Reflection As Jesus was dying on the cross, he echoed the beginning of Psalm 22, which reads: My God, my God,

why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help? Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night you hear my voice, but I find no relief. (vv. 1-2) In the words of the psalmist Jesus found a way to express the cry of his heart: Why had God abandoned him? Why did his Father turn his back on Jesus in his moment of greatest agony? This side of heaven, we will never fully know what Jesus was experiencing in this moment. Was he asking this question because, in the mystery of his incarnational suffering, he didnt know why God had abandoned him? Or was his cry not so much a question as an expression of profound agony? Or was it both? What we do know is that Jesus entered into the Hell of separation from God. The Father abandoned him because Jesus took upon himself the penalty for our sins. In that excruciating moment, he experienced something far more horrible than physical pain. The beloved Son of God knew what it was like to be rejected by the Father. As we read in 2 Corinthians 5:21, God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (NIV). I can write these words. I can say, truly, that the Father abandoned the Son for our sake, for the salvation of the world. But can I really grasp the mystery and the majesty of this truth? Hardly. As Martin Luther once said, God forsaking God. Who can understand it? Yet even my miniscule grasp of this reality calls me to confession, to humility, to worship, to adoration. Questions for Reflection Have you taken time to consider that Jesus was abandoned by the Father so that you might not be? What does this word from the cross mean to you? Prayer O Lord Jesus, though I will never fully grasp the wonder and horror of your abandonment by the Father, every time I read this word, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. How can I ever thank you for what you suffered for me? What can I do but to offer myself to you in gratitude and praise? Thank you, dear Lord, for what you suffered. Thank you for taking my place. Thank you for being forsaken by the Father so that I might never be. When I survey On which the My richest gain And pour contempt on all my pride. the Prince I wondrous of glory count but cross, died, loss,

Forbid it, Lord, that Save in the death of All the vain things that I sacrifice them to his blood. See, from his head, Sorrow and love Did eer such love Or thorns compose so rich a crown. Were the whole That were a Love so Demands my soul, my life, my all. realm present amazing, his flow

should Christ my charm me

boast, God; most, feet, down; meet, mine, small; divine,

hands, his mingled and sorrow of far so nature too

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross by Isaac Watts (1707) My God, why hast thou forsaken me? The King James Version of the New Testament says: And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Matthew 27:46, King James Version However, the translation "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" just doesn't seem tell the whole story. Jesus seems to have lived every moment totally immersed in God's Divine Presence, and according to the Gospels seems to have been fully aware of the entire plot that would eventually lead to his crucifixion. He could have run away before the soldiers came to get him, but he apparently chose not to resist, and went along with the whole plan without hesitation or self-pity. So, perhaps the King James translation has missed the point of this quotation. Could there be an alternative translation that offers some new insight into this remarkable situation? Since translation is more of an art than a science, it is often useful to consider other translations and to also look at the ancient roots of the words. Here are two translations from Aramaic, which was probably the language that Jesus spoke:

And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice and said, Eli, Eli, lmana shabachthani! which means, My God, my God, for this I was kept! Matthew 27:46, translated by George Lamsa

