Matthew 27:45-49
What do you think is the most difficult passage of scripture to understand in the Bible? Some might choose a text from Leviticus. Others might say it’s a passage in the prophets. Another might say it’s in Paul’s writings where he uses numerous prepositional phrases in single, long sentences. Or, someone might say it’s the book of Revelation and its prophecies about the future.
It’s true that there are several scriptures that can pose a challenge to our understanding and which take careful application of sound hermeneutical principles to discern their meaning. It’s also true that when you are a new believer there may be things in scripture that seem complex and hard to grasp. But, as you grow in knowledge and maturity in your faith, the eyes of your understanding become increasingly enlightened. You find that things that weren’t clear earlier in your Christian journey begin to make better sense as you grow in God’s grace.
You don’t expect a first grader to be able to do trigonometry, but as he/she learns the basics of math, the child progresses in understanding to advance to the level of doing complex mathematical formulas. In a similar fashion, we are all in a process of learning the scripture and growing in our understanding so that we can eventually discern passages we previously found confusing.
The fact remains, however, that there will always be some things in scripture we think we understand, but must remain open to further refinement in interpretation as we continue to learn and grow in our knowledge of God.
One of those scriptures that is especially hard to understand is the fourth saying of Jesus from the cross (Matthew 27:46).
During the first three hours Jesus hung on the cross, He offered forgiveness to all His enemies that would receive it (Luke 23:34). He also gave eternal life to a repentant thief being crucified next to Him (Luke 23:39-43). And, He showed compassion for His earthly mother making sure she had the care of the beloved disciple, John (John 19:18-27).
At noon, the sky supernaturally darkened and the sun refused to shine on Golgotha. Some have tried to trace this darkness to a great sirocco (wind) storm or to a solar eclipse, but neither of these events would have created the kind of darkness mentioned in the Gospels. This was God’s way of veiling the cross while His Son bore the sins of the world and tasted God’s wrath against our sins.
At the close of the three hours of darkness (having been on the cross for six hours total), Jesus cried out from the cross with a loud voice...
“Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46; cf. Mark 15:34)
This statement found in Matthew’s and Mark's accounts of the crucifixion is considered by many to be THE (!!) most difficult passage in the Bible to understand.
First, note that it is not that unusual for people dying by crucifixion to cry loudly from their crosses. One scholar writes that what made crucifixion especially gruesome were “the screams of rage and pain, the wild curses and the outbreaks of nameless despair of the unhappy victims.” (J. Blinzler, The Trial of Jesus, p.261.) However, this is not the kind of cry that issued from the lips of Jesus Christ.
I suppose that what most disturbs us about these words is the loneliness of His cry as He is utterly forsaken on the cross. What did He mean when He said that God had “forsaken” Him? How is it that God can be separated from God?
Herein is the reason that these words from the crucified Jesus are possibly the most difficult text in the Bible to fully understand.
Martin Luther, the protestant reformer of the sixteenth century, once determined to study this profound text. He sat for a long time, without food or water, in deepest meditation and in one position on his chair. After a long period he rose from his chair and exclaimed in utter amazement, "God forsaken of God! Who can understand that?"
Charles Spurgeon, the famous British Baptist pastor and author of the nineteenth century said about this text: "We can no more measure the depths of His suffering than measure the heights of His love."
Another author said, “This is one of the most impenetrable mysteries of the entire Gospel narrative.”
What really happened to Jesus during those three hours He hung on the cross in darkness from noon until 3 p.m.? Again, what did He mean when He said He was “forsaken” by the Father? How is that even possible, if they are both of the same divine essence?
It would be presumptuous of us to assume that we can answer a question that has long baffled the most brilliant biblical scholars and students of His Word. For the most part, this statement of Christ will continue to be an enigma that escapes mankind’s ability to fully comprehend. However, there are some things that we can learn from Christ’s cry from the cross that have a significant impact on our lives and further explain what Christ was doing for us on the cross.
We begin by recognizing that in speaking these words, Christ is reminding us and everyone there that day that He is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. These words spoken by Jesus are from Psalm 22:1, which is filled with prophetic Messianic references.
If you look beyond that one incredible chapter in Psalms (22), you quickly discover more than twenty prophecies dealing with the Passion Week of Christ that leave no doubt that He was fulfilling scripture before the eyes of all who were watching.
