Charles Spurgeon Commentary Luke 23:35

"And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also scoffed at him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen." — Luke 23:35 (ASV)

And the rulers also with them derided him,

Laughed at him, made him the object of coarse jests.

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.

You know how mockery puts salt and vinegar into a wound. A man does not at any time like to be reviled; but when he is full of physical and mental anguish, and his heart is heavy within him, then ridicule is peculiarly full of acid to him.

And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.

I have already reminded you that there was a deep truth hidden away in what these cruel mockers said, for Jesus must give himself up as a ransom if we were to be redeemed.

And the people stood beholding.

There was no pity in their eyes. No one of them turned away his face because he could not look upon so disgraceful a deed.

Saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar.

In mockery, not giving it to him, as they did later in mercy; but in mockery, pretending to present him with weak wine, such as they drank.