Eli, eli, lama sabachthani? & Psalm 22

[SkinnyJay]

Something that has always bothered me was in Matthews account of the crucifixion one of Jesus’ last words was “My God, my God Why have you forsaken me?” It has been a struggle for me to understand why God would say that.

I have finally heard something that made the most sense to me; the sort of eureka moment of the pieces fitting together. It happened simply while talking to my father about it. I was voicing my confusion and concern and he said to simply read Psalm 22.

Jesus starting this psalm but not having the strength to continue seems quite probable to me and keeps me from going into abstract theology that is quite difficult for me to grasp. I have never heard of this before (but that doesn’t say much) and would like to pass on a perspective others might also not know about. Any thoughts?

 

[NHInsider]

This has also been the way I have understood it. Jesus is praying the Psalm in His agony. A good reminder of the value of having the Word of God hidden in our hearts (to reference another Psalm)!

But I also think that in that moment Jesus did feel abandoned by God - because when He took on our sins, he was somehow separated from God who is all-holy: the fate that would be ours, but for the grace of His sacrifice.

How this could be is just one part of the Mystery of the Incarnation that I don’t expect to understand!

 

[ryanoneil]

Matthew also alludes to Psalm 21 in 27:35 (Ps 22:18), 27:39 (Ps 22:7), and 27:43 (Ps 22:8). I don’t know if Jesus didn’t have the strength or not, but by citing the opening line, Jesus evokes the entire plot of Ps 22. The righteous sufferer, who is innocent yet mocked, is vindicated. So, Jesus doesn’t consider his Passion meaningless, and he does not give in to the sin of despair. Rather, he trusts in God and surrenders his spirit to the Father. Like the innocent sufferer, he is confident that God will turn his misery into victory.

 

[ahollars]

Some people in Jesus’ day referred to Him as, “Rabbi”.

A traditional teaching method of boys preparing for their Bar Mitzvahs (sp) was too give them the opening line of a Psalm, then have the young man recite the rest of it by memory to the elders. At the crucifixion, the chief priests, scribes, and other temple keepers would have known this, having done it themselves. Jesus is saying this for them to hear, and immediately the rest of the Psalm would have come to their memory. The point was for Jesus to have them thinking, “Wait a minute! We’re looking at it right now!”

No, I didn’t come up with that. Someone else here did.

 

[PacoG]

The Crucifixion is an example of how Christ was the high priest. During the Crucifixion, he:

• Celebrates the Liturgy of the Word by praying the Psalms.
• Offers sacrifice.
• Hears Confession when he forgives the “Good Thief.”
• Takes care of a widow who is in a moment of extreme grief (his mother).

Our Lord is a priest to the end. The first priest of the new covenant.