Lexical Summary elói: My God Original Word: ἐλωΐ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Eloi. Of Chaldean origin ('elahh with pronominal suffix) my God -- Eloi. see HEBREW 'elahh NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof Aramaic origin elah with pronoun suff. Definition my God NASB Translation Eloi (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1682: ελωιελωι (L T ελωι (WH ελωι; see Iota)), Eloi, Syriac form ( Topical Lexicon Primary New Testament Context Mark 15:34 records the only New Testament appearances of Ἐλωΐ (once with a capital initial letter, once in lowercase). “At the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’” (Mark 15:34). Mark, writing to a predominantly Roman audience familiar with Aramaic-speaking Jews, preserves the actual cry to highlight both its historical authenticity and its theological weight. Old Testament Background and Prophetic Fulfillment The wording is an intentional citation of Psalm 22:1, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?”. By echoing the opening line of this Davidic lament, Jesus publicly identifies Himself as the righteous sufferer anticipated in Scripture. Psalm 22 moves from anguish to triumph (“You have answered me,” Psalm 22:21), foreshadowing resurrection victory. Mark’s inclusion of the Aramaic form strengthens the link: as Psalm 22 was sung in Hebrew worship, so Jesus’ Aramaic paraphrase preserves continuity between Israel’s liturgy and the fulfillment accomplished on the cross. Christological Significance 1. Substitutionary Suffering: The cry underscores the depth of the vicarious atonement. The only-begotten Son experiences the judicial abandonment deserved by sinners (2 Corinthians 5:21), satisfying divine justice without compromising divine love. Pastoral and Devotional Applications • Assurance in Suffering: Believers facing feelings of abandonment can look to Christ, who entered genuine forsakenness so that His people might never be forsaken (Hebrews 13:5). Linguistic Insights Ἐλωΐ is the Greek transliteration of the Aramaic אלוי (’ēlōhi). Aramaic was the common tongue of first-century Judea, showing that Jesus’ last audible words were offered in the heart language of His hearers. Mark adds the Greek translation for a Gentile readership, illustrating early missionary sensitivity to multilingual contexts. Historical Reception in the Early Church Church Fathers such as Justin Martyr (Dialogue 99) and Tertullian (Against Marcion 4.40) cited the cry to defend the real humanity and true suffering of Christ against Docetism. Liturgically, the phrase influenced Good Friday readings, emphasizing both the sorrow and victory of the Passion narrative. Missional and Doxological Implications The preservation of Ἐλωΐ reminds modern translators and evangelists to value indigenous languages. Just as Mark retained Aramaic within a Greek text, the church today seeks to present the gospel with linguistic clarity and cultural respect, ensuring that Christ’s atoning work is heard “in our own languages” (Acts 2:8). Related Passages for Study Psalm 22; Isaiah 53:4–6; Matthew 27:46 (parallel account using Hebrew “Eli”); 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13; Hebrews 2:9–10; 1 Peter 2:24. Forms and Transliterations ελωι ελωϊ Ἐλωί ηλι eli ēli Eloi Eloí Elōi ElōíLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Mark 15:34 AramGRK: φωνῇ μεγάλῃ Ἐλωί ἐλωί λεμα NAS: voice, ELOI, ELOI, KJV: voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama INT: with a voice loud Eloi Eloi lama Mark 15:34 Aram |
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