The Seven Last Sayings of Christ—part 4

The Seven Last Sayings of Christ—part 4

Matthew 27:46, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”  Mark 15:34, “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

            The fourth saying of Jesus when He was being crucified was, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”  Jesus understood while He was dying on that cruel cross on Golgotha’s hill that God the Father could not look upon as though it did not matter.  Egkataleipo (1459) which was used by both St. Matthew and St. Mark and it means “to leave behind or to desert”.  Adam Clarke sheds light on the meaning of this statement in His Commentary on Matthew. “Some suppose "that the divinity had now departed from Christ, and that his human nature was left unsupported to bear the punishment due to men for their sins. But this is by no means to be admitted, as it would deprive his sacrifice of its infinite merit, and consequently leave the sin of the world without an atonement.  Take deity away from any redeeming act of Christ, and redemption is ruined.” 

            Some writers consider that God abandoned Christ in the midst of His sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.  We know, at least, that God the Father required Jesus to pay the awful penalty for sin which was necessary in order for mankind to receive pardon.  Hebrews 9:22 explains, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.”  Remission is translated from aphesis (859) which means freedom or deliverance from sin.  Praise God!  Jesus paid the penalty for the sins of the Whole world.  St. John (1:29) understood what Christ would later do on the cross when he stated,  “… Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

Song for the Day “Jesus Paid It All” by Elvina M. Hall