Gospel

Forsaken

by Roland Crim
07/19/18
Free to Share
Author requests article critique

  Message Writer
  Hire Writer

Tweet

From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lemasabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.” Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.” And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. Matthew 27:45-50 NIV

Jesus, in His humanity, felt abandoned and forsaken. How frightening this must have felt to Him. Gasping for His final breaths of air, clarity might have eluded Him. Yet, He was being obedient to the Father, carrying out His will.

Just prior to giving up His spirit, Jesus cried out loudly. It is difficult to imagine the weight our Savior must have felt, the weight of the sin of all of mankind, from the first sin in the garden, to the last sin that will occur prior to His return, heavy upon His shoulders. Such a weight would have instantly crushed anyone else. Yet, our Lord felt this weight, and took it upon Himself, that mankind might be saved and reconciled to the Father through Him.

There upon the cross, hung the most innocent of men, God’s only Son, feeling abandoned and forsaken, bearing a weight that no one else possibly could endure. And He did it out of love of the Father, and love for all of mankind.