Daily Devotions
Luke
Luke 23:32-49; Matthew 27:45-50; Mark 15:23-41 "THE FOURTH WORD: "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?" Matthew 27:46"
Day 326 – Luke 23
Text: Luke 23:32-49; Matthew 27:45-50; Mark 15:23-41
THE FOURTH WORD: “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?” Matthew 27:46
Jesus taught His Disciples that they were to address God as “Our Father in Heaven”. He Himself always addressed the Lord as “Father” in all the prayers recorded in the Gospels. In the longest prayer recorded in the Gospels, Jesus consistently addressed God as Father (Cf. John 17). Even when He agonized in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus addressed God as “Father”. (Luke 22:42).
It is thus most startling to read in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark that Jesus addressed His Father formally as, “My God, My God…” How do we understand this sudden switch?
THE MESSIANIC PSALMS
The prophecies concerning the life and ministry of Jesus are not confined to the prophetic literature of the Old Testament. The Book of Psalms also contained what is known as “Messianic Psalms”. These special psalms contained prophetic material that are so precise, we stand amazed at these statements.
Psalm 22 is one of the Messianic Psalms. Let us take a little time to look at this portion of Scripture and appreciate why it was called a Messianic Psalm.
“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Psalm 22:1
King David was the author of this Psalm. David was given to writing psalms as a means of expression of his faith in God. The psalms that he wrote were expressive also of his feelings as he underwent difficult trials in his life. Even as a king he was not spared from going through traumatic times.
There were times in David’s life where he must have felt all alone. The sense of being cut off and isolated can be a terrible feeling indeed. In this Psalm, David cried out to God as one forlorn, helpless and in desperate need to know that God had not in fact abandoned him.
Of course, God had not abandoned him! Deep down, David knew this for a fact, but knowing a truth does not prevent feelings from threatening to overwhelm! Deep feelings are expressed here, and they must be seen as “feelings” and not a charge against God for abandoning His servant.
The words of this psalm must have come automatically to the mind of Jesus as He saw His life slowly ebbing away! Of course, He knew that His Father would never abandon Him. He knew that He had been sent to be the Lamb of God. He knew that this was the Cup of suffering that He must receive and drink from the Father’s hand! It was a bitter Cup of agony!
He knew that He bore the weight of the sins of the world on His shoulders. He knew that God was judging the sins of the world at that point of time! His Father was the Righteous Judge at that point of time. He was Father but also God even as He judged the sins of the world borne on the shoulders of Jesus!
Jesus never at any time thought that God had forgotten Him! Psalm 22 was not written as an expression of anger against God! It expressed deep lament of a soul that sought to find immediate solace in God but couldn’t. Psalm 22 expressed a deep faith! The entire Psalm was written as a deep, searching prayer to God for His mercy to be poured out to David.
Note also the other Messianic references in Psalm 22. The Psalm well portrayed the agony and pain that Jesus must have felt as He suffered on the Cross.
“A reproach of men, and despised by the people,
All those who see Me ridicule Me;
They shoot out the lip, they shake their head, saying,
‘He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue him;
Let Him deliver him, since He delights in Him.’ “
Psalm 22:6-8
Imagine the accuracy and the depth of this prophetic word! This passage would well describe the chief priests and the passers by who taunted Jesus! Only these words were written hundreds of years earlier!
Psalm 22 went on to describe what could well be in Jesus’ mind as He suffered on the Cross.
“Many bulls have surrounded Me;
Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me.
They gape at Me with their mouths,
Like a raging and roaring lion.
I am poured out like water,
And all my bones are out of joint;
My heart is like wax;
It has melted within Me.
My strength is dried up like potsherd,
And My tongue clings to my jaws;
You have brought Me to the dust of death.”
Psalm 22:12-15
This description could well fit the scene at Golgotha. The enemies of Jesus had indeed surrounded Him like bulls, and like a raging and roaring lion.
How did Jesus feel physically? As the hours dragged by, His physical strength was fast ebbing away. He struggled with thirst. He came to the very brink of death now. He was brought to the very dust of death.
The words of Psalm 22 are truly amazing. Even the casting of lots for the garments of Jesus was described here.
“They look and stare at Me.
They divide My garments among them,
And for my clothing, they cast lots.”
Psalm 22:17-18
A DEEP CRY OF FAITH
Matthew used the words that Jesus spoke originally. “Eli” is Hebrew for “My God”.
“Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani ?”
Matthew 27:46
Mark wrote,
“Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani ?”
Mark 15:34
Those words were in common Aramaic language, a form of the ancient Hebrew commonly used by the Jews in those days. Not everyone could speak in classical Hebrew after the Babylonian captivity of Israel. Aramaic was almost like the ancient language of the Jews, only slightly easier. This was the common dialect of the Jews in the days of Jesus.
Jesus must have suffered the deepest pain on the Cross. The use of the mother-tongue in prayer could well indicate the experience of the deepest pain felt. At the same time, the use of the mother-tongue would also argue that there is no loss of faith. The use of the mother-tongue could be said that this was the language of the heart.
Psalm 22 must be read as a Psalm of faith and trust in God. Let us consider yet another portion of this Messianic Psalm.
“But You are He who took Me out of the womb;
You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts.
I was cast upon You from birth.
From My mother’s womb You have been My God.
Be not far from Me, for trouble is near;
For there is none to help.”
Psalm 22:9-11
THE FOOLISH RESPONSE OF THE CROWD
Not everyone understood the cry of Jesus. Matthew recorded the responses of some of the people who stood by.
“Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said,
‘This Man is calling for Elijah !’ “
The rest said, ‘Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will
Come to save Him.’ “
Matthew 27:47, 49 (Cf. Mark 15:35-36)
How they totally misunderstood Jesus! His cry was not to Elijah, but to His Father whom He addressed as “Eli” or “Eloi”, correctly translated, “My God…” How Jesus must have suffered on the Cross… and all FOR US! “But we see Jesus…”