My God My God, Why has thou Forsaken Me

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?” Matthew 27:46

This is the only one of the “seven words” which is reported by Matthew and Mark. Matthew expresses this cry in the Aramaic language. Mark uses a Syro Chaldaiac dialect. They both express the loud cry of our Saviour.

Lets set the stage for the 6th word. Its been quiet and darkness is the back drop to this most horrific event. After the voices of the mockers are heard. After the chief priest the scribes and the elders voices are heard it appears to be silence as Jesus hangs in agony.

Matthew clearly helps us see the dramatic event unfold. For before this period of darkness the passer bys who obviously were indifferent to Jesus current condition.

When we are going through we will have indifferent people. They will walk by and shake their head.

English Standard Version Chapter 27

And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

There will people who will mock your condition.

English Standard Version Chapter 27

41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”

There will also be people who will prevent folks from helping you.

English Standard Version Chapter 27

47 And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” 48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.”

When we are at our lowest moment we too may cry out

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?

2  O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,

and by night, but I find no rest.

3  Yet you are holy,

enthroned on the praises of Israel.

4  In you our fathers trusted;

they trusted, and you delivered them.

5  To you they cried and were rescued;

in you they trusted and were not put to shame. (Ps 22:1–5).

Jesus cries the opening of Psalm 22. A psalm of David when he felt his afflictions made him feel far from God.