounding region joined the throng that followed the Saviour. His suffering there was as humanity's substitute, bearing the curse of the law for others.

At that place He hung on a cross between two others who were to die with Him. Those two men had been condemned with Barabbas. A crowd gathered below in grief and terror.

Chief priests and elders, religious leaders, soldiers, passersby, people in the crowd, and those crucified beside Him joined in reviling Him. Together they ridiculed His claim to be the Christ, the King of Israel and the Son of God. They mocked Him as King and demanded that He descend now from the cross, promising that they would see and believe if He came down.

Why He Stayed There

He heard every taunt hurled at Him on the cross yet answered none of it, remaining the patient sufferer under mockery. He had power to descend from the cross, but He would not save Himself, choosing instead to continue suffering and dying because His mission was not yet complete.

By giving His life rather than saving Himself He paid the penalty for sin and upheld God's law. Hanging outside Jerusalem where criminals were executed, He suffered as humanity's substitute, bearing the curse of the law for others. Because He would not come down, He made pardon and favor with God possible, so the sinner has hope.

The demand that He prove Himself was part of a satanic attack, with Satan and his angels working through the religious leaders and the mob. Their challenge to come down and prove He was the Son of God repeated the wilderness temptation to prove His sonship. Angels looked on indignant and longed to rescue Him, but they were not permitted to do so.

Prophecy, Unbelief and Faith

The taunts hurled at the suffering man on the cross repeated the very words inspiration had foretold would be uttered, so that those speaking them were fulfilling prophecy without realizing it. The religious leaders, soldiers, criminals, passersby and people in the crowd joined in reviling Him and demanding that He come down so they would believe He was the King of Israel. The very men who professed to expound prophecy were in blindness repeating what had been foretold, without seeing that they were fulfilling it.

Though spoken in mockery, those words sounded down the ages and led men to search the Scriptures as never before. Wise men heard, searched, pondered, prayed, and compared Scripture with Scripture until they saw the meaning of His mission. Never was there such general knowledge of Jesus as when He hung on the cross, and the light of truth shone into the hearts of many who beheld the crucifixion and heard His words.

Those who mocked Him as Israel's King and demanded proof will later behold Him in kingly power and glory, need no further proof, and be compelled to acknowledge His majesty. Their demand for descent from the cross as a visible miracle and condition for believing displays unbelief rather than humble faith. It exemplifies an impious unbelief that refuses to trust unless God performs the requested miracle.

The verse marks the time when the Bridegroom was taken away from the disciples and they had cause to mourn and fast. Jesus, in whom their hopes of eternal life were centered and whom they thought was to take His place on David's throne, was in the hands of wicked men, with His own nation clamoring for His blood. Herod and his soldiers plaited the crown of thorns for His brow and clad Him in the purple robe while His persecutors bowed before Him and struck Him with the reed placed in His hand, and He was scourged as the worst of criminals while the murderous Barabbas was chosen in place of their Teacher, then lifted up on the cross dying as a malefactor. Then their faith was tried and their hope and courage failed. His endurance of derision and cruel mockery from the crowd on the cross shows the cost of His sacrifice and answers the claim that following Him demands too much self-denial.