And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice and said, "God, God, why have you spared me?" Matthew 27:46, translated by LWM Those translations from the Aramaic, while controversial and strikingly different from the King James Version, seem to be much more in accord with the principles and ministry of Jesus' life, since Jesus taught us to rise above the narrow confines of selfcenteredness and self-pity in order that we may live every moment of our lives loving God and loving one another. For some further insight into interpreting the words of Matthew, here is a brief summary of a rather lengthy article by Rev. Wayne Clapp who suggests that either the Greek or the Aramaic could be interpreted in an alternative manner: There is probably no scripture more misunderstood than Jesus cry from the cross, "My God. My God. Why hast thou forsaken me?" Did Jesus Christ really utter these words? Would Jesus have accused his heavenly Father of such an act of desertion? Did God really abandon His only begotten son as he was dying on the cross? The difficulty with Matthew 26:47 is due to an error in translation. "Forsaken" is the wrong choice for the translation in this verse. "Eli" means "my God." Lama, or lemana means "why" or "for what purpose" and always introduces a question. It occurs 53 times in the Aramaic-English Interlinear New Testament (#1584) and it is translated "why" 45 times, "what" 5 times, and "for what purpose" 3 times. "Sabachthani" comes from sebaq meaning to leave, forgive, allow, reserve, or spare. The Greek word translated forsaken, can mean to leave in the sense of forsaking and abandoning, or to leave in the sense of sparing or allowing to remain. The context determines the meaning. by Rev Wayne Clapp Regardless of whether we read the Greek or the Aramaic, the appropriate translation will depend upon one's own point of view. That is, would Jesus have felt forsaken as customarily depicted in the King James translation, or was he fully aware that a Divine plan was being fulfilled by his death? Was it a time of anxiety and isolation or just another day at the office? It is very interesting to note that the Greek text of Matthew attempts to preserve the original words of Jesus. For some reason, there was a deliberate decision to preserve the only these few original words of Jesus. Why all the attention to these words? Even more intriguing is the fact that in the Greek text, these words have been first transliterated into Greek phonetics and then followed with the exact same phrase translated into Greek. Why did the Greeks record this passage in both Aramaic and

Greek? Perhaps to assure that someday the correct translation would be fully understood despite the potentially confusing translation of Jesus' words into Greek? Some say that Jesus was quoting from Psalm 22, however the Hebrew words in Psalm 22:1 are somewhat different from the words in Matthew 27:46, yet as we read the entire Psalm, it becomes apparent that the goal of this seemingly dreary Psalm is not to wallow in self-pity, but it is intended to help us to rise far above our own selfcentered despair and focus our attention on the eternal wonder and glory of the Divine Presence. So, if in fact Jesus' words were an echo of this Psalm, perhaps Jesus was proclaiming that he, just as the psalmist, had overcome his self-pity and was living every moment in the glory of God. The crux of this matter is: Was Jesus expressing self-pity? or was he giving us a greater message? To me the answer is clear... Jesus knew that he was being betrayed, and could have easily gone into hiding rather than being captured, but he did not. Rather than run or hide, Jesus went peacefully and lovingly into the hands of his captors knowing that he would be crucified. Jesus knew exactly what was happening. He knew of his impending death. He could have escaped to avoid capture, but he did not run away. In fact, he stayed and even threw a big dinner party to celebrate the occasion. Clearly, Jesus chose to go along with whole plan, knowing full well that he was to be crucified. Does that sound like someone who would feel forsaken? On the contrary, Jesus showed us that he would not be distracted from his ministry of Love where the greatest of principles is to rise above one's own self-centered concerns in order to "Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart..." (Luke 10:27). Jesus told us, and showed us, that we must rise above our self-centered concerns such as selfishness and self-pity. Jesus told us: "No servant can serve two masters". (Luke 16:9-13) That is one of the great messages of the crucifixion. Self-centered concerns such as possessions and money will all come and go, they can never offer any lasting happiness, only the Divine Presence of God offers everlasting peace and joy. Those who choose to put their ego, their body, or their possessions above God will indeed suffer and cry in self-pity and self-made torment, while those who put God above themselves will see the glory of God everywhere and will thereby discover both true love and life eternal. When one is able to see the works of God in life, another world is opened before one; then a man does not look at the world as everybody else does, for he begins to see not only the machine going on but the engineer standing by its side, making the machine work. This offers a still greater interest, the greatest interest in life. If one were to be flayed or crucified one would not mind, for one rises above all pain and suffering, and one feels it worthwhile to be living and looking at this phenomenon that gives one in one's lifetime the proof of the existence of God.

