A.T. Robertson Commentary Matthew 27:34

"they gave him wine to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted it, he would not drink." — Matthew 27:34 (ASV)

Wine mingled with gall (οινον μετα χολης μεμιγμενον). Late MSS. read

vinegar (οξος) instead of wine and Mark has myrrh instead of gall. The myrrh gave the sour wine a better flavour and like the bitter gall had a narcotic and stupefying effect. Both elements may have been in the drink which Jesus tasted and refused to drink. Women provided the drink to deaden the sense of pain and the soldiers may have added the gall to make it disagreeable. Jesus desired to drink to the full the cup from his Father's hand (John 18:11).