Matthew 27:47 · Bible study
Matthew 27:47 Commentary: 'He is Calling Elijah' Misunderstood
Greek · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why did bystanders think Jesus called Elijah at the cross? Commentators debate misunderstanding vs mockery, explore the meaning and significance of this taunt.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Bystanders mockingly misinterpret Jesus' cry as a call to the prophet Elijah.
- Key words: Tines (some), hestēkotōn (having stood), akousantes (having heard), elegon (were saying), Ēlian (Elijah), phōnei (calls).
- Main debate: Was the mishearing a genuine mistake by Hellenistic Jews, or a deliberate taunt by religious leaders?
- Theological theme: The depth of Christ's dereliction; the mocking of prayer; the fulfillment of Psalm 22.
- Best use: Teaching the crucifixion narrative, especially the mocking and the meaning of Elijah's expected return.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He is calling Elijah.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
Some of them who stood there, when they heard it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.”
KJV King James Version 1769
Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And some of them that stood there, when they heard it, said, This man calleth Elijah.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And certain of those standing there having heard, said--`Elijah he doth call;'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And some of those who stood there, when they heard [it], said, This [man] calls for Elias.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And some that stood there and heard said: This man calleth Elias.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y algunos de los que estaban allí, oyéndolo, decían: A Elías llama éste.
E alguns dos que ali estavam, quando ouviram, disseram: Ele está chamando Elias.
Quelques-uns de ceux qui étaient là, l’ ayant entendu, dirent: Il appelle Élie.
Etliche aber, die dastanden, da sie das hörten, sprachen sie: Der ruft den Elia.
En sommigen van die daar stonden, zulks horende, zeiden: Deze roept Elias.
Ma alcuni degli astanti, udito ciò, dicevano: Costui chiama Elia.
Tedy niektórzy z tych, co tam stali, usłyszawszy to, mówili: Elijasza ten woła.
Некоторые из стоявших там, слыша это, говорили: Илию зовет Он.
站 在那裡的人，有的 聽見 就說：「 這個人 呼叫 以利亞呢！」
And some of those who were near by, hearing it, said, This man is crying to Elijah.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Matthew 27:47
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators broadly agree that the bystanders mistook Jesus' cry “Eli, Eli” for a call to Elijah because of the phonetic similarity between Eli and Elias (the Greek form of Elijah). The Jewish expectation of Elijah's return (Malachi 4:5) provides the immediate cultural frame. Adam Clarke and Matthew Henry suggest the speakers were Hellenistic Jews who did not fully understand Hebrew; they genuinely thought Jesus was invoking the prophet. Calvin, Barnes, and Gill argue instead for deliberate mockery: the religious leaders twisted Jesus' prayer into a taunt, ridiculing his claim to be the Messiah by implying that even Elijah would not come to help the one who called himself God's Son. The Greek verb elegon (imperfect, “they were saying”) implies repeated or sustained mockery, underscoring the cruel persistence of the crowd. While the motive remains debated, the tragic irony is clear: Jesus is quoting Psalm 22, a cry of faith, but the crowd hears only a superstitious appeal to a dead prophet.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Genuine misunderstanding: Clarke and Henry suggest the speakers were Hellenistic Jews who misheard the Aramaic 'Eli' as 'Elijah.'
- Intentional mockery: Calvin, Barnes, and Gill argue the religious leaders deliberately twisted the words to ridicule Jesus' prayer and Messianic claim.
What is clear: The bystanders definitely turned Jesus' cry into a taunt about Elijah, and this taunt draws on the Jewish expectation of Elijah's return.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the bystanders' response | All traditions agree that the bystanders connected Jesus' cry to Elijah and used it as a taunt. | Some (Clarke, Henry) see a genuine misunderstanding by Jews who did not understand Hebrew. Others (Calvin, Barnes, Gill) insist it was deliberate mockery by the religious leaders, intended to ridicule Jesus' prayer. |
| Identity of the speakers | The speakers are among those standing near the cross, including Jewish authorities, soldiers, and passersby. | Clarke specifies Hellenistic Jews; Calvin rejects the idea of ignorant Roman soldiers, arguing they would have no notion of Elijah. Gill agrees that the soldiers are unlikely candidates. |
| Connection to Elijah expectation | The taunt draws on the widespread expectation of Elijah's coming (Malachi 4:5). | The relationship between John the Baptist as Elijah (Matthew 11:14) and the final appearing of Elijah is understood differently across traditions. Some see the taunt as a direct challenge to Jesus' Messianic claim; others as a general superstitious hope. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Matthew places this scene at Golgotha, the execution site outside Jerusalem, around the ninth hour (3 p.m.) after three hours of supernatural darkness. The darkness itself (verse 45) signals divine judgment and distress. Jesus' cry “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” is in Aramaic or Hebrew; the first two words sound very close to Eliyah (Elijah).
