And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days,
Parallel translations
- WEB Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who destroy the temple, and build it in three days,
- BSB And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,
- NKJV And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days,
- NASB Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, shaking their heads and saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,
- NLT The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. “Ha! Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Passersby hurl insults, mocking Jesus' words about destroying and rebuilding the temple. They jeer at the very claim now being fulfilled.
Overview
The crowd's head-wagging derision echoes Psalm 22:7, where the righteous sufferer is scorned. They throw back at Jesus the temple saying twisted at his trial (Mark 14:58). Ironically, in his death and resurrection Jesus would indeed raise up the true temple, his own body, granting access to God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Mark 14:58We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.
- Ps 109:25I became also a reproach unto them: when they looked upon me they shaked their heads.
- Lam 1:12Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.
- Lam 2:15All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?
- John 2:18–22Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
- Ps 69:26For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.
- Ps 22:7–8All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
- Ps 35:15–21But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:
- Ps 69:19–20Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee.
- Gen 37:19–20And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.
- Ps 22:12–14Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
- Matt 27:39–40And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,
- Matt 26:61And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.
- Ps 69:7Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 15:29 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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