from The Sufi Message of Hazrat Inayat Khan, Volume XI, Nature On that day of crucifixion, while showing all of mankind an example of selfless action, confident of his eternal life, Jesus cried out in joy, excitedly wondering what God would do with him next, wondering what wondrous adventure God had in mind for him next, saying: My God, My God, for what am I being set free? which might be paraphrased as: My Sweet Lord, what great works will we do next? And most importantly, these inspiring words are not merely a comment from 2000 years ago, but if we are courageous enough these words are guidance for each of us today, encouraging us to fearlessly give whatever we have for the glory of God, eager to see how God's plan will unfold, and confident that God's plan will be far more marvelous than anything we could have ever imagined. My God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me? What did Jesus mean when he said that? That passage can be kind of confusing, if not troubling, and its quite a deep pit for speculators to fall into. Did God really forsake Jesus as he hung on the cross? And if so, why? First of all, lets take a look at the context of this passage. Most people realize this is quoted by Jesus toward the end of his crucifixion. Heres the passage: 45 Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?[k] 47 Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, This Man is calling for Elijah! 48 Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink. 49 The rest said, Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him. 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. Matt 27:45-50 It would probably seem unthinkable to us that God would actually forsake Jesus, here in his darkest hour. But is that what happened? There are definitely some today who think that could have been the case. There are some passages that are used to help back up this notion. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Cor 5:21 Here, were told that God, in effect, made Christ be sin so that we could become righteous. Christ, in other words, became the payment for our sins. This next verse says something similar:

24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, 1 Peter 2:24 Isaiah 53 is a prophecy concerning Christs death on the cross, and several times, phrases such as he bore the sin of many and has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows are used in relation to him. Some people take these passages to mean that Christ literally had the guilt of our sins placed upon him. So, not only did he bear the physical pain of crucifixion, but he bore the spiritual pain of sins guilt. When taken with Habakuk 1:13, which says that God cant look upon evil, then it would seem possible that God could indeed have turned his back on his son during the crucifixion. Personally, Im not sure that I take such a literal view. First of all, if you clicked on that link to Habakuk, then you could read the passage for yourself. To me, I dont take the statement that God cant look on sin literally. For one thing, the verse goes on to ask God why he looks on the iniquities of the wicked. Obviously, God sees all. Furthermore, in Acts 10, Cornelius is told that his prayers and alms have come up as an offering before God, and this was before he had even been saved. So we know God is completely aware of the thoughts and intents of each one of us, whether were saved or not. I also tend to take the other passages that mention Christ bearing our sins as merely stating that he was the payment for them, not that he had to actually bear them. I could be wrong about that. There are many things I dont understand about God or the way our spiritual natures work. Still, I tend to think these passages are worded somewhat figuratively. Finally, (and Ive kind of saved the best for last) when Jesus said My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? he was actually quoting a psalm. Psalm 22 was written for Jesuss crucifixion. I highly recommend reading it; I find it very moving. But when Christ was crucified, he quoted the first verse of this psalm. Other parts of it refer to some of the specific things that were done at the crucifixion. Notice this passage: 7 All those who see Me They shoot out the lip, they shake 8 He trusted[b] in the LORD, let Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him! - Ps 22:7-8 ridicule the head, Him rescue Me; saying, Him;

Doesnt that remind you of the mocking Jesus received as he hung on the cross? There is also this passage: 14 I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death. 16 For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.

They pierced[c] My hands and 17 I can count all They look and stare 18 They divide My garments And for My clothing they cast lots. Ps 22:14-18

My at among

My

feet; bones. Me. them,

The first part describes (rather poetically) some of the physical effects of crucifixion, and as the second part mentions, they did divide his garments and cast lots for them. Christs hands and feet were nailed to the cross, though none of his bones were broken.Finally, the part of the Psalm that most leads me to think that God was with him throughout the entire ordeal is in this section: 19 But You, O LORD, do not be O My Strength, hasten to 20 Deliver Me from My precious life from the power 21 Save Me from the And from the horns of the wild oxen! You have answered Me. 22 I will declare Your name to In the midst of the assembly I will 23 You who fear the LORD, All you descendants of Jacob, And fear Him, all you offspring 24 For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction Nor has He hidden His face But when He cried to Him, He heard. Ps 22:19-24 (emphasis My brethren; praise You. praise Him! glorify Him, of Israel! of the afflicted; from Him; added) far from help the Me; Me! sword, dog. mouth

