Luke 23:35 Meaning and Explanation
“And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The people stand watching while the rulers sneer: he saved others; let him save himself, if he is Christ, the chosen of God.
What Does Luke 23:35 Mean?
Around the cross stand two postures: the people beholding in silence, and the rulers deriding aloud. Their taunt echoes the mockery of the righteous sufferer in the psalm: “He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him” (Psalm 22:8).
The sneer carries unintended testimony: he saved others. Even his enemies concede his power. The taunt assumes a savior would save himself; the glory of the gospel is that he would not — for had he come down, no one else could be lifted up. He is indeed the Christ, the chosen of God, proven so not by escaping the cross but by enduring it.
Luke 23:35 in the Original Language
eklektos (ἐκλεκτός), 'chosen' -- the chosen one, the title of the Lord's Servant in Isaiah 42:1.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 23:35
What does Luke 23:35 mean?
The people stand watching while the rulers sneer: he saved others; let him save himself, if he is Christ, the chosen of God.