Why didn't the Jews understand Jesus when He said "Eli, Eli, lama sabachtani"?

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I do not know that any of the Jewish leaders would have been there.
Sorry, that was an assumption on my part.
Since there were the very Jewish Leaders who passed the Death Sentence at Jesus’ Crucifixion who in turn Mocked Jesus, why would anyone even attempt to suggest that they were not there?
  1. The passers-by hurled abuse at him: they wagged their heads and cried, ‘You would pull the temple down, would you, and build it in three days? Come down from the cross and save yourself, if you are indeed the Son of God.’
  2. So too the chief priests with the lawyers and elders mocked at him: ‘He saved others,’ they said, 'but he cannot save himself. King of Israel, indeed! Let him come down now from the cross, and then we will believe him. Did he trust in God? Let God rescue him, if he wants him—for he said he was God’s Son.'
 
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John_Martin:
So the Jews were joking about Jesus still thinking he was the Messiah and blaming “Eli” (Elijah) for not showing up.
I like this idea.
This was known of the Jews’ thinking in earlier times in Jesus work, such as Matthew 17 after the Transfiguration:
As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Do not tell anyone about this vision until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
The disciples asked Him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
Messiah, King of the Jews, meant ELIJAH SOON COMING to the Jews.
A plate is still set for him at Seders, I believe.
 
Why didn’t the Jews understand Jesus when He said “Eli, Eli, lama sabachtani” (sp)?

They were priests and would have been familiar with this verse, so why would they think He was calling for Elijah?
A couple of thoughts spring to mind:
  • They didn’t believe that He was the Son of God or even the Messiah, so this interpretation wouldn’t have been acceptable to them.
    • At best, they’d think, “meh… listen to this guy! The nerve!!! He actually identifies himself as someone to whom God would respond!!!”
  • Elijah was supposed to appear to announce the coming of the Messiah. They might have thought, "check it out! He’s telling Elijah, “why did you diss me? Ain’t I your guy? Come to my aid, brother!”
 
You’ve got it backward: Elijah’s second coming meant that the Messiah was soon coming to the Jews!
Read my original - you don’t see Messiah without seeing Elijah
The Jews, like Catholics, correctly appealed to Saints in heaven for help in petitioning the LORD.
Jesus, these Jews understood, was being crucified for being “the King of the Jews”, but all knew Elijah was to return to initiate the True Messianic rule. So the Jews were joking about Jesus still thinking he was the Messiah and blaming “Eli” (Elijah) for not showing up.
 
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Gorgias:
You’ve got it backward: Elijah’s second coming meant that the Messiah was soon coming to the Jews!
Read my original - you don’t see Messiah without seeing Elijah
Umm…

“Messiah meant Elijah soon coming”? Uhh. OK. If that’s the way you express “Elijah followed by Messiah”… 🤷‍♂️
Jesus, these Jews understood, was being crucified for being “the King of the Jews”, but all knew Elijah was to return to initiate the True Messianic rule. So the Jews were joking about Jesus still thinking he was the Messiah and blaming “Eli” (Elijah) for not showing up.
Umm… no.

Elijah was understood to be coming in order to announce the coming of the Messiah. That’s why they asked John if he was Elijah, and why some thought Jesus was himself Elijah. 😉
 
Since there were the very Jewish Leaders who passed the Death Sentence at Jesus’ Crucifixion who in turn Mocked Jesus, why would anyone even attempt to suggest that they were not there?
It was the Preparation Day for the Passover. I note that the Scripture does not mention who the people were or where they stood, except for some soldiers, the women with Johns, and people. I am not making any assumption by not making assumptions. Nor does Scripture say who it was that misunderstood Jesus. So one possibility to the original question, is that the Jews did not misunderstand, or at least, the Jewish leaders.
 
It was the Preparation Day for the Passover. I note that the Scripture does not mention who the people were or where they stood, except for some soldiers, the women with Johns, and people.
Not so… …
 
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Scripture specifically mentions Chief Priests and Elders
At and During the Crucifixion - Mocking Him.
.

Occurred just after Jewish Leadership threatened to blackmail Pilate to Caesar
IF Pilate would not give into their repeated demands to Crucify! Jesus

From The GOSPEL - At the Crucifixion

The passers-by hurled abuse at him: they wagged their heads and cried, 'You would pull the temple down, would you, and build it in three days? Come down from the cross and save yourself, if you are indeed the Son of God.'

So too the chief priests with the lawyers and elders mocked at him:

He saved others,’ they said, 'but he cannot save himself. King of Israel, indeed! Let him come down now from the cross, and then we will believe him. [ Ps.22.8. ] Did he trust in God? Let God rescue him, if he wants him—for he said he was God’s Son.'
 
Without getting into the oddity that there is no gospel of “The Gospel”, I will just quote the places this appears in the Bible. When Scripture is used, it really needs references, at very least, you should have added some quotes so your additions did not look like they were part of the Scripture passage. This appears in the Gospel according to Matthew and Mark, chapter 27. The people who heard this were not specified.

45 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, [c] lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).[d]

47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”

From Mark 15

At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).[b]

35 When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”

I will stand by my original supposition that it is possible that those who did not understand him were not the Jewish leader. I do not know. I wasn’t there and the Scriptures do not tell everything. Therefore, this is a possibility. If you assume too much, you add to Scripture. All we know is that some one, more than one, person nearby missed the point.
 
I will stand by my original supposition that it is possible that those who did not understand him were not the Jewish leader.
I agree. If everyone who spoke Greek also spoke Aramaic and Hebrew, why did Matthew and Mark translate the Aramaic and Hebrew into Greek for the readers of the Gospel? So it’s not a big leap to assume that some of those standing near spoke Greek and misheard it. Especially considering that the name Elijah in Greek is Elias.
 
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I will stand by my original supposition that it is possible that those who did not
understand him were not the Jewish leader.
So you’re saying that the Jewish Leaders who heard Him say that…
  • did understand that Jesus was calling out to God His Father,
    whom apparently deserted Him at that moment?
So too the chief priests with the lawyers and elders mocked at him:

He saved others,’ they said, 'but he cannot save himself. King of Israel, indeed! Let him come down now from the cross, and then we will believe him. [ Ps.22.8. ] Did he trust in God? Let God rescue him, if he wants him—for he said he was God’s Son. '
 
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No. I am saying that it does not specify who heard that other statement and misunderstood.
 
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