Why did Jesus feel forsaken by God in Matthew 27:46? FORSakenNESS OF JESUS (Matthew 27:46) Canonical Text “About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ ” (Matthew 27:46). Immediate Narrative Setting Roman crucifixion customarily induced asphyxiation, shock, and intense dehydration; victims spoke only with great effort. Matthew notes darkness from the sixth to the ninth hour (27:45), signaling divine judgment. The cry therefore punctuates a cosmic scene in which the Sin-bearer hangs suspended between heaven and earth. Old Testament Echo: Psalm 22 Jesus quotes the opening line of Psalm 22:1 : “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” First-century Jews memorized psalms; citing the incipit summoned the whole composition. Psalm 22 moves from agony (vv. 1–21) to vindication and worldwide worship (vv. 22–31). Dead Sea Scroll 4QPsᵃ (dated c. 100 BC) preserves the verse essentially as in the Masoretic Text, confirming textual stability before Christ. By voicing the psalm, Jesus both identifies with David’s suffering and signals its messianic fulfillment. Theological Significance of the Cry 1. Penal Substitution: “The LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). Paul explains, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Bearing sin entailed judicial abandonment—God’s wrath toward sin, not toward the Son’s person. 2. Covenant Curse: Deuteronomy 21:23 links hanging on a tree with divine curse. Galatians 3:13 applies this to Christ: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree,” showing that forsakenness satisfies the covenant penalty deserved by sinners. 3. Prophetic Fulfillment: Psalm 22 foretells pierced hands and feet (v. 16), casting lots for clothing (v. 18), details verified in all four Gospels. No Ontological Separation within the Godhead The Trinity’s unity remains inviolate (John 10:30). The forsakenness is relational and judicial within the economy of redemption, not an ontological rupture. The eternal communion of Father, Son, and Spirit endures even as the Son, in His human nature, experiences the withdrawal of felt divine favor. Experiential Dimension of the Incarnate Son Hebrews 2:17-18 affirms that Jesus had to be made like His brothers “in every way.” He entered the full spectrum of human anguish, including God-forsakenness, in order to be a merciful High Priest. This assures believers that no degree of desolation lies outside His empathetic reach. Language and Linguistics: Aramaic and Hebrew Nuances “Eli” is Hebrew; “Eloi” (Mark 15:34) reflects Galilean Aramaic phonology. “Sabachthani” combines the Aramaic verb šbq (“to forsake, abandon”) with the emphatic 1st-person suffix. The preservation of Jesus’ actual words underscores eyewitness memory (cf. John 19:35). Prophetic Fulfillment and Messianic Expectation Rabbinic midrashic writings (e.g., Pesikta Rabbati 36) anticipate a suffering Messiah. Early Christian writers—Justin Martyr (Dialogue 97) and Tertullian (Apology 21)—cite Psalm 22 as messianic proof. The convergence of text and history validates Jesus’ messianic identity. Historical and Archaeological Corroboration • “Pilate Stone” (Caesarea Maritima, A.D. 26-36) confirms prefect Pontius Pilate named in the Passion narratives. • Yehohanan’s heel bone (Jerusalem ossuary, c. A.D. 30) pierced by an iron spike demonstrates 1st-century crucifixion practice precisely as described. • Caiaphas ossuary (discovered 1990) locates the high priest who condemned Jesus (Matthew 26:57). These finds root the Gospel record in verifiable history. Resurrection as Vindication Psalm 22 ends with deliverance and universal praise—fulfilled when God raised Jesus “on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:4). Over 500 eyewitnesses (15:6) attest His vindication, reversing the forsakenness. Early creed embedded in 15:3-7 dates within five years of the event, too early for legend development, corroborated by empty-tomb testimony from women (Matthew 28:1-10), an embarrassing detail unlikely to be fabricated. Psychological and Behavioral Analysis Extreme physical trauma, hypovolemic shock, and hypoxia exacerbate feelings of abandonment. Yet Jesus’ cognitive scriptural orientation channels suffering through prayer. Modeling lament as legitimate worship, He reframes despair within covenantal hope, aligning emotional expression with theological truth. Pastoral and Devotional Application Believers enduring apparent divine silence may echo Psalm 22, confident that the Risen Christ transfigures forsakenness into fellowship. Hebrews 13:5 promises, “Never will I leave you,” grounded in a Savior who once tasted abandonment so His people never will. Conclusion Jesus felt forsaken because, in His humanity, He bore the judicial wrath of God against sin, fulfilling Psalm 22 and the covenant curse, while never dissolving Trinitarian unity. The authenticity of the cry is secured by unanimous manuscript evidence, its historical setting verified archaeologically, and its redemptive purpose vindicated by the resurrection. The episode offers unparalleled insight into the cost of atonement and the assurance of divine solidarity with all who trust in Him. |
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