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Bible scholars and Christians throughout the centuries have often been puzzled by Jesus’ last words which He spoke on the Cross …
Mark 15:34
At the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is, being interpreted, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
At the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is, being interpreted, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
After all, if Jesus was the Son of God and if He had a perfect connection to God the Father, how could He have felt abandoned?
An answer to this question could very well be found in a practice used by rabbis in the time of Jesus. This practice was known as remez or hint. With this teaching practice a rabbi would use part of a scripture passage knowing that his audience’s knowledge of Torah (the law of God as revealed to Moses and recorded in the first five books of the Hebrew scriptures) would let them immediately bring to mind the rest of the related scripture.
Remez would allow a rabbi’s students to comprehend the fuller meaning behind the one piece of scripture spoken.
This practice of remez was immensely helpful in ancient times for two reasons …
- 1. During Jesus’ time scripture was not broken down into verses and chapters, so referencing a line of scripture was the fastest, easiest way for a teacher to reference a specific passage.
- 2. The production of Torah scrolls was extremely expensive during Jesus’ time which meant that Israelites would memorize scripture. So a mention of a single verse could easily bring to mind entire passages.
Psalms 22:1
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?
Reading further into Psalms 22 we see that it is actually a glorious prophecy of the coming messiah.
Psalms 22:7-8
All those who see me mock me. They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying, “He trusts in Yahweh. Let him deliver him. Let him rescue him, since he delights in him.”
All those who see me mock me. They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying, “He trusts in Yahweh. Let him deliver him. Let him rescue him, since he delights in him.”
More prophesy is delivered in Psalms 22:18 where more details are conveyed about Jesus’ persecution.
Psalm 22 also reveals that during tribulation, there is reason to trust God.
Psalms 22:4-5
Our fathers trusted in you. They trusted, and you delivered them. They cried to you, and were delivered. They trusted in you, and were not disappointed.
Our fathers trusted in you. They trusted, and you delivered them. They cried to you, and were delivered. They trusted in you, and were not disappointed.
And Psalm 22 ends in a most joyous, uplifting way …
Psalms 22:30-31
Posterity shall serve him. Future generations shall be told about the Lord. They shall come and shall declare his righteousness to a people that shall be born, for he has done it.
Posterity shall serve him. Future generations shall be told about the Lord. They shall come and shall declare his righteousness to a people that shall be born, for he has done it.
So, if you’ve ever wondered why Jesus sounded so disheartened in His last words, take heart. His last last words are a clue to an everlasting message of hope and victory!
