TRV
Translation
King James Version
And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias.
Complete Jewish Bible
On hear ing this, some of the bystanders said, "Look! He's calling for Eliyahu!"
Berean Standard Bible
When some of those standing nearby heard this, they said, “Behold, He is calling Elijah.”
American Standard Version
And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elijah.
World English Bible Messianic
Some of those who stood by, when they heard it, said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.”
Geneva Bible (1599)
And some of them that stoode by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias.
Young's Literal Translation
And certain of those standing by, having heard, said, `Lo, Elijah he doth call;'
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In the KJVVerse 24,862 of 31,102
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Commentary on Mark 15 verses 33–41
33 ¶ And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
35 And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias.
36 And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down.
37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.
38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.
39 And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.
40 There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;
41 (Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him;) and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem.
Here we have an account of Christ's dying, how his enemies abused him, and God honoured him at his death.
I. There was a thick darkness over the whole land (some think over the whole earth), for three hours, from noon till three of the clock. Now the scripture was fulfilled (Amo 8:9), I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day; and Jer 15:9, Her sun is gone down while it is yet day. The Jews have often demanded of Christ a sign from heaven; and now they had one, but such a one as signified the blinding of their eyes. It was a sign of the darkness that was come, and coming, upon the Jewish church and nation. They were doing their utmost to extinguish the Sun of righteousness, which was now setting, and the rising again of which they would never own; and what then might be expected among them but a worse than Egyptian darkness? This intimated to them, that the things which belonged to their peace, were now hid from their eyes, and that the day of the Lord was at hand, which should be to them a day of darkness and gloominess, Joe 2:1, Joe 2:2. It was the power of darkness that they were now under, the works of darkness that they were now doing; and such as this should their doom justly be, who loved darkness rather than light.
II. Toward the close of this darkness, our Lord Jesus, in the agony of his soul, cried out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Mar 15:34. The darkness signified the present cloud which the human soul of Christ was under, when he was making it an offering for sin. Mr. Fox, in his Acts and Monuments (vol. 3, p. 160), tells of one Dr. Hunter, a martyr in queen Mary's time, who, being fastened to the stake, to be burnt, put up this short prayer, Son of God, shine upon me; and immediately the sun in the firmament shone out of the dark cloud, so full in his face, that he was forced to look another way, which was very comfortable to him. But our Lord Jesus, on the contrary, was denied the light of the sun, when he was in his sufferings, to signifying the withdrawing of the light of God's countenance. And this he complained of more than any thing; he did not complain of his disciples' forsaking him, but of his Father's, 1. Because this wounded his spirit; and that is a thing hard to bear (Pro 18:14); brought the waters into his soul, Psa 69:1-3. 2. Because in this especially he was made sin for us; our iniquities had deserved indignation and wrath upon the soul (Rom 2:8), and therefore, Christ, being made a sacrifice, underwent as much of it as he was capable of; and it could not but bear hard indeed upon him who had lain in the bosom of the Father from eternity, and was always his light. These symptoms of divine wrath, which Christ was under in his sufferings, were like that fire from heaven which had been sent sometimes, in extraordinary cases, to consume the sacrifices (as Lev 9:24; Ch2 7:1; Kg1 18:38); and it was always a token of God's acceptance. The fire that should have fallen upon the sinner, if God had not been pacified, fell upon the sacrifice, as a token that he was so; therefore it now fell upon Christ, and extorted him from this loud and bitter cry. When Paul was to be offered as a sacrifice for the service of saints, he could joy and rejoice (Phi 2:17); but it is another thing to be offered as a sacrifice for the sin of sinners. Now, at the sixth hour, and so to the ninth, the sun was darkened by an extraordinary eclipse; and if it be true, as some astronomers compute, that in the evening of this day on which Christ died there was an eclipse of the moon, that was natural and expected, in which seven digits of the moon were darkened, and it continued from five o'clock till seven, it is remarkable, and yet further significant of the darkness of the time that then was. When the sun shall be darkened, the moon also shall not give her light.
