Eli, Eli, lama sabaqtani!
John Telgren

It is hard to imagine what Jesus went through in his trial and crucifixion. One of the things we must keep in mind is that Jesus was indeed human. He poured himself out (Phil 2:7). So that there would be no misunderstanding, John made clear that he literally became "flesh" (Jn 1:14). The book of Hebrews makes clear that he (Heb 2:14) fellowshipped or "participated" in flesh and blood, our humanity, and was made like us in all things (Heb 2:17). In fact, the book of Hebrews also says that he has been tempted in all things as we are, but without sin (Heb 4:15). This means that he suffered not as a Spirit, as a ghost, or an apparition. He suffered fully as a human. Because of this humanity of his, he had to conduct his ministry in the power of the Spirit, who descended upon him like a dove and remained on him (Lk 3:22). He also had to have faith that God would raise him from the dead because he didn't raise himself up, God raised him up (Acts 2:32; Col 2:12).

This might help to put some perspective on his cry of anguish on the cross when he cried out, "My God! My God! Why do you forsake me?" Why did Jesus cry out in this way? Did God literally "turned his back" on Jesus because Jesus had taken the sins of the world upon himself? Probably not. First of all, God would not "abandon" his soul to Hades (Acts 2:31). God heard him when he prayed in anguish (Heb 5:7). The Father loves the Son (Jn 3:35). Sin does not have some sort of metaphysical property that was somehow moved from mankind to Jesus. Sin is lawlessness (1 Jn 3:4), a falling short of God (Rom 3:23), not a metaphysical property. Even with sinful Israel, God did not truly abandon them because his lovingkindess/loyalty/love endures forever (Ps 136; 2 Tim 2:13). Why then did Jesus utter these words?

These words come from the 22nd Psalm and were probably very familiar to Jesus. This was one of several Psalms that are cries of anguish to God for having forsaken the Psalmist so that the enemies overwhelm him. David is a classic example of one who felt abandoned by God. Between being on the run from Saul, running from his son who was trying to kill him and take the crown, having to live among the enemy just to escape the dangers of his own countrymen, David felt that God had indeed abandoned him. However, we know that God is faithful did not turn away from David even though David felt alone, isolated, and abandoned.

Is it possible Jesus might have felt the same way David did? His closest companions abandoned him. His own countrymen had turned him over to foreigners to be executed by a tortuous and humiliating death. In the feeling of abandonment, what more fitting prayer could be offered to God than the 22nd Psalm, which begins with, "My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?"

Of course, we know that God did not truly abandon Jesus because God is faithful. Reading on to the next Psalm, the 23rd Psalm declares that the Lord is our Shepherd. However, the humanity in Jesus welled up into this cry of anguish. Truly, he was tempted in every respect as we are. Truly, he has identified with our humanity, or weaknesses. Only he can be our mediator between God and us. Only Jesus can be our merciful and faithful High Priest.