Matthew 27:43

KJV

He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

KJV (with Strong's)

He trusted {G3982} in {G1909} God {G2316}; let him deliver {G4506} him {G846} now {G3568}, if {G1487} he will have {G2309} him {G846}: for {G1063} he said {G2036},{G3754} I am {G1510} the Son {G5207} of God {G2316}.

Complete Jewish Bible

"He trusted God? So, let him rescue him if he wants him!s After all, he did say, `I'm the Son of God'!"

Berean Standard Bible

He trusts in God. Let God deliver Him now if He wants Him. For He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

American Standard Version

He trusteth on God; let him deliver him now, if he desireth him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Matthew 27:43 captures the chilling taunt of the chief priests, scribes, and elders as Jesus hung upon the cross. Their words, "He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God," reveal a profound spiritual blindness and animosity. Unwittingly, their mockery highlights Jesus' unwavering trust in His Father and ironically fulfills ancient prophecy, underscoring the divine plan unfolding even amidst the deepest human depravity and misunderstanding.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is deeply embedded within the climactic narrative of Jesus' crucifixion in Matthew's Gospel. It immediately follows the general mockery from the religious leaders who challenged Jesus to "come down from the cross" if he was truly the "King of Israel" or the "Son of God" ([Matthew 27:41-42](/matthew/27-41-42 "Matthew 27:41-42 - The Mockery of the Religious Leaders")). The specific taunt in [Matthew 27:43](/matthew/27-43 "Matthew 27:43 - The Taunt of the Religious Leaders") hones in on Jesus' core claim to divine sonship, a claim that was central to his condemnation by the Sanhedrin ([Matthew 26:63-66](/matthew/26-63-66 "Matthew 26:63-66 - Jesus' Trial Before the Sanhedrin")). The verse emphasizes the leaders' persistent rejection of Jesus' identity, even in his most vulnerable state, and sets the stage for the cosmic events that follow, such as the darkness over the land and the tearing of the temple veil.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The scene takes place during a Roman crucifixion, a brutal and public form of execution designed to inflict maximum pain and humiliation. The Jewish religious leaders, representing the established religious authority, were present at Golgotha, actively participating in the mockery rather than showing any compassion. Their taunt reflects their deeply ingrained expectations of a Messiah who would be a conquering king, a political deliverer, rather than a suffering servant. They could not conceive of a divine Son of God who would willingly submit to such a humiliating death. Furthermore, their challenge to God to "deliver him now" reflects a transactional understanding of divine intervention, believing that if Jesus were truly righteous or divine, God would immediately rescue him from suffering, thereby validating his claims in a worldly, miraculous fashion.

