He heard the soldiers on guard pick up the taunt but this time with the political twist which the chief priests had given to it before Pilate and which was spelt out in the title on his Cross, ‘This is Jesus, the King of the Jews’ (NRSV, Matthew 27:37).  “If you are the King of the Jews”, the soldiers scoffed, “save yourself!” (NRSV, Luke 23:37) and they raised their cups of wine as if drinking a royal toast.

Jesus listened to the taunts in silence, but not so one of the robbers.  His own leader Barabbas had got off scot-free and his place had been taken by this leader of a very different character, a prophet who preached love and forgiveness.  He took up the taunts bitterly, venomously, “Are you not the Messiah?  Save yourself and us!” (NRSV, Luke 23:39).