Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?
This quote from Jesus while on the cross served as a puzzle to me for several years. Asking random pastors and Bible students at first revealed little which made sense to me. However, years ago I heard a forgotten preacher on television explain it to my complete satisfaction.
You see, when Jesus asked this question, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” in Mark 15:34, it implies that not only had God forsaken His Son but also that His divine Son didn’t understand the reason. Neither of these prospects made any sense in light of the Christian concept of the Trinity.
This puzzle melts away completely when you consider the culture of first century Judea and turn to Psalm 22. There were precious few written manuscripts of Scripture (Old Testament) available to the public. Many were illiterate. That does not mean they were stupid. They memorized many important passages from the Old Testament and recited them frequently. Many at the time, especially Jewish leaders, would have immediately recognized the quote from what we now know as Psalm 22. Perhaps in His distress, He mumbled, or the clamor of the crowd may have been loud, or perhaps some were merely mocking Him when they said that maybe He was calling Elijah. Many heard clearly enough, including the Apostles present.
This Psalm is about being in extreme circumstances and still maintaining that God is in control and is deserving of all our praise. This is Jesus teaching us a powerful lesson through words even as He is dying on the cross. He tells us to consider Psalm 22 while we ponder His gruesome death. The compassion and presence of mind that He demonstrated with these words is awesome to consider. He knew that God had not forsaken Him. Jesus knew why He was on the cross, that He was there to die a bodily death, and that He would resurrect Himself in three days (as the custom for counting days existed in that culture.) As the old southern gospel song says, while He was on the cross, we were on His mind. What more can I say?
You see, when Jesus asked this question, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” in Mark 15:34, it implies that not only had God forsaken His Son but also that His divine Son didn’t understand the reason. Neither of these prospects made any sense in light of the Christian concept of the Trinity.
This puzzle melts away completely when you consider the culture of first century Judea and turn to Psalm 22. There were precious few written manuscripts of Scripture (Old Testament) available to the public. Many were illiterate. That does not mean they were stupid. They memorized many important passages from the Old Testament and recited them frequently. Many at the time, especially Jewish leaders, would have immediately recognized the quote from what we now know as Psalm 22. Perhaps in His distress, He mumbled, or the clamor of the crowd may have been loud, or perhaps some were merely mocking Him when they said that maybe He was calling Elijah. Many heard clearly enough, including the Apostles present.
This Psalm is about being in extreme circumstances and still maintaining that God is in control and is deserving of all our praise. This is Jesus teaching us a powerful lesson through words even as He is dying on the cross. He tells us to consider Psalm 22 while we ponder His gruesome death. The compassion and presence of mind that He demonstrated with these words is awesome to consider. He knew that God had not forsaken Him. Jesus knew why He was on the cross, that He was there to die a bodily death, and that He would resurrect Himself in three days (as the custom for counting days existed in that culture.) As the old southern gospel song says, while He was on the cross, we were on His mind. What more can I say?
posted by Nick | 1:27 AM
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