Matthew 27:46
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus’ cry isn’t just a cry of despair, but a deliberate quote from Psalm 22, a psalm that foretells the Messiah’s suffering and vindication. By speaking these words, Jesus was pointing to himself as the fulfillment of prophecy and drawing the attention of any listeners to God's plan unfolding even in this darkest moment.
As Jesus hangs on the cross, the sky darkens for three hours, mirroring the spiritual darkness of the moment. This culminates in his agonizing cry, echoing a lament from Psalm 22, which His enemies, misunderstanding, mock. Just before surrendering His spirit, Jesus speaks these profound words, marking the peak of His suffering as He bears the weight of humanity's sin.
Why would Jesus, the Son of God, cry out as if abandoned? This moment on the cross is one of the most profound and challenging in Scripture.
Jesus’ cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” wasn't a sign of doubt or a loss of faith. It was a raw, human expression of the immense suffering He was enduring.
Bearing the Weight of Sin
This cry directly quotes Psalm 22:1, a psalm that speaks of deep suffering and distress. Scholars suggest Jesus used these words to connect His experience to the prophetic word, showing He was fulfilling Scripture.
More than just physical pain, Jesus was experiencing something far more terrible: the spiritual agony of bearing the sin of the world. This meant a temporary separation from the Father’s comforting presence, a darkness that even the physical darkness couldn't match.
The Silence of God?
It's crucial to understand that God the Father did not actually abandon His Son. Instead, Jesus, in His humanity, felt the full weight of sin's consequence – the absence of the Father’s immediate, felt presence. This wasn't a withdrawal of love, but the necessary suffering for atonement.
The cross was brutal, but was Jesus’ cry solely about the physical torment? The ancient texts hint at a deeper, more spiritual dimension to His suffering.
While the physical pain of crucifixion was unimaginable, Jesus' exclamation points to suffering beyond the physical.
The 'Power of Darkness'
Some scholars explain this moment as the "power of darkness" (Luke 22:53) being unleashed. This refers to the spiritual battle and the intense pressure from Satan and the forces of evil against Jesus.
Withheld Comforts
Another perspective is that Jesus' human nature experienced the withdrawal of divine consolations – not a withdrawal of God's love, but of the immediate sense of His presence. This allowed Jesus to fully experience the bitterness of death and the penalty for sin on behalf of humanity. It’s described as allowing His human nature to feel the full weight of suffering without the mitigating comfort that sometimes sustains martyrs.
Understand the original words
Eli · Hebrew Noun
A formal title referring to the Creator and Sovereign of all, often used in prayer to express dependency, covenant relationship, or, as in this cry, the experience of divine abandonment.
sebhaqthani · Aramaic Verb
To abandon, leave behind, desert, or withdraw favor or presence. In this context, it describes the profound spiritual reality of the Son bearing the Father's judgment against sin.
Jesus' cry, referencing Psalm 22, occurred during a period of supernatural darkness and at the exact time of the evening sacrifice, highlighting the profound theological significance of his suffering as the Passover Lamb.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Crucifixion of Jesus
Jesus is crucified by Roman soldiers outside Jerusalem on the day of Passover. This event is the culmination of his ministry and the central act of Christian theology.
c. 30 AD
Darkness over the land
During the final three hours of Jesus' crucifixion, from the sixth hour to the ninth hour, a supernatural darkness covers the land.
c. 30 AD
Temple veil torn
At the moment of Jesus' death, the thick veil in the Jerusalem Temple that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the sanctuary is torn in two from top to bottom.
c. 30 AD
Roman Centurion's confession
A Roman centurion, witnessing the events surrounding Jesus' death, declares, 'Truly this was the Son of God!'
This is the exact passage Jesus is quoting from, highlighting the deep suffering and sense of abandonment prophesied centuries before his crucifixion.
