Luke Chapter 23 verse 36 Holy Bible
And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, offering him vinegar,
read chapter 23 in ASV
And the men of the army made sport of him, coming to him and giving him bitter wine,
read chapter 23 in BBE
And the soldiers also made game of him, coming up offering him vinegar,
read chapter 23 in DARBY
And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,
read chapter 23 in KJV
read chapter 23 in WBT
The soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar,
read chapter 23 in WEB
And mocking him also were the soldiers, coming near and offering vinegar to him,
read chapter 23 in YLT
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 36. - And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar. Three times in the Crucifixion scene we find a mention of this vinegar, or the sour wine of the country, the common drink of the soldiers and others, being offered to the Sufferer. (1) Matthew 27:34. This was evidently a draught prepared with narcotics and stupefying drugs, no doubt by some of those compassionate women addressed by him on his way to the cross as "daughters of Jerusalem," a common work of mercy at that time, and one apparently permitted by the guards. This, St. Matthew tells us, "he tasted of," no doubt in courteous recognition of the kindly purpose of the act, but he refused to do more than taste of it. He would not dull the sense of pain, or cloud the clearness of his communion with his Father in that last awful hour. (2) The second, mentioned here by St. Luke, seems to imply that the soldiers mocked his agony of thirst - one of the tortures induced by crucifixion - by lifting up to his parched, fevered lips, vessels containing their sour wine, and then snatching them hastily away. (3) The third (John 19:28-30) relates that here the Lord, utterly exhausted, asked for and received this last refreshment, which revived, for a very brief space, his fast failing powers, and gave him strength for his last utterances. The soldiers, perhaps acting under the orders of the compassionate centurion in command, perhaps touched with awe by the brave patience and strange dignity of the dying Lord, did him this last kindly office.
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(36) Offering him vinegar.--Not even the prayer for their forgiveness had touched the hearts of the soldiers. But still, they knew not what they did, and did but follow, after their nature, in the path in which others led the way. Possibly too, rude as their natures were, there was a touch of rough kindliness mingling in their mockery, as shown in the offer of the vinegar, or sour wine, which they had brought for their own use (see Note on Matthew 27:48)--unless, indeed, we suppose the refinement of cruelty which held it before the eyes of the Sufferer, but did not, as afterwards, convey it to His lips.