III. Christ's prayer was bantered by them that stood by (Mar 15:35, Mar 15:36); because he cried, Eli, Eli, or (as Mark has it, according to the Syriac dialect) Eloi, Eloi, they said, He calls for Elias, though they knew very well what he said, and what it signified, My God, My God. Thus did they represent him as praying to saints, either because he had abandoned God, or God had abandoned him; and hereby they would make him more and more odious to the people. One of them filled a sponge with vinegar, and reached it up to him upon a reed; "Let him cool his mouth with that, it is a drink good enough for him," Mar 15:36. This was intended for a further affront and abuse to him; and whoever it was that checked him who did it, did but add to the reproach; "Let him alone; he has called for Elias: let us see whether Elias will come take him down; and if not, we may conclude that he also hath abandoned him."
IV. Christ did again cry with a loud voice, and so gave up the ghost, Mar 15:37. He was now commending his soul into his Father's hand; and though God is not moved with any bodily exercise, yet this loud voice signified the great strength and ardency of affection wherewith he did it; to teach us, in every thing wherein we have to do with God, to put forth our utmost vigour, and to perform all the duties of religion, particularly that of self-resignation, with our whole heart and whole soul; and then, though speech fails, that we cannot cry with a loud voice, as Christ did, yet if God be the strength of the heart, that will not fail. Christ was really and truly dead, for he gave up the ghost; his human soul departed to the world of spirits, and left his body a breathless clod of clay.
V. Just at that instant that Christ died upon mount Calvary, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, Mar 15:38. This bespoke a great deal, 1. Of the terror of the unbelieving Jews; for it was a presage of the utter destruction of their church and nation, which followed not long after; it was like the cutting asunder of the staff of beauty (for this veil was exceedingly splendid and glorious, Exo 26:31), and that was done at the same time when they gave for his price thirty pieces of silver (Zac 11:10, Zac 11:12), to break the covenant which he had made with that people. Now it was time to cry, Ichabod, The glory is departed from Israel. Some think that the story which Josephus relates, of the temple door opening of its own accord, with that voice, Let us depart hence, some years before the destruction of Jerusalem, is the same with this; but that is not probable: however, this had the same signification, according to that (Hos 5:14), I will tear, and go away. 2. It bespeaks a great deal of comfort to all believing Christians, for it signifies the consecrating and laying open to us of a new and living way into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.
VI. The centurion who commanded the detachment which had the oversight of the execution was convinced, and confessed that this Jesus was the Son of God, Mar 15:39. One thing that satisfied him, was, that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost: that one who was ready to give up the ghost, should be able to cry out so, was very surprising. Of all the sad spectacles of this kind he never observed the like; and that one who had strength to cry so loud, should yet immediately give up the ghost, this also made him wonder; and he said, to the honour of Christ, and the shame of those that abused him, Truly this man was the Son of God. But what reason had he to say so? I answer, 1. He had reason to say that he suffered unjustly, and had a great deal of wrong done him. Note, He suffered for saying that he was the Son of God; and it was true, he did say so, so that if he suffered unjustly, as it was plain by all the circumstances of his suffering that he did, then what he said was true, and he was indeed the Son of God. 2. He had reason to say that he was a favourite of heaven, and one for whom the almighty power was particularly engaged, seeing how Heaven did him honour at his death, and frowned upon his persecutors. "Surely," thinks he, "this must be some divine person, highly beloved of God." This he expresses by such words as denote his eternal generation as God, and his special designation to the office of Mediator, though he meant not so. Our Lord Jesus, even in the depth of his sufferings and humiliation, was the Son of God, and was declared to be so with power.
VII. There were some of his friends, the good women especially, that attended him (Mar 15:40, Mar 15:41); There were women looking on afar off: the men durst not be seen at all, the mob was so very outrageous; Currenti cede furori - Give way to the raging torrent, they thought, was good counsel now. The women durst not come near, but stood at a distance, overwhelmed with grief. Some of these women are here named. Mary Magdalene was one; she had been his patient, and owed all her comfort to his power and goodness, which rescued her out of the possession of seven devils, in gratitude for which she thought she could never do enough for him. Mary also was there, the mother of James the little, Jacobus parvus, so the word is; probably, he was so called because he was, like Zaccheus, little of stature. This Mary was the wife of Cleophas or Alpheus, sister to the virgin Mary. These women had followed Christ from Galilee, though they were not required to attend the feast, as the males were; but it is probably that they came, in expectation that his temporal kingdom would now shortly be set up, and big with hopes of preferment for themselves, and their relations under him. It is plain that the mother of Zebedee's children was so (Mat 20:21); and now to see him upon a cross, whom they thought to have seen upon a throne, could not but be a great disappointment to them. Note, Those that follow Christ, in expectation of great things in this world by him, and by the profession of his religion, may probably live to see themselves sadly disappointed.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 33–41. Public domain.
