Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Matthew 27:40

Matthew 27:40. Thou that destroyest the temple, etc. The testimony before the Sanhedrin (chap. Matthew 26:61) was taken up by the citizens of Jerusalem, who were proud of their temple. Such taunting of one executed has been repeated often enough, and does not, in itself, show that these spectators were worse than the mass of men.

Save thyself. Power to destroy the temple implies power to do this.

If thou art the Son of God. Another reference to the proceedings before the Sanhedrin (chap. Matthew 26:64). The taunt is in a poetic form (Hebrew parallelism); and the crowds at an execution in the east are said to give vent to their feelings in this way still. Mark gives the same taunt in different words, and it was no doubt uttered in many different ways. Luke says (Matthew 23:35): ‘the people stood beholding.' It appears therefore that the derision of the people was by no means so malignant as that of the rulers. But their taunts were especially ungrateful.

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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Matthew 27:40

Old Testament

New Testament