A.T. Robertson Commentary Matthew 27:49

"And the rest said, Let be; let us see whether Elijah cometh to save him." — Matthew 27:49 (ASV)

Whether Elijah cometh to save him (ε ερχετα Ελειας σωσων αυτον). The excuse had a pious sound as they misunderstood the words of Jesus in his outcry of soul anguish. We have here one of the rare instances (σωσων) of the future participle to express purpose in the N.T. though a common Greek idiom. Some ancient MSS. add here what is genuine in Joh 19:34, but what makes complete wreck of the context for in verse 50 Jesus cried with a loud voice and was not yet dead in verse 49. It was a crass mechanical copying by some scribe from Joh 19:34. See full discussion in my Introduction to the Textual Criticism of the N.T.