the of lions

This entire psalm is extremely beautiful, and I think this last section paints an incredible picture of hope. It sounds as though God was with him through it all that he didnt leave his son, who had done no wrong, to suffer on the cross alone. It seems to me that when Christ was crucified, he quoted this psalm as a comfort for him and for us. We can go back and read something David wrote long before Christ was even born that tells of the awful suffering he bore, but also of the wonderful salvation that was the result. Its just another great example of how well the Bible fits together into one powerful message. Lets make sure we do all we can to spread it. Hopefully this brief look at this passage has been useful to you. While I was compiling some of this information, I also ran across an apologetics site, www.carm.org, that had some information as well. Heres the link, if youre interested in looking at it. Why Did Why -by Tony Warren Christ Hast say, Thou "My God, Forsaken my God, Me?"

ne of the more puzzling things for many Christians is the plaintive question that Christ uttered on the cross in His cry of, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Matthew 27:45-46

"Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

There are some critics who suggest that in these three hours of darkness, Christ had a moment of weakness where "as a human" He succumbed under the weight of His terrible suffering. Others surmise that Christ had lost all hope, and that His human soul was unable to fully understand why the father had abandoned Him. But none of this speculation has any sound support in the scriptures. They are all theories that are at odds with the Biblical facts. And this can be easily proven by a myriad of clear passages where Christ foretold His suffering. When we read "the whole" of scripture in context, not concentrating on a few select verses, we can see very quickly that Christ never faltered for one moment, and He knew perfectly well what He had to do and why He had to do it. He knew He had to suffer the wrath of God that He was forsaken and die for the elect. These things were not hid from Him. So these ideas that He was surprised make no sense, considering all that Christ Himself declared of His mission. John 16:6-7

"But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you."

Christ knew that He had to go to the cross to suffer the wrath of God, and if He didn't, the election would not be comforted of the Holy Spirit. It was not a secret to Him that man would be healed by His stripes, indeed it was this knowledge that brought Him to Jerusalem. The nature of the "required" atonement wasn't a mystery to Him, it was a mystery to the people of Israel. For they (much like the Premillennialists today) expected a political king, an earthly kingdom, and a physical rather than spiritual deliverance. But Christ knew exactly what the nature of the sacrifice was, and how the true deliverance of Israel would take place. It would take place by Him drinking the bitter dregs of the judgment in the cup of His fury, which we deserved. John 18:11

"Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?"

It's a rhetorical question. Yes, it's a bitter cup that Christ knew that He had to drink for the sake of the elect. Even as the bitter vinegar that Christ drank signified, He "completed" or "finished" the task that He willingly went to the cross to accomplish. John 19:30

"When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."

Indeed, He certainly knew the cup He had to drink to accomplish His task, and He willingly drank it. And you will note that when they offered Him that vinegar "before the time" of completion, He would not drink of it (Matthew 27:33-34). The reason that He would not drink at this time is because it was the beginning, and His work was not yet "finished." This is what His "receiving" the cup of Vinegar just before saying it is Finished signified. It was a sign of the completion of His work and the accomplishment of the cross. So if this is all true, then how do we answer the objection of why Jesus prayed, " O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me ." And why did He cry, "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me " when He already knew perfectly well? The answer is that all these things were said and done of God for "man's benefit." He wasn't complaining as an eternal example of His own unusually weak (for God's people) fortitude or His delicate nature, or His frail humanity. He said these things as a reference key for us to unlock the words of the prophets and the psalms that spoke of these things. Christ is revealing to us by these comments that "He" was the God-Man prophesied to come as the Saviour of Israel. In other words, God is exhorting His people to search the scriptures and compare scripture with scripture. And therein we will "see" what these words He spoke signifies and pertains to. Psalms 22:1

..My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?"

When Christ called out to God in this manner, clearly He was consciously quoting this Psalm as an illustration to all that would come after, that He was fulfilling this Old Testament prophecy. This is the key to understanding why the Lord would say this. Jesus Christ, as the living "Word of God" in the flesh, is the application of God's revealed will concerning the atonement for sin by the wrath of God poured out upon man. And His question in Psalms 22:1 of, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me," is answered in Psalms 22:3. Psalms 22:3

"But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel."

