Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Matthew 27:34

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

And they gave Him gall to drink, and this to insult Him, but He would not. But another saith, that having tasted it, He said, "It is finished." And what meaneth, "It is finished?" The prophecy was fulfilled concerning Him. "For they gave me," it is said, "gall for my meat, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink." But neither doth that evangelist indicate that He drank, for merely to taste differs not from not drinking, but hath one and the same signification.

Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 87 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

They gave Him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when He had tasted thereof, He would not drink. Do not be troubled when you hear Matthew say that vinegar with gall was offered to the Lord, Mark, wine flavored with myrrh (Mark 15:23), and John, vinegar with gall on hyssop. For many things were done by many people, as there was a disorderly crowd present, some doing one thing, others another. It is likely that one offered wine and another vinegar mixed with gall.

Commentary on Matthew ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

And they gave him to drink wine mingled with gall. Mark says, mingled with myrrh. Matthew put gall (Mark 15:23.) to express bitterness, but wine mingled with myrrh is very bitter; though indeed it might be, that gall together with myrrh would make the most bitter. And when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. That Mark says, But he received it not, we understand to mean that He would not receive it to drink thereof. …

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗

Jerome

And they gave him vinegar to drink mixed with gall, and when he had tasted it, he would not drink. God speaks to Jerusalem: I have planted you as a true vine, how have you become bitter like a foreign vine (Jeremiah II, 21)? A bitter vine makes bitter wine, which they gave to the Lord Jesus, so that what is written may be fulfilled: They gave me gall for my food, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink (Psalm LXVIII, 22). …

Commentary on Matthew ↗

Hilary of Poitiers

Or, He therefore refused the wine mingled with gall, because the bitterness of sin is not mingled with the incorruption of eternal glory.

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