Did the Father turn away?

[corrgc]

Greetings fellow Christians,

I’ve heard Christians of different denominations state that when Jesus exclaimed from the cross “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46), it was because God the Father had turned away from him. Because he was made to be sin (2 Cor 5:21) and the Father’s holiness does not allow him to behold evil, the Father abandoned the Son at that moment. It was our sin, the sins of the whole world that caused this, nothing Jesus did himself. In a recent scripture study class, I heard a well-versed Catholic propose the same interpretation.

I’ve always interpreted the verse to be Jesus exhortation of Psalm 22. A Psalm that explains the torment felt by a persecuted follower of God, which ends with vindication and in praise of God. Our Lord Jesus did suffer agonizingly on the cross, and did indeed bear the sin of the whole world, but never did the Father abandon the Son.

What do you think? Are both, either or neither of these interpretations tenable?

Sincerely in Christ,

Corrgc

 

[Tim_Kirchoff]

I think that, given the overall structure of Matthew (Matthew’s Gospel focuses heavily on the fulfillment of prophecy and of the Scriptures in general), the second interpretation is more tenable. I’m not sure about the first one, though…

 

[Mike_Dye]

Greetings fellow Christians,

I’ve heard Christians of different denominations state that when Jesus exclaimed from the cross “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46), it was because God the Father had turned away from him. Because he was made to be sin (2 Cor 5:21) and the Father’s holiness does not allow him to behold evil, the Father abandoned the Son at that moment. It was our sin, the sins of the whole world that caused this, nothing Jesus did himself. In a recent scripture study class, I heard a well-versed Catholic propose the same interpretation.

I’ve always interpreted the verse to be Jesus exhortation of Psalm 22. A Psalm that explains the torment felt by a persecuted follower of God, which ends with vindication and in praise of God. Our Lord Jesus did suffer agonizingly on the cross, and did indeed bear the sin of the whole world, but never did the Father abandon the Son.

What do you think? Are both, either or neither of these interpretations tenable?

Sincerely in Christ,

Corrgc

Corrgc, I would agree with your interpretation. I believe this could very well be what Jesus felt. Be sure to read the next Psalm for what I think would complete what Jesus was thinking.

 

[Peter_Dawson]

Greetings fellow Christians,

I’ve heard Christians of different denominations state that when Jesus exclaimed from the cross “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46), it was because God the Father had turned away from him. Because he was made to be sin (2 Cor 5:21) and the Father’s holiness does not allow him to behold evil, the Father abandoned the Son at that moment. It was our sin, the sins of the whole world that caused this, nothing Jesus did himself. In a recent scripture study class, I heard a well-versed Catholic propose the same interpretation.

I’ve always interpreted the verse to be Jesus exhortation of Psalm 22. A Psalm that explains the torment felt by a persecuted follower of God, which ends with vindication and in praise of God. Our Lord Jesus did suffer agonizingly on the cross, and did indeed bear the sin of the whole world, but never did the Father abandon the Son.

What do you think? Are both, either or neither of these interpretations tenable?

Sincerely in Christ,

Corrgc

I think that this concept was Harald Camping’s idea, originally.

I don’t know what to think, yet. I am bothered by a concept in which the intercommunication between the Persons within the divine Trinity is somehow fundamentally torn asunder by God Himself. Conceivably, there was some kind of NON-fundamental tearing-asunder of those relationships. We can see Christ God suffering pain, like a created creature, on top of His God-ness, after all. Maybe something like that, but in the relating department – inter-Trinitarian “shunning” of some sort – can occur within God.

But I don’t think that God can fundamentally “un-Trinity-ize” for even a single moment in eternity.

 

[Benadam]

The first view is based on the false premise that Jesus spoke for the Father to hear. Jesus communicated with the Father internally. When He spoke aloud it was for the sake of human ears. Any Jew within earshot would have understood why Jesus quoted the Psalm. Jesus was revealing the current state of affairs and what was to come. Remember He had taught that He would rise up in three days. IMO He was reassuring His mother and His beloved friend that He was not in despair so as to reassure them that everything was happening as it was supposed to.

 

[Madaglan]

Greetings fellow Christians,

I’ve heard Christians of different denominations state that when Jesus exclaimed from the cross “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46), it was because God the Father had turned away from him. Because he was made to be sin (2 Cor 5:21) and the Father’s holiness does not allow him to behold evil, the Father abandoned the Son at that moment. It was our sin, the sins of the whole world that caused this, nothing Jesus did himself. In a recent scripture study class, I heard a well-versed Catholic propose the same interpretation.

I’ve always interpreted the verse to be Jesus exhortation of Psalm 22. A Psalm that explains the torment felt by a persecuted follower of God, which ends with vindication and in praise of God. Our Lord Jesus did suffer agonizingly on the cross, and did indeed bear the sin of the whole world, but never did the Father abandon the Son.

What do you think? Are both, either or neither of these interpretations tenable?

Sincerely in Christ,

Corrgc

The latter verses of Psalm 22 end on a positive note, even including “he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help” (v. 24). Hardly God abandoning his Son. One priest I know mentioned that, even on the Cross, Christ was completing the Jewish prayer rule for that hour. I have not yet verified this however.

 

[puppypatrol]

Greetings fellow Christians,

I’ve heard Christians of different denominations state that when Jesus exclaimed from the cross “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46), it was because God the Father had turned away from him. Because he was made to be sin (2 Cor 5:21) and the Father’s holiness does not allow him to behold evil, the Father abandoned the Son at that moment. It was our sin, the sins of the whole world that caused this, nothing Jesus did himself. In a recent scripture study class, I heard a well-versed Catholic propose the same interpretation.

I’ve always interpreted the verse to be Jesus exhortation of Psalm 22. A Psalm that explains the torment felt by a persecuted follower of God, which ends with vindication and in praise of God. Our Lord Jesus did suffer agonizingly on the cross, and did indeed bear the sin of the whole world, but never did the Father abandon the Son.

What do you think? Are both, either or neither of these interpretations tenable?

Sincerely in Christ,

Corrgc

Carefull!!! Some protestants adhere to this explanation because they are under the opinion that Christ became sin. There is just no evidence of this. Christ paid the price for the sin of humankind but he still remained God’s son. It was his human nature that felt abandoned just as we sometimes feel that God has abandoned us. We think that, just because something horrible happens in our lives it means God is no longer caring for us or, heaven forbid, He no longer loves us. Ultimately, when we are thinking, we know we have not been abandoned but are purified by our trials, following in the footsteps of Christ by taking up our cross.

Christ’s divine nature always knew the cross is what he was sent to this earth for. He came for us out of love.

There are many TV preachers that make the Scriptures mean more than they really do, they read them through the eyes of man, not with the heart of God.

 

[NHInsider]

God never abandons us, but sin blocks our relationship with God. As Jesus took the sins of the world upon Himself, he experienced that horror.

How it is possible that the Son of God could be God and still feel cut off from God is just part of the Mystery we cannot comprehend