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Pseudo-Jerome (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
At the ninth hour, the tenth piece of money which had been lost is found, by the overturning of the house.
Here he points out a similitude for the Jews; a sponge on a reed, weak, dry, fit for burning; they fill it with vinegar, that is, with wickedness and guile.
Though the flesh was weak, yet the heavenly voice, which said, Open me the gates of righteousness, (Ps. 117:19) waxed strong. Wherefore there follows: And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. We who are of the earth die with a very low voice, or with no voice at all; but He who descended from heaven breathed His last with a loud voice.
Bede (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 735
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
(ubi sup.) This most glorious light took away its rays from the world, lest it should see the Lord hanging, and lest the blasphemers should have the benefit of its light. Wherefore it goes on: And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
(ubi sup.) For when Adam sinned, it is also written that he heard the voice of the Lord, walking in paradise, in the cool after mid-day; (Gen. 3:8.) and in that hour when the first Adam by sinning brought death into the world, in that same hour the second Adam by dying destroyed death. And we must observe, that our Lord was crucified, when the sun was going away from the centre of the world; but at sunrise He celebrated the mysteries of His resurrection; because He died for our sins, but rose again for our justification. Nor need you wonder at the lowliness of His words, at the complaints as of one forsaken, when you look on the offence of the cross, knowing the form of a servant. For as hunger, and thirst, and fatigue were not things proper to the Divinity, but bodily affections; so His saying, Why hast thou forsaken me? was proper to a bodily voice, for the body is never naturally wont to wish to be separated from the life which is joined to it. For although our Saviour Himself said this, He really showed the weakness of His body; He spoke therefore as man, bearing about with Him my feelings, for when placed in danger we fancy that we are deserted by God.
(ubi sup.) These however I suppose were Roman soldiers who did not understand the peculiarity of the Hebrew tongue, but, from His calling Eloi, thought that Elias was called by Him. But if the Jews are understood to have said this, they must be supposed to do this, as accusing Him of folly in calling for the aid of Elias. It goes on: And one ran and filled a sponge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone: let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. John shows more fully the reason why the vinegar was given to the Lord to drink, saying, that Jesus said, I thirst, (John 19:28.) that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. They however applied a sponge full of vinegar to His mouth.
BedeAD 735
On the Gospel of Mark
And some of those standing by, hearing this, said: "Behold, he calls Elijah." Not all, but some. I think these were Roman soldiers, not understanding the Hebrew language, but from what he said "Heloi, Heloi," thinking Elijah was being invoked by him. But if you prefer to understand Jews saying this, they also do it as is their custom, to dishonor the Lord with weakness, who is seen as seeking Elijah's help.
Theophylact of Ohrid (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 1107
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
If this had been the time for an eclipse, some one might have said that this that happened was natural, but it was the fourteenth moon, when no eclipse can take place. There follows: And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani.
Or, He speaks this as man crucified by God for me, for we men have been forsaken by the Father, but He never has. For hear what He says; I am not alone, because the Father is with me. (John 16:32) Though He may also have said this as being a Jew, according to the flesh, as though He had said, Why hast thou forsaken the Jewish people, so that they have crucified Thy Son? For as we sometimes say, God has put on me, that is, my human nature, so here also we must understand thou hast forsaken me, to mean my nature, or the Jewish people. It goes on: And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias.