That is why God had forsaken Him. Because to a holy God, that sin is abhorrent to, this is a great offense. And as Christ hung on the cross, He was laden with our sins. So in Christ quoting this Psalm, He was revealing that it prophesied of Him and how He would atone for the sins of man against a holy God. These words make manifest the agony and suffering that Christ was under as He is intimately and personally identified with the judgment of God upon man for sin. To suppose that He was rebuking God by this comment, or complaining, or that He was unaware of the meaning of the words of that Psalm, is to completely ignore all His teachings on these subjects. He surely knew what these scriptures "actually" meant concerning His suffering.

John 5:36-39

"But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me."

The works were not completely finished until He died on the cross. For us to think that Christ was unable to understand fully His abandonment by God the Father as the sacrifice for us, is to completely convolute his entire ministry. For Christ knew and spoke of the work of the atonement, He knew He had to die for sins, He knew He had to suffer for the iniquity of many, and He knew that the Father had to administer that judgment. In short, He knew the cup was handed to Him of God, thus to say anything less makes a mockery of the doctrine of Christ. Mark 8:31-33

"And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men."

Since Peter had just confessed that Jesus was the Messiah (Mark 8:29) that was prophesied to come, it was incumbent upon Christ to take the opportunity to correct their conceptions of Him as an earthly king who would deliver them from literal subjection by the Romans. He explained to the Apostles the true nature of His Kingdom, purpose, suffering, atonement and resurrection. Matthew 12:39-40

"But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

John 2:19 "Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

So those who say that Christ lacked the divine knowledge because He "emptied" Himself and was merely human, are wrong. His words are in no way meant to convey the idea that the Father, the first person of the Trinity, had left the Son in any sense except in judging sin. For God is three in one inseparable, immutable and omniscient. Christ knew perfectly God was with Him (He said so) and He knew perfectly well what He had to suffer, why He had to die, and why He would rise again. Of course He suffered in the flesh, and of course God was His help. This is the divine mystery of the trinity. But are we to suppose that Christ didn't understand what the scripture really meant in saying, "by His stripes we are healed?" Christ was the greatest teacher of law that man has ever seen, and yet some believe because He was fully human He didn't understand His true mission of death and resurrection. This is their conclusion because He speaks as a man would and cried, "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?" The fact is, Christ said these things that we would know that Old Testament scripture was being fulfilled in the man Christ. In fact, He often told us this "point blank." For example, just before He died on the cross we see a vivid illustration of this. John 19:28-30

"After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."

Clearly, Christ did these things because He knew the plan, and He wanted us to know that He was the Saviour that was fulfilling scripture. It was not because He was weaker than most other mortal men were, this cry of thirst was part of the Messianic psalms being fulfilled. Psalms 69:21-22

"They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap."

This whole belief that Christ was physically weak because of his humanity and had no divine knowledge of what the cost was or what He was saying, is antithetical to the gospel message. Of course He understood this. Of course He understood His lot was to suffer. For this hour was He born. John 10:17-18

"Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father."

He knew what was coming, and He knew what was required. And yet He went to the cross to accept the cup "willingly" because He was not a mere man like everyone else, He was a superior man who understood fully the bitter dregs of the cup He must drink. He was fully God and fully man, yet superior in all aspects in order that He might endure the wrath of God "for us." Isaiah 53:4-6

"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."

Of course He understood this prophecy. Indeed, it was for "this hour" that God became flesh to fulfill this prophecy. 1st Peter 2:24

"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."

He sacrificed Himself of His own free will knowing that is the only way that man could be made righteous. Isaiah 53:4 is fulfilled because Christ consciously put Himself in our place, bore our sins, and suffered the punishment for them that we deserved. So there is no need to minimize the inseparable nature of the Father with the Son, or trivialize the deity of Christ by implying He cried out to God because He didn't know what the extent of His suffering would be. We should not speculate or surmise that He didn't understand things, that scripture show He "quite obviously" did understand. Christ's cry wasn't because He was a man, or because He was dejected, or had a lack of faith and felt some failing of God. It was because He understood the Psalms perfectly, and thus He knew the ties the prophecy had to His suffering. He referenced it, not for Himself, but "for the benefit" of the faithful who would read it. These comments are guideposts, keys and bookmarks to the faithful, even as they are simultaneously a snare to the faith-less. As Christ they can be a precious stone to one, and a stone of stumbling to another. Christ was Himself, in the flesh, made sin for us. He was made a curse wherein God's wrath was called down upon Him "for our" sakes. i.e., we were under the curse of the law, thus in order to redeem us from that curse, God became flesh that He might take it upon himself, be forsaken "in our stead," a vivid illustration of God forsaking God, the supreme mystery of the gospel. Galatians 3:13