The Jewish people at the time widely expected Elijah to appear as the forerunner of the Messiah (Malachi 4:5; Matthew 17:10, 12). Some hoped Elijah would rescue the righteous from peril. This expectation made the mishearing plausible and gave the mockers a ready weapon. The bystanders included temple authorities, scribes, elders, Roman soldiers, and passersby. Adam Clarke identifies the speakers as Hellenistic Jews, Greek-speaking Jews who may not have understood Hebrew well. Others, like Barnes and Calvin, see deliberate malevolence: the leaders seized the phonetic resemblance to heap scorn on Jesus' final prayer.
Verse 48 adds a detail: one bystander runs with a sponge of vinegar (or sour wine, a common soldier's drink). The rest then say, “Let him be; let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him” (v. 49). This links the mockery directly to the offered drink, suggesting that even the act of compassion was turned into a taunt. The entire scene, darkness, abandoned prayer, and crowd ridicule, fulfills the suffering-lamb theme of Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Matthew 27:47. All major Greek manuscripts read the same wording. The parallel in Mark 15:35 uses similar phrasing, confirming the account.
Reception History
Early church fathers typically read this verse as part of the crowd's cruel mockery, emphasizing the fulfillment of prophecy (Psalm 22:7, 8). In the Reformation, Calvin highlighted the spiritual danger: Satan uses mockery to discourage prayer. Matthew Henry (18th century) saw it as the depth of Christ's humiliation. The verse has been used in homilies to illustrate how the world misjudges the suffering of the righteous. By the 19th century, commentators like Clarke and Barnes introduced the possibility of linguistic misunderstanding, reflecting a more historical-critical approach. Across all eras, the verse remains a powerful reminder that even Jesus' most intimate prayer could be twisted by hostile listeners.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- The Mishearing at the Cross. Bystanders confuse Jesus' cry to God with a call to Elijah. This shows how easily the world misunderstands the depth of Christ's suffering.
- The Mockery of Prayer. Calvin saw this as Satan's attempt to strip Jesus of his “chief armor” by turning his prayer into a joke. We learn that prayer can be ridiculed, yet it remains our lifeline.
- The Fulfilled Scripture. Jesus quotes Psalm 22 even as the crowd taunts him. The mention of Elijah ties to Malachi 4:5 and John the Baptist (Matthew 11:14), showing that God's plan moves forward even through mockery.
Five-Point Outline
- The cry of dereliction (v. 46)
- The mishearing (v. 47)
- The offered drink (v. 48)
- The challenge to Elijah (v. 49)
- Jesus yields his spirit (v. 50)
Illustration Hooks
- A bilingual listener misinterprets a heartfelt speech, like hearing “help” as “cry for a person.” The moment shows how easily context is lost.
- A teenager prays aloud and friends mock the words. The memory of Jesus facing the same ridicule can bring both empathy and resolve.
- A church struggles with a “prayer chain” that some mock as superstition. This verse helps frame the tension between faith and mockery.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- Did God actually forsake Jesus on the cross?
- Why didn't Elijah come to save him, as some thought he might?
- When my prayers feel misunderstood or mocked, what does Jesus' experience say to me?
Leading a Discussion
This verse captures a moment of cruel misunderstanding at the cross. The bystanders heard Jesus cry out to God but twisted his words into a taunt about Elijah. As you discuss, pay attention to the tension between ignorance and malice, and how both can distort the truth of the gospel.
Discussion Questions
- What exactly did the bystanders hear, and why did they think Jesus was calling Elijah?
- Read Malachi 4:5 and Matthew 11:14. How does the Jewish expectation of Elijah help explain this response?
- Clarke and Calvin give two different motives: genuine misunderstanding vs. intentional mockery. Which seems more likely to you, and why?
- How does Jesus' cry from Psalm 22 (verse 46) change the meaning of the bystanders' taunt?
- What does this verse reveal about the depth of Jesus' suffering, both physical and emotional?
- How should we respond when our own prayers are misunderstood or ridiculed?
- In what ways might we mishear or misinterpret what Jesus is saying to us today?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Malachi 4:5 | Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes. |
| Matthew 11:14 | If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come. |
| Mark 15:35 | Some of those who stood by, when they heard it, said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.” |
| Mark 15:36 | One ran, and filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Let him be. Let’s see whether Elijah comes to take him down.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
4 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes argues the bystanders deliberately twisted Jesus' cry into a call for Elijah as a mocking taunt against his messianic claims. The insult cut deeper because both Jews and Jesus himself taught that Elijah would precede the Messiah. He also allows that some listeners may have simply misheard.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin insists the bystanders did not accidentally mistake "Eli" for Elijah due to language confusion. He argues they deliberately twisted Jesus' prayer into mockery, a satanic tactic to strip him of his chief weapon—calling on God—and drive him to despair.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
And some of them that stoode there, when they heard it, said, This man calleth Elias.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that the bystanders who said Jesus was calling for Elijah were likely Jews, not Roman soldiers. He suggests they either genuinely misheard the Hebrew words "Eli, Eli" or deliberately twisted them to mock and ridicule him on the cross.