- Christ would be betrayed. (Psalm 41:9; Zechariah 11:12-13; Luke 22:47-48; Matthew 26:14-16)
- Christ's betrayal money would be used to buy a potter's field. (Zechariah 11:12-13; Matthew 27:9-10)
- Christ would be falsely accused. (Psalm 35:11; Mark 14:57-58)
- Christ would be silent before His accusers. (Isaiah 53:7; Mark 15:4-5)
- Christ would be spat upon and struck. (Isaiah 50:6; Matthew 26:67)
- Christ would be hated without cause. (Psalm 35:19; Psalm 69:4 John 15:24-25)
- Christ would be crucified with criminals. (Isaiah 53:12; Matthew 27:38; Mark 15:27-28)
- Christ would be given vinegar to drink. (Psalm 69:21; Matthew 27:34; John 19:28-30)
- Christ’s hands and feet would be pierced. (Psalm 22:16; Zechariah 12:10; John 20:25-27)
- Christ would be mocked and ridiculed. (Psalm 22:7-8; Luke 23:35)
- Christ’s garments would be distributed by gambling. (Psalm 22:18; Luke 23:34; Matthew 27:35-36)
- Christ’s bones would not be broken. (Exodus 12:46; Psalm 34:20; John 19:33-36)
- Christ would be forsaken by God. (Psalm 22:1; Matthew 27:46)
- Christ would pray for His enemies. (Psalm 109:4; Luke 23:34)
- Christ’s side would be pierced. (Zechariah 12:10; John 19:34)
- Christ would be buried with the rich. (Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 27:57-60)
- Christ would resurrect from the dead. (Psalm 16:10; Psalm 49:15; Matthew 28:2-7; Acts 2:22-32)
In the crucifixion story recorded by the Gospel writers, they repeatedly indicate that Jesus was fulfilling Old Testament prophecies.
Palm Sunday:
“‘...Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.’ All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: ‘Tell the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.’” (Matthew 21:2-4)
Jesus’ Arrest:
“In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, ‘Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me. But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.’
Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.” (Matthew 26:55-56; cf. Mark 14:48-49))
Judas’ Regret:
“Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, ‘And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.’” (Matthew 27:9-10)
Christ’s Crucifixion:
“With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left. So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’” (Mark 15:28)
“And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, ‘Not one of His bones shall be broken.’ And again another Scripture says, ‘They shall look on Him whom they pierced.’” (John 19:35-37)
Christ’s Garments:
“Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: ‘They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.’” (Matthew 27:35)
Post-Resurrection Appearance to Disciples:
“Then He said to them, ‘These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.’ And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:44-45)
Professor Peter Stoner in Science Speaks, determined the probability of one man fulfilling eight of the prophecies of the Old Testament for the Messiah to be 1 in 10 to the 17th power (100,000,000,000,000,000) [one with seventeen zeros after it].
Another way to look at it, if we took that many silver dollars (100,000,000,000,000,000) and laid them over the State of Texas, they would cover the state two feet deep. If you marked one of the silver dollars, stir the whole mass thoroughly, blindfold a person, and tell him that he can travel as far as he wants but must pick up the one silver dollar that is the marked one...what chance would this person have of picking up the right one? It would be the exact same odds of anyone fulfilling eight of the Messianic prophecies by chance alone.
Professor Stoner goes on to consider the possibility of any one person fulfilling 48 of the prophecies by chance. Here the odds jump to 1 in 10 to the 157th power. That number would look like this:
1 out of 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 [one with 158 zeros after it]
I haven’t checked Professor Stoner’s math, but anyone can tell that a mere mortal fulfilling all or any combination of the Old Testament Messianic prophecies is impossible. They could only be fulfilled by the One that was sent to fulfill them and that was Jesus Christ. Though crucified, He is the long awaited Messiah that has come to save mankind from their sins. And, His cry from the cross is just another piece of evidence to prove the point.
When Jesus said loudly from the cross, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?,” He was unequivocally declaring Himself as the fulfillment of the prophecy of Psalm 22:1. Anyone that knew the Old Testament would have understood what He was claiming for Himself, which may be part of the reason they mocked Him by asking if He was calling for Elijah. They didn’t mis-hear Him...they just didn’t believe Him!
Further, when Jesus spoke these words from the cross He was declaring that He was being offered as the sinner's substitute and paying the penalty for our sins.
