Mark 15:36 Meaning and Explanation
“And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Someone runs to offer Jesus vinegar on a sponge, while the watchers wait to see whether Elias will come to take him down.
What Does Mark 15:36 Mean?
A bystander runs for vinegar, the soldiers' cheap sour wine, lifts it to him on a reed, and the watchers turn even this into a wager: let him alone; let us see whether Elias comes.
The sour wine keeps another line of the psalms: in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink (Psalm 69:21). Curiosity stands around the cross to the end, wanting a spectacle and missing a salvation. No Elijah comes, because no rescue is needed: one greater than all the prophets is finishing the very work the prophets foretold. Heaven's answer to let us see will not be a man taken down from a cross, but a tomb found empty on the third day.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mark 15:36
What does Mark 15:36 mean?
Someone runs to offer Jesus vinegar on a sponge, while the watchers wait to see whether Elias will come to take him down.