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:"

This is the mystery of God forsaking God. And to try and separate God from the man Christ who hung on the cross, is like confessing that God was made flesh, but then

abandoned it when needed most. Christ suffered as a divine-human, yet in the sense of payment for our sins, Christ was separated from God. Forsaken, He was literally suffering the pangs of hell for us, an atonement that is beyond our comprehension. He did not cry out over mere human suffering or despair. Would we really believe that the prophets of old and the martyrs who were mere men, have gone triumphantly to torture without crying out as Christ did? They went to the cross, to the stake, to be burned in fires, eaten by lions, every form of torment and punishment, and are we to believe that Christ couldn't do this without crying out as if He'd lost all hope? God forbid! Why then did God cry, "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?" The very question implies there truly was a forsaking in some sense. Christ spoke these words not because of His humanity as many suppose, but because God is illustrating that in essence, we were in the body of Christ (Romans 6:6-11). And it was "we" who deserved to be forsaken of God, and to suffer thus. Our Saviour God was taking that suffering as a substitute for us. i.e., He's "speaking on our behalf" as our stand in. So the answer to the rhetorical question of "why," is because He had the body of the iniquity of us all. He had become sin for us (2nd Corinthians 5:21). He was forsaken in the sense that God allowed Him to suffer and die upon the cross for the sins of man. Holy God could have stopped His wrath at any time, but then the elect would have been condemned with the rest of the world, and His promise to Abraham abrogated. God is faithful, so that could never be. So He had to forsake Him for the sake of the elect. Search the Messianic psalms, particularly chapter 22, and also consider the prophecy of Isaiah. Because Christ had the sin of all the elect laid upon Him. And that is why God had forsaken Him. His wasn't a cry of despair because He was a man, but of pointing out, "that the scripture might be fulfilled," that God had prophesied this. It is a verbal key that directs and unlocks other passages "when we" compare scripture with scripture. Just as the Apostle John directs us to this same Psalm when testifying of the death of Christ. He records: John 19:23-24

"Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did."

These things were done for a specific reason, and it was for our benefit. It was so that scripture could be fulfilled that spoke of Christ. This is the same key that is pointing us to the very same Messianic psalm chapter 22. Psalms 22:18

"They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture."

In Psalms 22 is revealed God's rejection of Christ because He stands in as representative for man as the second Adam (1st Corinthians 15:22,45) laden with our sins. Christ asserts that He has been forsaken and rejected by both God and man. Yet in the psalms we see the "faith of Christ" as He still trusts "His God," and continues His faithfulness. He is sure that in the end God will be His help and his faith will be

justified. And Christ quotes these Psalms and other scriptures that we might search them out and consider them wisely. Luke 24:44-46

"And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:"

From these scriptures we know that Christ was aware what He was getting into. But He uttered these phrases that the scriptures might be "seen" to be fulfilled. Thus the mystery is revealed. When our Lord said, " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me," He was directing us to the magnificent Messianic truths of Psalms chapter 22. He said it that we might understand that He was forsaken for us. In His eternal love for the elect, Christ took upon Himself the judgment that we deserved for our sins. So that when the great darkness fell across Calvary for three hours, it illustrated the purpose of Christ in absorbing the darkness of Hell that we deserved in God forsaking us. The glory of these things are revealed through searching out the matter. Proverbs 25:2

"It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter."

