Mark 15:34

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”–which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Jesus was on the cross, suffering not only physically but spiritually as well. He cries out a sorrowful wail: "Why do you forsake me, Father?"

I am familiar with the feelings of being forsaken, having endured a painful childhood after my parents' divorce. Truly, only child of divorce can understand the utter loneliness of the ending of parent/child bond. The one you loved and held in esteem has said "No, my interests are more important than you." Parents who read this can use any excuse they wish, but they'll never be able to explain away the devastation of a child realizing the close-knit love relationship will never return. It's a loneliness that will never leave. The child has been forsaken.

Jesus was forsaken. It was necessary for the ultimate sacrifice to be paid. If there is one part of the crucifixion to which I can say I identify, it is this forsaking. I have never been tortured nor forced to face a hostile, violent mob ... but I have been forsaken. And in that little way I can begin to see the gnawing emptiness Jesus felt. It makes His love for me all the more real, because He chose to face this for my sake.

David Guzik brings some amazing truths to this lesson:

There was a significant sense in which Jesus rightly felt forsaken by God the Father at this moment.

i. How? Because God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

ii. Jesus not only endured the withdrawal of the Father’s fellowship, but also the actual outpouring of the Father’swrath upon Him as a substitute for sinful humanity.

iii. Horrible as this was, it fulfilled God’s good and loving plan of redemption. Therefore, Isaiah can say Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him (Isaiah 53:10).

iv. At the same time, we cannot say that the separation between the Father and the Son at the cross was complete, because as 2 Corinthians 5:19 says, God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself at the cross.

v. It rarely grieves man to be separated from God, or to consider that he is a worthy object of God’s wrath; yet this was the true agony of Jesus on the cross.

Guzik, David. "Study Guide for Mark 15." Enduring Word. Blue Letter Bible. 7 Jul 2006.2009. 21 Oct 2009.
< authorid="2&contentID=" comminfo="31&topic=" ar="Mar_15_34">

Brad Zockoll and his family welcome your responses and insight on the entries of this blog. Please understand, though, this blog is not about debate or argument. We're looking for spiritual truths and insight, so your additions and reflections are most welcome. Thank you to the many people who contact me and let me know that they read this blog - it's an encouragement to me.