Some things that are important to note about Christ’s loud cry:
- The physical darkness that surrounded Him for three hours (noon till 3 p.m.) was a demonstration of the agony He was suffering. Darkness often symbolizes a great evil, apocalyptic upheavals (cf. Matthew 24:29; Joel 2:10) and even a new era in salvation history (cf. Exodus 10:22).
- He repeats “My God” twice indicating He is speaking these words out of deep sorrow and distress.
- These words were originally spoken in His natural Aramaic (people in distress often revert to their heart language), probably showing the extreme stress He was under.
- In the four Gospels, Jesus is recorded as having called God “Father” 170 times. He used the term “Father” twenty-one times in addressing Him in prayer. He does not call Him “Father” here because His suffering concerns His judicial relationship to God rather than His paternal relationship.
- Even though these words express the separation He felt from His Father, He continues to refer to Him as “MY God,” indicating His continued trust in Him.
- It is also clear that these words indicate that He felt an ACTUAL separation from His Father that He had never known before (cf. Matthew 11:27).
- By quoting Psalm 22:1 it may also be implied that He never doubted (though He was separated from the Father) His ultimate triumph because the Psalmist concludes his lament by pointing to his final vindication.
- Shortly after this cry of separation He placed His spirit into the hands of His “Father” (Luke 23:46), so we know that what He lost during those hours was regained once the purpose of being forsaken had been achieved.
Consequently, if you ask the question, “In what ontological sense were the Father and Son separated from one another?” The answer must be that we do not know completely because we are not told. (However, it is not possible that Jesus ever ceased to be one with God in nature, essence or substance.) Apparently, what He lost was oneness of intimacy and fellowship with the Father, but exactly how that was accomplished is somewhat of a mystery.
However, if you ask the question, “For what purpose were the Father and Son separated from one another?” The answer is tied clearly to our redemption and forgiveness of sins.
To be forsaken of God is to taste His wrath against sin, but it wasn’t His own sin for which He was suffering. In those hours of being forsaken, Jesus took upon Himself our sins and their penalty, which is separation from God. He did it in order that you and I don’t have to be separated from Him.
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’” (Galatians 3:13)
In other words, in Christ’s cry of forsakenness, the horror of the whole world’s sins and the cost of our salvation is revealed. JESUS PAID IT ALL, ALL TO HIM I OWE!
Dr. John MacArthur writes, “Jesus did not die as a martyr to a righteous cause or simply as an innocent man wrongly accused and condemned. Nor, as some suggest, did He die as a heroic gesture against man’s inhumanity to man. The Father could have looked favorably on such selfless deaths as those. But because Jesus died as a substitute sacrifice for the sins of the world, the righteous heavenly Father had to judge Him fully according to that sin.
“The Father forsook the Son because the Son took upon Himself ‘our transgressions, … our iniquities’ (Isa. 53:5). Jesus ‘was delivered up because of our transgression’ (Rom. 4:25) and ‘died for our sins according to the Scriptures’ (1 Cor. 15:3). He ‘who knew no sin [became] sin on our behalf’ (2 Cor. 5:21) and became ‘a curse for us’ (Gal. 3:13). ‘He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross’ (1 Pet. 2:24), ‘died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust’ (1 Pet. 3:18), and became ‘the propitiation for our sins’ (1 John 4:10).” (The MacArthur NT Commentary, Matthew 24-28, p.270).
The pain of separation that Jesus endured on the cross went beyond any pain endured by other human beings. Other people may have suffered equal or greater physical pain. But no other human being has ever been sinless like Jesus. No other human being has ever known the kind of fellowship that Jesus had with His Father before His descent into this world or after His incarnation. So, no other person has ever felt the shock that Jesus felt in His innocence when He was forsaken by God.
Jesus’ cry of agony from the cross means that you and I never have to be forsaken by God ourselves. It is undoubtedly the greatest display of love ever shown to mankind!
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. (Romans 5:8-9)
How does this apply to each of us?
- Jesus, forsaken for you and me, is a reminder of how much God hates sin!
- Jesus, forsaken for you and me, is a reminder of how much God loves the whole world.
- Jesus, forsaken for you and me, is a reminder that His children will never be forsaken by God.
- Jesus, forsaken for you and me, is a reminder that if we feel alone we can pour our hearts out to God and He’ll understand.