* **Key Themes:** [Matthew 27:43](/matthew/27-43 "Matthew 27:43 - The Taunt of the Religious Leaders") contributes to several significant themes within Matthew and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it powerfully illustrates the theme of **Mockery and Scorn** directed at Jesus, highlighting the intense opposition he faced from religious authorities who twisted his own words against him. Secondly, the verse directly confronts the **Challenge to Jesus' Identity** as the Son of God, which was the ultimate charge leading to his crucifixion ([John 19:7](/john/19-7 "John 19:7 - The Jews' Accusation")). The mockers believed that his suffering disproved his divine claims. Thirdly, it underscores the profound **Misunderstanding of Divine Will** by those who expected a worldly deliverance, failing to grasp that God's plan involved the suffering and sacrificial death of His Son for the redemption of humanity, a concept deeply rooted in the [prophecies of the suffering servant](/isaiah/53 "Isaiah 53 - The Suffering Servant"). Finally, and most remarkably, the very words of the mockers serve as a **Fulfillment of Prophecy**, echoing the lament found in [Psalm 22:8](/psalms/22-8 "Psalm 22:8 - A Prophetic Psalm of Suffering"), which speaks of those who trust in the Lord being delivered. This ironic fulfillment demonstrates God's sovereign control even over the actions of His adversaries.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **trusted (Greek, _peíthō'_):** This verb signifies conviction, persuasion, and a deep, confident reliance. When the mockers declared, "He trusted in God," they were ironically acknowledging Jesus' profound and unwavering faith and dependence on His Father, even as they sought to use it to discredit Him. Jesus' trust was not merely intellectual assent but an active, profound reliance on God's will and purpose.
* **deliver (Greek, _rhýomai'_):** Meaning "to rush or draw (for oneself), i.e., rescue," this word highlights the mockers' expectation of a physical, immediate rescue from the cross. They challenged God to "snatch him away" or "pull him out" of his predicament. This contrasts sharply with the spiritual deliverance Jesus was accomplishing through His sacrifice, a deliverance for all humanity from sin and death.
* **Son (Greek, _huiós'_):** This term, used in "Son of God," denotes kinship, but in this context, it refers to Jesus' unique divine identity and relationship with God the Father. It was Jesus' claim to be the Son of God that the religious leaders considered blasphemous and used as the basis for His condemnation. Their taunt directly attacks the very core of His divine nature and mission.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"He trusted in God":** This initial phrase, spoken by the mockers, is laden with bitter irony. They accuse Jesus of a false trust, implying that if his trust were genuine, God would intervene. Yet, Jesus' trust was indeed absolute and unwavering, even to the point of death, demonstrating the profound depth of His obedience and faith in the Father's plan.
* **"let him deliver him now, if he will have him":** This is the core of the challenge, a conditional dare thrown at Jesus and, by extension, at God the Father. The phrase "if he will have him" (Greek, _thélō'_ - "if he desires him" or "if he delights in him") implies a transactional relationship: if God truly loved or delighted in Jesus as His Son, He would rescue Him immediately. This reveals the mockers' limited, worldly understanding of divine power and love, failing to comprehend the redemptive purpose of Jesus' suffering.
* **"for he said, I am the Son of God":** This clause provides the explicit reason for their taunt. It directly references Jesus' own declaration of divine sonship, a claim that was the central point of contention during His trial and the ultimate charge of blasphemy against Him. The mockers believed that Jesus' inability to save Himself from the cross disproved His claim, unaware that His suffering was the very means by which His divine mission would be fulfilled.

#### Literary Devices
The passage makes powerful use of **Irony**. The mockers' words, intended to humiliate and discredit Jesus, ironically affirm His genuine trust in God and, more profoundly, fulfill ancient prophecy, specifically [Psalm 22:8](/psalms/22-8 "Psalm 22:8 - A Prophetic Lament"). Their challenge, meant to expose a perceived weakness, instead highlights the strength of Jesus' unwavering faith and obedience to the Father's will. There is also evident **Sarcasm** and **Taunt** in their tone, as they use Jesus' own claims against Him in a mocking, derisive manner. This creates a stark **Contrast** between the spiritual blindness and malicious intent of the religious leaders and the divine purpose unfolding through Jesus' suffering.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Matthew 27:43 profoundly illustrates the nature of God's sovereignty and the depth of Christ's obedience. The mockers' challenge, demanding a worldly deliverance, completely misses the theological reality that Jesus' suffering was not a sign of God's abandonment but the very heart of His redemptive plan. God's "deliverance" for His Son was not from the cross, but through the cross, culminating in resurrection and exaltation. This reveals that true faith and divine favor are not always expressed through immediate rescue from suffering, but often through perseverance in the midst of it, in alignment with God's higher purposes. The verse thus speaks to the mystery of suffering and the ultimate triumph of God's will over human opposition.

