Why did Jesus Say "My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me" from the Cross?

The Cry of Dereliction and the Meaning of Psalm 22

Can I talk to you about Eloy, Eloy, Lama Sabachthani for a moment? Can I talk to you about the words from the cross? I'll be honest with you, I love when my Muslim friends raise this issue. I really do.

I have explained this to audiences in Dublin and Sydney, Australia and all over Europe and now here in South Africa. And I love getting the chance to do this. So thank you for raising this issue. Eloy, Eloy, Lama Sabachthani.

Jesus cried those words from the cross. Was he talking to himself? No. Anyone, when Mr. Karim says, well, he's speaking to himself. Why have you abandoned, why have I abandoned myself? That's, again, that's not what Christians believe.

We don't believe that Jesus is the father. He's speaking to the father. He was sent by the father. Three persons, one God. All of them described as Yahweh. One being of God. Our God's big enough to do that.

Jesus Was Quoting Psalm 22

So, but here's the question. What was Jesus saying? Have you ever looked it up? Have you ever looked it up? Jesus is quoting a Psalm. Did you know that? Yeah, he's calling Psalm 22, the 22nd Psalm. And in Psalm 22, it starts off, Eloy, Eloy, Lama Sabachthani.

Have you read the rest of Psalm 22? It's a messianic Psalm. It's all about the crucifixion of Jesus. It talks about being pierced and everything that would happen to a person who's being crucified. It's a prophetic picture of what happened on the cross, which according to Surah 4 and 1 -7 never happened, at least not to Jesus.

But it ends with the justification of the suffering servant. He's justified by God. So why does Jesus say it? He's not saying that God has abandoned him. When you start off with the first words of a famous hymn of your people, you're expecting your people to finish it out.

The Fulfillment of the Song in the Cross and Resurrection

We have a hymn called Amazing Grace. All I have to say to my people is, amazing grace, how sweet the sound. And I don't even have to finish it because they know all the rest of the song. And Psalm 22 is one of the songs of the people of Israel.

And when Jesus said that, he was starting that song and he was saying, this is being fulfilled now before your eyes. The Messiah has come. He's given his life. And he will be justified. He will be vindicated when he rises from the dead.

That's what it's about. Look more closely. Look more deeply. And you'll find that the testimony is absolutely compelling. And I rejoice to have the opportunity of sharing this information with you this evening.

Thank you very much.