And they that passed by. These circumstances carry great weight; for they place before us the extreme abasement of the Son of God, that we may see more clearly how much our salvation cost him, and that, reflecting that we justly deserved all the punishments which he endured, we may be more and more excited to repentance. For in this exhibition God hath plainly showed to us how wretched our condition would have been, if we had not a Redeemer. But all that Christ endured in himself ought to be applied for our consolation. This certainly was more cruel than all the other tortures, that they upbraided, and reviled, and tormented him as one that had been cast off and forsaken by God, (Isaiah 53:4.) And, therefore, David, as the representative of Christ, complains chiefly of this among the distresses which he suffered; (Psalm 22:7.) And, indeed, there is nothing that inflicts a more painful wound on pious minds than when ungodly men, in order to shake their faith, upbraid them with being deprived of the assistance and favor of God. This is the harsh persecution with which, Paul tells us, Isaac was tormented by Ishmael, (Galatians 4:29;) not that he attacked him with the sword, and with outward violence, but that, by turning the grace of God into ridicule, he endeavored to overthrow his faith. These temptations were endured, first by David, and afterwards by Christ him-self, that they might not at the present day strike us with excessive alarm, as if they had been unusual; for there never will be wanting wicked men who are disposed to insult our distresses. And whenever God does not assist us according to our wish, but conceals his aid for a little time, it is a frequent stratagem of Satan, to allege that our hope was to no purpose, as if his promise had failed.

Wagging their heads - In token of derision and insult. See Job 16:4; Psalm 109:25.

Wagging their heads - In token of contempt.

(11) And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,
(11) To make full satisfaction for us, Christ suffered and overcame not only the torments of the body, but also the most horrible torments of the mind.

And they that passed by,.... In the road to or from Jerusalem; for, it seems, the crosses were placed by the wayside; or they who passed by the cross, the populace that came from Jerusalem, on purpose to see the sight,
reviled him, or "blasphemed him": they spoke all manner of evil of him, they could think of, to which he answered not a word; and which may teach us patience under the revilings of men: this was foretold of him, Psalm 89:51, "they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed", or "Messiah"; and which Jarchi explains by "the ends of the king Messiah"; his last times, towards the close of his days; and cites that passage in the Misna (z),
"in the heels, or, as Buxtorf renders it, in the end of the days of the Messiah impudence shall be multiplied,
as it now was exceedingly:
wagging their heads; in derision of him, and as exulting in his misery; see Isaiah 37:22. This also was prophesied of him in
Psalm 22:7.
(z) Sota, c. 9. sect. 15.

They that passed by reviled him. The people going in and out of the city, on the thoroughfare near the place of crucifixion.
Wagging their heads. Derisively and insultingly. Compare 2-Kings 19:21; Job 16:4; Psalm 109:25.