Isaiah 53:4-5This prophecy explains the deeper reason for Jesus' suffering: He was bearing our griefs and sorrows, wounded for our transgressions, showing that his cry was not just personal agony but also the weight of sin.
Hebrews 2:9This verse speaks to Jesus tasting death for everyone, implying that he had to experience its full bitterness, including the sense of abandonment, to accomplish salvation.
Luke 22:42Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane, 'Not my will, but yours be done,' shows his submission even in the face of extreme suffering. His cry on the cross is a continuation of this submission amidst immense pain and a sense of separation.
Genesis 3:15This 'proto-evangelium' speaks of the seed of the woman bruising the serpent's head, while the serpent bruises the heel. Jesus' suffering on the cross, including this cry, is the ultimate fulfillment of this promise, where he is seemingly struck down to ultimately defeat evil.
vincentMatthew 27:46: "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?"
Ninth hour"Early on Friday afternoon the new course of priests, of Levites, and of the 'stationary men' who were to be the representatives of all Israel, arrived in Jerusalem, and having prepared themselves for the festive season went up to the temple. The approach of the Sabbath, and then its actual commencement, were announced…
barnesMatthew 27:46: "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?"
Eli, Eli ... - This language is not pure Hebrew nor Syriac, but a mixture of both, called commonly "Syro-Chaldaic." This was probably the language which the Saviour commonly spoke. The words are taken from Psalm 22:1 . My God, my God ... - This expression is one denoting intense suffering. It has been difficult to understand in w…
Jesus’ cry isn’t just a cry of despair, but a deliberate quote from Psalm 22, a psalm that foretells the Messiah’s suffering and vindication. By speaking these words, Jesus was pointing to himself as the fulfillment of prophecy and drawing the attention of any listeners to God's plan unfolding even in this darkest moment.
As Jesus hangs on the cross, the sky darkens for three hours, mirroring the spiritual darkness of the moment. This culminates in his agonizing cry, echoing a lament from Psalm 22, which His enemies, misunderstanding, mock. Just before surrendering His spirit, Jesus speaks these profound words, marking the peak of His suffering as He bears the weight of humanity's sin.
As Jesus hangs on the cross, the sky darkens for three hours, mirroring the spiritual darkness of the moment. This culminates in his agonizing cry, echoing a lament from Psalm 22, which His enemies, misunderstanding, mock. Just before surrendering His spirit, Jesus speaks these profound words, marking the peak of His suffering as He bears the weight of humanity's sin.
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This intense suffering was necessary for the atonement to be complete. It was the culmination of His mission to bear our griefs and sorrows.
Jesus didn't just invent words in His final moments; He reached for the language of God's own Word. What does this tell us?
Jesus’ choice to cry out using words from Psalm 22 is incredibly significant.
A Prophetic Echo
By quoting this psalm, Jesus powerfully declared that His suffering was not random or unexpected. It was foreseen and prophesied within the very Scriptures that the Jewish people held sacred. His enemies themselves were recalling Psalm 22 (v. 7-8) with their taunts, and Jesus answered by applying the psalm’s opening lament to Himself.
Scripture as a Guide
This shows us that even in the most extreme suffering, God’s Word can provide language for our deepest pain and deepest faith. Jesus, the Son of God, used Scripture to express His agony, demonstrating its vital role in prayer and in understanding God’s purposes, even in darkness.
A Reminder of Faith
Despite the cry of abandonment, the very act of quoting Psalm 22 – a psalm that ends with hope and praise – reminds us that Jesus' faith in God remained, even in this dark hour. He was communicating the depth of His trial while simultaneously pointing to the ultimate victory promised in Scripture.
c. 30 AD
Jesus' body buried
Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy disciple, asks Pilate for Jesus' body and lays it in his own new tomb.
"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”" — Jesus’ cry isn’t just a cry of despair, but a deliberate quote from Psalm 22, a psalm that foretells the Messiah’s suffering and vindication. By speaking these words, Jesus was pointing to himself as…
