Discovery BoxMatthew 27:34-53 
Context27:34 and offered Jesus 1 wine mixed with gall to drink. 2 But after tasting it, he would not drink it. 27:35 When 3 they had crucified 4 him, they divided his clothes by throwing dice. 5 27:36 Then they sat down and kept guard over him there. 27:37 Above 6 his head they put the charge against him, 7 which read: 8 “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.” 27:38 Then two outlaws were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 27:39 Those 9 who passed by defamed him, shaking their heads 27:40 and saying, “You who can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! 10 If you are God’s Son, come down 11 from the cross!” 27:41 In 12 the same way even the chief priests – together with the experts in the law 13 and elders 14 – were mocking him: 15 27:42 “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! He is the king of Israel! If he comes down 16 now from the cross, we will believe in him! 27:43 He trusts in God – let God, if he wants to, deliver him now 17 because he said, ‘I am God’s Son’!” 27:44 The 18 robbers who were crucified with him also spoke abusively to him. 19
27:45 Now from noon until three, 20 darkness came over all the land. 21 27:46 At 22 about three o’clock Jesus shouted with a loud voice, 23 “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 24 27:47 When 25 some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.” 27:48 Immediately 26 one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, 27 put it on a stick, 28 and gave it to him to drink. 27:49 But the rest said, “Leave him alone! Let’s see if Elijah will come to save him.” 29 27:50 Then Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit. 27:51 Just then 30 the temple curtain 31 was torn in two, from top to bottom. The 32 earth shook and the rocks were split apart. 27:52 And tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had died 33 were raised. 27:53 (They 34 came out of the tombs after his resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.)
1 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
2 sn It is difficult to say for certain who gave Jesus this drink of wine mixed with gall (e.g., the executioner, or perhaps women from Jerusalem). In any case, whoever gave it to him most likely did so in order to relieve his pain, but Jesus was unwilling to take it.
3 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
4 sn See the note on crucified in 20:19.
5 tn Grk “by throwing the lot” (probably by using marked pebbles or broken pieces of pottery). A modern equivalent, “throwing dice,” was chosen here because of its association with gambling. According to L&N 6.219 a term for “dice” is particularly appropriate.
sn An allusion to Ps 22:18.
6 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
7 sn Mention of the inscription is an important detail, because the inscription would normally give the reason for the execution. It shows that Jesus was executed for claiming to be a king. It was also probably written with irony from the executioners’ point of view.
8 tn Grk “was written.”
9 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
10 sn There is rich irony in the statements of those who were passing by, “save yourself!” and “come down from the cross!” In summary, they wanted Jesus to come down from the cross and save his physical life, but it was indeed his staying on the cross and giving his physical life that led to the fact that they could experience a resurrection from death to life.
11 tc ‡ Many important witnesses (א* A D pc it sy[s],p) read καί (kai, here with the force of “then”) before κατάβηθι (katabhqi, “come down”). The shorter reading may well be due to homoioarcton, but judging by the diverse external evidence (א2 B L W Θ 0250 Ë1,13 33 Ï lat) it is equally possible that the shorter reading is original (and is so considered for this translation). NA27 puts the καί in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
12 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
13 tn Or “with the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
14 tn Only “chief priests” is in the nominative case; this sentence structure attempts to capture this emphasis.
15 tn Grk “Mocking him, the chief priests…said.”
16 tn Here the aorist imperative καταβάτω (katabatw) has been translated as a conditional imperative. This fits the pattern of other conditional imperatives (imperative + καί + future indicative) outlined by ExSyn 489.
18 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
19 sn Matthew’s wording suggests that both of the criminals spoke abusively to him. If so, one of them quickly changed his attitude toward Jesus (see Luke 23:40-43).
20 tn Grk “from the sixth hour to the ninth hour.”
21 sn This imagery has parallels to the Day of the Lord: Joel 2:10; Amos 8:9; Zeph 1:15.
22 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
23 tn Grk “with a loud voice, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
24 sn A quotation from Ps 22:1.
25 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
26 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
27 sn Sour wine refers to cheap wine that was called in Latin posca, a cheap vinegar wine diluted heavily with water. It was the drink of slaves and soldiers, and was probably there for the soldiers who had performed the crucifixion.
28 tn Grk “a reed.”
29 tc Early and important
30 tn Grk “And behold.”
31 tn The referent of this term, καταπέτασμα (katapetasma), is not entirely clear. It could refer to the curtain separating the holy of holies from the holy place (Josephus, J. W. 5.5.5 [5.219]), or it could refer to one at the entrance of the temple court (Josephus, J. W. 5.5.4 [5.212]). Many argue that the inner curtain is meant because another term, κάλυμμα (kalumma), is also used for the outer curtain. Others see a reference to the outer curtain as more likely because of the public nature of this sign. Either way, the symbolism means that access to God has been opened up. It also pictures a judgment that includes the sacrifices.
32 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
33 tn The verb κοιμάω (koimaw) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for the death of a believer.
34 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