He who both rules over death and commands it dies with power, as its Lord. But what this voice was is declared by Luke: Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. For Christ would have us understand by this, that from that time the souls of the saints go up into the hands of God. (v. note u, p. 217) For at first the souls of all were held in hell, till He came, who preached the opening of the prison to the captives.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Mark 15:35 captures a poignant moment during Jesus' crucifixion where some onlookers misinterpret His agonizing cry from the cross, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?). Due to the phonetic similarity between the Aramaic "Eloi" and the Greek "Elias" (Elijah), these bystanders mistakenly, and perhaps mockingly, conclude that Jesus is calling for the prophet Elijah to come and rescue Him, highlighting their profound spiritual misunderstanding of His identity and mission.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse immediately follows Jesus' climactic cry of dereliction in Mark 15:34, a direct quotation from Psalm 22:1. The narrative in Mark's Gospel has consistently built towards this moment of ultimate suffering and divine abandonment, yet it is juxtaposed with human misunderstanding. The reaction of the bystanders in Mark 15:35 and the subsequent offer of vinegar in Mark 15:36 further emphasize the chaotic, cruel, and profoundly misunderstood nature of Jesus' final hours before His death in Mark 15:37. This scene underscores the chasm between divine reality and human perception at the very climax of Jesus' earthly ministry.
Historical & Cultural Context: First-century Judea was steeped in messianic expectation, often intertwined with the prophecy of Elijah's return. According to Malachi 4:5, Elijah was expected to reappear before the "great and dreadful day of the Lord" to prepare the way for the Messiah. This belief was deeply ingrained in Jewish popular thought, leading some to interpret any significant event or cry for help through the lens of Elijah's potential intervention. The crucifixion site, Golgotha, was a public spectacle, drawing a diverse crowd including Roman soldiers, Jewish leaders, and ordinary citizens. Amidst the chaos and mockery, the phonetic similarity between the Aramaic "Eloi" (אֱלֹהִי – My God) and the Greek "Elias" (Ἠλίας – Elijah) would have been easily confused or deliberately twisted by those present, whether out of genuine misunderstanding, cynical mockery, or a desperate hope for a miraculous intervention by the revered prophet.
Key Themes: Mark 15:35 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within Mark's Gospel and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it highlights the pervasive misunderstanding and spiritual blindness concerning Jesus' true identity and mission, a theme present throughout Mark's Gospel. Even at the cross, the ultimate revelation of God's redemptive plan, many fail to grasp its meaning. Secondly, it underscores the humanity of Christ, as Jesus experiences profound physical and spiritual suffering, including a sense of abandonment, expressed in His cry (Psalm 22:1). The onlookers' reaction starkly contrasts human limitations with divine reality. Lastly, the verse implicitly touches upon the fulfillment of prophecy, as Jesus' cry, though misinterpreted, aligns with the suffering servant motif (e.g., Isaiah 53) and the broader divine plan for redemption, which did not involve an earthly rescue by Elijah but a spiritual victory through sacrifice.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The profound Irony is the most striking literary device in Mark 15:35. Jesus, the true Messiah and Son of God, cries out to His Father in the depths of His suffering, yet those who await a deliverer fundamentally misunderstand His words, interpreting them as a desperate call for Elijah, the very prophet expected to herald the Messiah. This creates a tragic and poignant contrast between divine reality and human misperception. There is also a strong element of Contrast between Jesus' profound spiritual agony and the superficial, often mocking, interpretations of the crowd. This highlights the chasm between the sacred and the profane, and the human inability to comprehend the divine plan unfolding before their eyes. The scene also contains a subtle form of Foreshadowing, as the misunderstanding of Jesus' identity and mission, evident here even at the cross, foreshadows the continued spiritual blindness that many would exhibit towards the resurrected Christ and the early Christian message.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Mark 15:35 serves as a powerful theological commentary on the nature of spiritual perception and the profound chasm between human expectations and divine reality. The bystanders' misinterpretation of Jesus' cry underscores the pervasive theme of spiritual blindness that permeates the Gospels, where even in the presence of ultimate truth, many fail to recognize or comprehend it. This moment at the cross highlights the isolation of Christ, not only in His physical suffering and sense of divine abandonment but also in the human inability to grasp the depth of His redemptive work. It challenges believers to move beyond superficial hearing to genuine understanding, recognizing that God's ways often defy human logic and expectation. The scene ultimately magnifies the depth of Christ's sacrifice, as He sustains both divine judgment and human misunderstanding for the sake of humanity's salvation.