Title: God-Forsaken (4)
Series: Sayings of Jesus on the Cross
Author: Jonathan McLeod
Text: Matthew 27:46
The Cry of Dereliction
Critical scholars-scholars who question the authenticity of much of what's in the Gospels-say that none of the sayings of Jesus on the cross actually happened ... except for one. They admit that there's one saying that is obviously genuine. Which one? The one we find in Matthew 27:46: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Why do critical scholars believe that Jesus actually spoke these words? Because this saying isn't something that Matthew would have made up. Imagine writing a Gospel to convince readers that Jesus is the Son of God and then including in that Gospel that Jesus cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Matthew wouldn't have included the "cry of dereliction" unless it really happened.
As we dig deeper into the the fourth saying of Jesus on the cross, let's consider two questions:
1. What does this saying tell us about Jesus?
2. How can the truth behind this saying encourage us today?
No Rescue for Jesus
Darkness covers the land for three hours, from the sixth hour to the ninth hour, that is, from noon to 3:00 in the afternoon (v. 45). The question arises: Is this darkness of supernatural origin or a natural phenomenon? Either way, one thing is certain: it isn't mere coincidence. Darkness is often associated with divine judgment, and Jesus is suffering for our sins as he hangs on that cross.
At the ninth hour-in the midst of the darkness and his agony-Jesus cried out, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (v. 46). He probably said this in Aramaic. (Jesus was probably trilingual, able to speak Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek.)
Jesus is quoting the first line of Psalm 22, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken?" Psalm 22 is a psalm of lament. "The psalm expresses the spiritual desolation of a man who continues to trust and ...
Series: Sayings of Jesus on the Cross
Author: Jonathan McLeod
Text: Matthew 27:46
The Cry of Dereliction
Critical scholars-scholars who question the authenticity of much of what's in the Gospels-say that none of the sayings of Jesus on the cross actually happened ... except for one. They admit that there's one saying that is obviously genuine. Which one? The one we find in Matthew 27:46: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Why do critical scholars believe that Jesus actually spoke these words? Because this saying isn't something that Matthew would have made up. Imagine writing a Gospel to convince readers that Jesus is the Son of God and then including in that Gospel that Jesus cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Matthew wouldn't have included the "cry of dereliction" unless it really happened.
As we dig deeper into the the fourth saying of Jesus on the cross, let's consider two questions:
1. What does this saying tell us about Jesus?
2. How can the truth behind this saying encourage us today?
No Rescue for Jesus
Darkness covers the land for three hours, from the sixth hour to the ninth hour, that is, from noon to 3:00 in the afternoon (v. 45). The question arises: Is this darkness of supernatural origin or a natural phenomenon? Either way, one thing is certain: it isn't mere coincidence. Darkness is often associated with divine judgment, and Jesus is suffering for our sins as he hangs on that cross.
At the ninth hour-in the midst of the darkness and his agony-Jesus cried out, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (v. 46). He probably said this in Aramaic. (Jesus was probably trilingual, able to speak Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek.)
Jesus is quoting the first line of Psalm 22, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken?" Psalm 22 is a psalm of lament. "The psalm expresses the spiritual desolation of a man who continues to trust and ...
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