* [Psalm 22:8](/psalms/22-8 "Psalm 22:8 - A Prophetic Lament of the Suffering Messiah") - "He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him."
* [Isaiah 53:5](/isaiah/53-5 "Isaiah 53:5 - The Suffering Servant") - "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."
* [Philippians 2:8](/philippians/2-8 "Philippians 2:8 - Christ's Humiliation and Obedience") - "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Matthew 27:43 offers a poignant lesson for believers navigating a world that often misunderstands or actively opposes faith. Just as Jesus endured the ultimate scorn, we too may face ridicule, doubt, or challenges to our trust in God, especially when our circumstances seem to contradict our beliefs or when God's timing and methods differ from our expectations. This verse calls us to examine the nature of our own trust: do we trust God only when He delivers us in the way we expect, or do we trust Him even when His path involves suffering, sacrifice, or a seemingly unanswered prayer? Jesus' unwavering obedience to the Father's will, even unto death, demonstrates that true faith is not a guarantee of worldly comfort, but a steadfast commitment to God's sovereign plan, knowing that His ultimate purposes are always good and redemptive. It reminds us that God's wisdom and ways are infinitely higher than our own, and His greatest acts of deliverance often come through means we least expect.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How do you respond when your faith is challenged or mocked, especially during times of personal suffering or perceived abandonment?**
* **In what ways might you, like the religious leaders, sometimes expect God to act according to your human logic or desires for immediate relief, rather than trusting in His sovereign and often mysterious will?**
* **How does Jesus' unwavering trust in God, even as He hung on the cross, deepen your understanding of what it means to truly rely on God in all circumstances?**

### FAQ
**Why did the religious leaders mock Jesus with these specific words?**

Answer: The religious leaders mocked Jesus with these specific words to discredit His central claim of being the Son of God. They considered this claim blasphemous and sought to prove it false by challenging God to intervene and rescue Jesus from the cross. Their logic was that if God truly delighted in Jesus as His Son, He would not allow Him to suffer such a humiliating death. This taunt was designed to publicly expose Jesus as a fraud and to reinforce their rejection of Him as the Messiah, whom they expected to be a powerful, worldly deliverer, not a suffering servant.

**How does this verse relate to Psalm 22:8?**

Answer: [Matthew 27:43](/matthew/27-43 "Matthew 27:43 - The Taunt of the Religious Leaders") is a remarkable and direct fulfillment of [Psalm 22:8](/psalms/22-8 "Psalm 22:8 - A Prophetic Psalm of Suffering"), which prophetically describes the suffering Messiah. Psalm 22:8 states, "He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him." The words spoken by the mockers at the cross are almost identical to this ancient prophecy. This parallel highlights the divine orchestration of events, demonstrating that even the malicious words of Jesus' enemies were part of God's predetermined plan to fulfill Scripture and accomplish salvation. The mockers, in their spiritual blindness, unwittingly became instruments of prophecy.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Matthew 27:43, though a taunt, paradoxically points to the very heart of Christ's mission and His ultimate fulfillment. The mockers challenged Jesus to "deliver him now, if he will have him," implying that His suffering disproved His divine sonship. Yet, it was precisely *because* He was the Son of God that He willingly embraced the cross, not as a sign of abandonment, but as the means of humanity's deliverance. The Father's "having" or "delighting" in His Son was not expressed by snatching Him from suffering, but by allowing Him to fully accomplish the redemptive work. Jesus, the [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), perfectly trusted His Father's will, even to the point of death on the cross ([Philippians 2:8](/philippians/2-8 "Philippians 2:8 - Christ's Obedience Unto Death")). His "delivery" came not in escaping the cross, but in conquering death through His resurrection ([Romans 6:9](/romans/6-9 "Romans 6:9 - Christ's Resurrection")), and in His exaltation to the Father's right hand ([Hebrews 12:2](/hebrews/12-2 "Hebrews 12:2 - Jesus, the Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith")). Thus, the very taunt meant to invalidate His claim as the Son of God ultimately underscores the profound truth that His suffering was the Father's perfect plan for the salvation of all who would trust in Him.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Psalms 22:8

He trusted on the LORD [that] he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.

John 10:36

Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

John 10:30

I and [my] Father are one.

Isaiah 36:15

Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us: this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.

Psalms 42:10

[As] with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where [is] thy God?

Matthew 27:40

And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest [it] in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

Psalms 14:6

Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the LORD [is] his refuge.