The Word of Abandonment

At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. But the rest said, “Wait! Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.”

Matthew 27:45-49 NLT

Three Ways to Interpret the Word of Abandonment

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My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help?

Psalm 22:1 NLT

But you, Lord, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me. Deliver me from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs. Rescue me from the mouth of the lions…I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you. You who fear the Lord, praise him! For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help…

Those who seek the Lord will praise him – may your hearts live forever! All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations.

Psalm 22:19-28 NIV