Expositor's Bible Commentary 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)

On “Golgotha,” see comment on Mk 15:22. Mark says they offered Jesus wine mingled with myrrh, and he refused it; Matthew, that they offered him wine mingled with gall, and he tasted it and then refused it. It seems likely that this gesture was not one of compassion but of torment. Myrrh was used with wine to strengthen the drink, but it tastes bitter; so a large dose of it mingled with wine would make the latter undrinkable. Thus, when the drink was offered to Jesus, it was so bitter he refused it, and the soldiers were amused. Mark keeps the word “myrrh” to describe the content; Matthew uses “gall” to describe the taste and to provide a link with Ps 69:12. For another view of this element of the crucifixion, see comment on Mk 15:23.