He who hath an ear, let him hear. So what comfort might be drawn from the question of, "My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me?" Chiefly, that we are comforted in knowing that by faith Christ was forsaken of God, that we would never have to fear being forsaken. Because of His finished work, we know God will never leave or forsake us. Hebrews 13:5

"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

He was forsaken for our sins, for our iniquities, for our transgressions. And because we know the answer to His plaintive question "why," we have full assurance of our completed redemption. Joyfully, our hearts may be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ (Colossians 2:2). May the Lord, who is gracious above all, grant us wisdom and understanding in the knowledge of His blessed word. Amen!

Why did Jesus cry out, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?" In Matthew 27:45-46, it says, "Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. 46And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" If Jesus is God, why would He say this? First of all, Jesus quoted Psalm 22:1 which begins with, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?". Jesus quoted this Psalm in order to draw attention to it and the fact that He was fulfilling it there on the cross. Consider verses 11-18 in Psalm 22: Be not far from me, for trouble is near; For there is none to help. 12 Many bulls have surrounded me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me. 13 They open wide their mouth at me, As a ravening and a roaring lion. 14 I am poured out like water, And all my bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It is melted within me. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And my tongue cleaves to my jaws; And Thou dost lay me in the dust of death. 16 For dogs have surrounded me; A band of evildoers has encompassed me; They pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me; 18 They divide my garments among them, And for my clothing they cast lots. The term 'dogs' was used by the Jews to refer to Gentiles (cf. Matt. 15:21-28). His heart has melted within Him (v. 14). During the crucifixion process, the blood loss causes the heart to beat harder and harder and become extremely fatigued. Dehydration occurs (v. 15). Verses 16b-18 speak of piercing His hands and feet and dividing his clothing by casting lots. This is exactly what happen as described in Matt. 27:35. Psalm 22 was written about 1000 years before Christ was born. At that time, crucifixion had not yet been invented. Actually, the Phoenicians developed it and Rome borrowed the agonizing means of execution from them. So, when Rome ruled over Israel, it became the Roman means of capital punishment imposed upon the Jews whose biblical means of execution was stoning. Nevertheless, Jesus is pointing to the scriptures to substantiate His messianic mission. A further comment 2 Cor. 5:21 says, "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." It is possible that at some moment on the cross, when Jesus became sin on our behalf, that God the Father, in a sense, turned His back upon the Son. It says in Hab. 1:13 that God is too pure to look upon evil. Therefore, it is possible that when Jesus bore our sins in His body on the cross (1 Pet. 2:24), that the Father, spiritually, turned away. At that time, the Son may have cried out. One thing is for sure. We have no capacity to appreciate the utterly horrific experience of having the sins of the world put upon the Lord Jesus as He hung, in excruciating pain, from that cross. The physical pain was immense. The spiritual one must have been even greater. That shows us clearly how much God loves us.

Question: "Why did Jesus say, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"" Answer: And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46). This cry is a fulfillment of Psalm 22:1, one of many parallels between that psalm and the specific events of the crucifixion. It has been difficult to understand in what sense Jesus was forsaken by God. It is certain that God approved His work. It is certain that He was innocent. He had done nothing to forfeit the favor of God. As His own Son - holy, harmless, undefiled, and obedient - God still loved Him. In none of these senses could God have forsaken Him. However, Isaiah tells us that he bore our griefs and carried our sorrows; that he was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities; that the chastisement of our peace was laid upon him; that by his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:4-5). He redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us (Galatians 3:13). He was made a sin-offering, and He died in our place, on our account, that He might bring us near to God. It was this, doubtless, which caused His intense sufferings. It was the manifestation of Gods hatred of sin, in some way which He has not explained, that Jesus experienced in that terrible hour. It was suffering endured by Him that was due to us, and suffering by which, and by which alone, we can be saved from eternal death. In those awful moments, Jesus was expressing His feelings of abandonment as God placed the sins of the world on Him and because of that had to turn away from Jesus. As Jesus was feeling that weight of sin, He was experiencing separation from God for the only time in all of eternity. It was at this time that 2 Corinthians 5:21 occurred, God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. Jesus became sin for us, so He felt the loneliness and abandonment that sin always produces, except that in His case, it was not His sin it was ours.