Likewise the chief priests, together with the scribes, were mocking among themselves and saying, “He saved others, He cannot save Himself.
The mocking words of the chief priests and the scribes unintentionally testify to Christ’s merciful works: “He saved others.” They cannot deny His mighty ministry, yet His humility on the cross seemed like weakness in their eyes. In reality, Christ’s remaining on the cross was not a sign of powerlessness, but an expression of saving love and complete obedience to the Father’s will. This is the great mystery of the cross: the Savior refuses to deliver Himself, in order to deliver sinners from the condemnation of sin. The mockery of the chief priests and the scribes, though unrecognized, in essence revealed the deep meaning of the Gospel: Christ’s not coming down from the cross became the path of humanity’s salvation.