Peace and Grace be upon you!
For a long time now I have meditated on various verses from the Bible that I have found tricky in my journey. If I find them tricky then what of unbelievers! So I thought I would share some of my travel in the Word!
One of the main sayings of Jesus I always wondered about was from the Cross. I got the answer to why Jesus said this many times from different sources but for some reason I either couldn't remember it or I had trouble with the answer. Christianity, being very precise and vague at the same time can lead to confusion.
The verse in question is from Matthew's Gospel, chapter 27 verse 46:
"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
I decided to pray on it and ask God for help on the matter and within the day I had my answer from David Pawson's excellent teaching Back to Bible Basics.
His excellent teaching took me through lots of aspects I will be writing about later but I needed to get this one across before my journey takes me somewhere new.
Psalm 22 is what Jesus was saying!
Jesus was reciting Psalm 22. He was reminding everyone around him that everything he had done was predestined and all part of His Fathers will.
Here is the Psalm in full (KJV), read it then check my next few posts about the talking points (and why for some bits I have used bold type).
My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
Oh my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season , and am not silent.
But thou art holy, o thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
Our fathers trusted in thee; they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee and were not confounded.
But I am a worm and man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
All they that see me laugh me to scorn; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head saying,
He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.
I was cast upon thee from the womb, thou art my God from my mother's belly.
Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
They gaped upon me with their mouths as a ravening and roaring lion.
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me to the dust of death.
For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
I may tell all my bones they look and stare upon me.
They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture
But be not thou far from me, O LORD, O my strength, haste thee to help me. Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the the horns of the unicorns.
I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation I will praise thee.
Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye seed of Jacob, glorify him ; and fear him, all ye seed of Israel.
For he hath not abhorred the affliction of the afflicted ; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.
My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live forever.
All the ends of the world shall remember and turn into the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
For the kingdom is the LORD's and he is the governor among the nations.
All that they be fat upon the earth shall eat and worship: all that they go down to the dust shal bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.
A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.
Before next times post discussing the psalm in more detail (caveat I am not a bible scholar) here is a dramatic representation of that moment:
