John 19:29

Now … vinegar Omit -now." S. John's precise knowledge appears once more: the other three do not mention the vessel, but he had stood close to it. The -vinegar" was probably the sour wine or poscain a large jar -set" by the soldiers for their own use while on guard. Criminals sometimes lived for many hours, even a day or two, on the cross.

and they filled, &c. The true text gives, having placed therefore a sponge full of the vinegar upon hyssop they put it to his mouth. The difference between the two verbs rendered -put" is very graphic; the one expresses the placing of the sponge round the stalk (comp. Matthew 21:33; Matthew 27:28; Matthew 27:48), the other the offering (John 16:2) and applying (Mark 10:13) it to his lips.

hyssop The plant cannot be identified with certainty. The caper-plant, which is as likely as any, has stalks which run to two or three feet, and this would suffice. It is not probable that Christ's feet were on a level with the spectators" heads, as pictures represent: this would have involved needless trouble and expense. Moreover the mockery of the soldiers recorded by S. Luke (see on Luke 23:36) is more intelligible if we suppose that they could almost put a vessel to His lips. S. John alone mentions the hyssop; another mark of exact knowledge.

put it to his mouth The actors and their motive are left doubtful. Probably soldiers, but possibly Jews, and probably in compassion rather than mockery; or perhaps in compassion under cover of mockery (comp. Mark 15:36).