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Mark 15:35 is a stark reminder of how easily spiritual truth can be distorted or missed entirely, even when it is spoken plainly and profoundly. It challenges us to examine our own hearts: are we truly listening to God's Word with an open mind and a receptive spirit, or are we imposing our own preconceived notions, expectations, or biases upon it? The bystanders' misinterpretation of "Eloi" as "Elias" illustrates the danger of filtering divine revelation through human traditions or desires for a different kind of deliverer. This verse also invites us to ponder the immense isolation Jesus experienced on the cross – not only bearing the weight of humanity's sin and the feeling of abandonment by the Father but also facing the profound misunderstanding and mockery of those He came to save. For contemporary believers, it underscores the importance of diligent study of Scripture, reliance on the Holy Spirit for true understanding, and a humble posture that seeks to align our perceptions with God's revealed truth, rather than twisting it to fit our own narratives. It calls us to empathy for Christ's suffering and a renewed commitment to proclaiming His truth clearly, recognizing that spiritual blindness still exists today.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did the bystanders confuse "Eloi" with "Elias"?
Answer: The confusion primarily stemmed from the phonetic similarity between the Aramaic word "Eloi" (אֱלֹהִי), meaning "My God," which Jesus uttered, and the Greek name "Elias" (Ἠλίας), referring to the prophet Elijah. In the chaotic and noisy environment of the crucifixion, such a mishearing was plausible. Furthermore, Jewish eschatological expectations played a significant role. Many Jews at the time believed that Elijah would return before the Messiah's coming, as prophesied in Malachi 4:5, or that he would intervene in times of great distress. This deeply ingrained cultural belief would have primed some listeners to interpret any cry for help as an invocation of Elijah, either out of genuine misunderstanding or as a cynical taunt.
What was the significance of Elijah in Jewish thought at the time of Jesus?
Answer: Elijah held a highly revered and eschatological position in Jewish thought. He was seen as the quintessential prophet, associated with powerful miracles and a direct challenge to idolatry. Crucially, the prophecy in Malachi 4:5-6 stated that Elijah would return "before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord" to "turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers." This led to a widespread expectation that Elijah would be the forerunner of the Messiah, preparing the way, or even a powerful deliverer who would intervene in times of national crisis. This expectation is evident in other Gospel passages, such as the disciples' question about Elijah in Matthew 17:10.
Was the crowd's reaction purely a misunderstanding, or was there an element of mockery?
Answer: It was likely a complex mix of both. For some, especially those not familiar with Aramaic or caught in the general tumult, it could have been a genuine phonetic misunderstanding. However, for others, particularly the religious leaders and those hostile to Jesus, it was almost certainly an element of mockery and derision. The idea that Jesus, who claimed to be the Son of God, was now desperately calling for an earthly prophet like Elijah would have been a potent source of ridicule, further undermining His claims in the eyes of the crowd. The subsequent offer of vinegar in Mark 15:36 by some, seemingly to see if Elijah would indeed come, supports the presence of mockery.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Mark 15:35, though depicting human misunderstanding, profoundly highlights the Christ-centered nature of salvation. Jesus' cry, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34), was not a desperate plea for an earthly prophet like Elijah to intervene, but a direct address to the Father, revealing the depths of His identification with humanity's sin and the divine judgment He bore on our behalf. In that moment, the Son, who had always known perfect communion with the Father, experienced the ultimate separation so that humanity could be reconciled to God. The bystanders' misinterpretation, calling for "Elias," ironically underscores the truth that no prophet, no matter how great, could accomplish the salvation that only the Lamb of God could provide (John 1:29). Jesus' suffering and apparent abandonment were not a sign of weakness requiring an earthly rescue, but the very means by which He became the sympathetic High Priest (Hebrews 4:15) who bore our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21) and secured eternal redemption through His obedient sacrifice (Philippians 2:8). Thus, even in the midst of profound human blindness, Mark 15:35 points to the unparalleled and exclusive saving work of Christ.