Matthew 27:46
‘And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “ELI, ELI, LEMA SABAKTANEI?” that is, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?”’
Jesus is using a teaching tool. He is sharing the first verse of a psalm. Most would know that psalm. They have heard them their entire lives. While they won’t have it memorized they would know parts of it. They would go home and look it up. They would read the actions of this day written two thousand years earlier.
They would know that this was a messianic psalm. There were many messianic portions of scripture. What they didn’t understand was how some were triumphant and others were about the suffering servant. Some proposed that there were two messiahs. Instead there was one Messiah separated by two thousand years.
Whatever the case they would see that many on the scene were actors in what scripture had contained long ago. They may have been part of it. They may have been hurling insults. The pharisees were part of it. The soldiers as well. The thieves on the other crosses were referred to elsewhere.
It’s also Jesus crying out to God. He knew this time would come. It’s almost complete. Jesus dreaded this day. He had never been separated from the other two members of the trinity. All of the judgement that we would take if we were to spend eternity in hell was heaped on Him. We can’t comprehend how that could be condensed and put on Jesus beginning in the garden of Gethsemane and about to end that day. He paid for our sins. Think of the suffering that many go through. Hell will be terrible. He takes all of that on.
God the Father and the Holy Spirit were also grieved. Like a parent seeing their children suffer. However, They knew this day would come. Yet, they still created us. They saw it as worth it.
As one of the redeemed, thank You God. You redeemed me, my family, friends and millions who have accepted Your great sacrifice. Use us to share Your word so others can come to You.