“MY GOD, MY GOD…”

Passage: Mark 15:33-47

Key verse: 33

NIV

The Death of Jesus(A)

33 At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.(B) 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?”).[a](C)

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

36 Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar,(D) put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.

37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.(E)

38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.(F) 39 And when the centurion,(G) who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died,[b] he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”(H)

40 Some women were watching from a distance.(I) Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph,[c] and Salome.(J) 41 In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.(K)

The Burial of Jesus(L)

42 It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath).(M) So as evening approached, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council,(N) who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God,(O) went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. 45 When he learned from the centurion(P) that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. 46 So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.(Q) 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph(R) saw where he was laid.

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Footnotes
  1. Mark 15:34 Psalm 22:1
  2. Mark 15:39 Some manuscripts saw that he died with such a cry
  3. Mark 15:40 Greek Joses, a variant of Joseph; also in verse 47
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Death of Jesus

33 And when the sixth hour[a] had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.[b] 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus (A)cried with a loud voice, (B)“Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 35 And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.” 36 And someone ran and filled a sponge with (C)sour wine, put it on a reed (D)and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” 37 And Jesus (E)uttered a loud cry and (F)breathed his last. 38 And (G)the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 (H)And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he[c] breathed his last, he said, (I)“Truly this man was the Son[d] of God!”

40 There were also (J)women looking on (K)from a distance, among whom were (L)Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and (M)Salome. 41 When he was in Galilee, they followed him and (N)ministered to him, and there were also many other women who (O)came up with him to Jerusalem.

Jesus Is Buried

42 (P)And when evening had come, since it was (Q)the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, (R)a respected member of the council, who (S)was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died.[e] And summoning (T)the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. 45 And when he learned from (U)the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph. 46 And Joseph[f] bought (V)a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and (W)laid him in a tomb (X)that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled (Y)a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 (Z)Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.

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Footnotes
  1. Mark 15:33 That is, noon
  2. Mark 15:33 That is, 3 p.m.
  3. Mark 15:39 Some manuscripts insert cried out and
  4. Mark 15:39 Or a son
  5. Mark 15:44 Or Pilate wondered whether he had already died
  6. Mark 15:46 Greek he
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

On the cross Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” Jesus was fully human and fully divine. In His humanity, He experienced real physical pain, emotional distress, and the genuine feeling of being abandoned in His darkest hour. This cry demonstrated His full solidarity with human suffering and despair. Some of us may be going through unbearable pain of sickness or emotional distress. No one may fully understand what we are going through; but Jesus does because He also went through such an ordeal.

Jesus experienced the penalty for our sin—estrangement from God—which was a pain far worse than the physical crucifixion itself. Betrayal and disloyalty of loved ones is painful; but it is no comparison to God’s abandonment. Humankind would do well to fear it more than anything.

Jesus went to the depth of suffering and agony but trusted that He would end in victory through His resurrection (cf. Psalm 22:24). We may go through suffering and agony on earth but it will not be forever if we believe in the finished work of Christ on the cross (cf. John 19:30). We are delivered from eternal damnation when we put our trust in Him.

Prayer: Father, thank you for teaching me what to fear most—separation from You. Amen.

One Word: Christ was forsaken that I may be saved