Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Mark 15:35

"And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elijah." — Mark 15:35 (ASV)

The ignorant and heartless bystanders mistook the first words of Jesus’ cry to be a cry for Elijah. Elijah, regarded as the forerunner and helper of the Messiah (see comments on 9:4, 11), was also regarded as a deliverer of those in trouble. So tauntingly they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”