Matthew 27:46

MATTHEW—NOTE ON Matthew 27:46 Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani? Jesus quotes Psalms 22:1, speaking in Aramaic, the everyday language of his time. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? In some sense Jesus had to be cut off from the favor of and fellowship with the Father that had been his eternally. He was bearing the sins of his people and therefore enduring God’s wrath (see Isaiah 53:6, Isaiah 53:10; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13; 1 John 2:2). And yet, in quoting Psalms 22:1 Jesus probably has in mind the remainder of the psalm as well, which moves on to a cry of victory (Psalms 22:21). And, he expresses faith by calling God “my God.” Surely he knows why he is dying, for this was the purpose of his coming to earth (see Matthew 16:21; Matthew 20:18, Matthew 20:28). His cry, uttered with a loud voice, is not expressing bewilderment at his situation. It is to tell the bystanders, and through them the world, that he was experiencing God-forsakenness for the salvation of others.