It was one of the defining moments in all of history. Jesus crucified.
During those approximately six hours that he hung on the cross, many memorable events took place. Not least when he cried out, My God, my God. Why have you forsaken me?
Jesus always spoke of God as his Father (Matthew 7:21; 10:32; Luke 10:22). Even when he talks to the disciples about God he refers to him as your father or my father (Matthew 26:29; Luke 11:13). Each time Jesus prays he addresses God as his father. Never does he address God as my God.This was a major source of conflict between the Jewish Rabbis, leaders and Jesus. The Jews never referred to God on such personal terms as Father.
When Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane before his arrest, with tears and sweat drops of blood, he repeatedly called God Father (Matthew 26:36-39; Luke 22:39-44). Even at the age of 12, when his parents find him in the temple, he refers to God as his Father (Luke 2:46-49). It therefore makes sense that during his most trying moments, such as when praying in Gethsemane and on the cross, he would talk to God in terms of Father. An obvious question would then be why would Jesus, while hanging on the cross, call out, My God, my God and not My Father, my Father? Jesus never uses words randomly, so it was not by chance that he said God and not Father.
Taking on the sins of the world
A common belief is that at the exact moment Jesus called out these words was the moment that he took on all the sins of the world and that God the Father turned his back on him. Even with that scenario, the question still remains as to why would Jesus not say, My Father? Looking at Jesus relationship with God as father it is even more pertinent that that would be the one time Jesus would cry out, My Father. Even after this incident Jesus still addresses God as father when he says, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit, and having said this, he gave up the ghost(Luke 23:46).
Two things stand out here. Firstly, why now address God as Father and secondly, at this point Jesus would still be carrying all the sins of the world. So if God had turned his back on him, how could he commend his spirit into Gods hands?
The gospel writers only mention that when Jesus cried out, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? that some of those who stood by, when they heard it, said, behold, he calls Elijah (Mark 15:34-35). Those that heard him either did not speak Aramaic, or did not hear clearly what he said. However, at some stage those standing around (or those who later heard of the incident) would have definitely thought of Psalm 22. Why? Because Jesus words were a direct quote from the first verse of Psalm 22. This was no coincidence. Jesus knew exactly what he was doing and saying. Therefore, in a genuine attempt to find out exactly what was behind Jesus words, it would be helpful to study the whole of Psalm 22.
The Psalm of the cross
It is quite apparent why Psalm 22 is often referred to as the Psalm of the Cross. There is no mistaking who David is talking about nearly 1000 years before Jesuscrucifixion.
They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: My heart is like wax; it is melted within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me,they have pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me.They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing Psalm 22:13-18 (ASV).
David is obviously not talking here about himself. Reading Psalm 22 a person can get confused at times as to exactly whom David is referring to. Sometimes it sounds like he is talking about himself. Then in the next breath he is prophesying about Jesus and then talking to us, or the nation of Israel. In fact, often the words do not even appear to be those of David, but Jesus or Gods own.
On the cross Jesus was pointing everyone to the fact that Psalm 22 is referring primarily to him. This in itself is beautiful and amazing, but there is more. A central theme of the Psalm is about asking God why does he appear to forsake us in our times of dire need.
We have to understand that because the Psalmist says, My God why have you forsaken me? does not automatically mean that God has forsaken him. It is clear from verse 24 that God has not despised nor disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; Neither has he hid his face from him; But when he cried unto him, he heard (NIV&ASV). There are times in our lives that we feel as if God has forsaken us and we might even cry out in desperation, God, I am going through terrible trials and my prayers are not being answered. Why my God, have you forsaken me? And God lovingly answers, No my child. I have not forsaken you. For I have promised that I will never leave you, nor forsake you (Deuteronomy.31:8; Joshua 1:5; Hebrews13:5). The Amplified Bible, which is a literal translation, puts it this way, for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!].
If you are still not convinced carry on reading through Psalm 22 and 23. The two Psalms are so harmonious in their message that it is no wonder they were placed next to each other.
My God why have you forsaken me? (Ps.22:1)
He has not hid his face from him [me] (Ps.22:24)
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want (Ps.23:1)
Yes, thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me (Psalm 23:4).
Did God really turn away from Jesus?
This should cause us to pause and consider that maybe God did not turn his back on Jesus, nor forsake him. That was not what Jesus was saying, but in fact he was saying the exact opposite. It could give us the wrong idea about who God the Father really is. If God the Father forsook Jesus, his one and only begotten
Son and Jesus is himself fully God and part of the Trinity, then what chance do we have?
Central to the argument of God having forsaken Jesus is that Jesus had taken on all the sins of the world and that God cannot be in the presence of sin. But then how come, after Adam and Eve had sinned, did God come and speak face to face to them?
There is also the story in the book of Job where Satan (the chief of all sinners) comes into the presence of God in heaven. Another thought is if God, who is omnipresent and holds the universe in the palm of his hand cannot be in the presence of sin, where can he go? He is everywhere. Jesus (who was fully God while on earth) regularly ate and mingled with sinners. We humans are tainted by sin, and when we rub shoulders with it, it sticks to us and doesnt wash off. Not so with God the Father or Jesus.
Does this mean that God is okay with sin? Of course not. As the old cliché goes, God hates sin but loves the sinner. An amazing part of the Gospel is that God, who is perfect, undefiled and sinless, was willing to come and sit in the dirt with us. But he did not leave us there, he took off his clean coat and put it on us and we became sinless. God is not scared to get his hands dirty.
In our moments of greatest need and in the depths of sin, God is always there. When God says, I will never leave you nor forsake you he means it. He has not despised our sufferings nor hid his face from us.
Praise our loving Father for that.