This is somewhat of a controversial statement made by Jesus as he was dying on the cross. But what did he really mean? What do these words mean? If he truly believed he was the Son Of God at the point of his death did he felt Like God abandoned him? That God was going to save him? Was he having 2nd thoughts about his faith?Whether one really believes Jesus himself was a divine being or not , the fact of the matter was he was still HUMAN. Like us.

Most Christians would say What Jesus really meant was that For the first time ever as the Son Of God Jesus took the burden of the sin of the world on his shoulders and felt God had abandoned him at that point. If it wasn't for him then that's the reason God would have never abandoned us.

Of course this is nothing more that would arouse the "Your taking it out of context!" argument.

This seems interesting for a Prophet of God to scream out while the last few minutes he has on earth. Of course this is all speculation as I understand it's futile to try to interpret 2000 year old scriptures through centuries of re translation as they are as well many different versions of Jesus death throughout all the gospels.

Was hoping someone knowledgeable in the field can give more insight as to what Jesus meant. Whether you really believe he's a prophet, God himself, or a simple man. Any Christians here?

Being a Christian, I do believe Jesus was both human and divine, one in G-d. I also believe He was our most perfect example. There are points he did become fearful at what he was going to face, even asking G-d to take the burden away from Him, if it be His Father's will.
What I believe (and hopefully I can form it into words that make sense) is that He was afraid, and He did feel abandoned, just like at times we do. How many times do we ask G-d where the heck He is? Jesus' humanity was showing at that point, just like all of ours do. Doesn't mean He lost faith in G-d, or doubting He was there, just basically saying "why have you let me go through all this?" Knowing this I don't feel so bad questioning G-d a times, and basically saying it's alright to be HUMAN.
Also, I believe that at that as being divine and one in G-d He couldn't die, His spirit and or divinity was leaving Him, leaving basically just his physical human body. He was fully human at that point, and thus, again, His humanity came through.
I hope that makes sense...

I have heard Jesus was actually reciting a part of the bible that was to be added.It is in the bible again in a different place.I guess like he was teaching or that he was saying it would be written.I have also heard god had to turn away for a time because of all the sin Jesus had taken for the people of the world.I don't know what I personally believe.A very good topic Killa

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34
This is the only expression of Jesus in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. Both Gospels relate that it was in the ninth hour, after 3 hours of darkness, that Jesus cried out this fourth word. The ninth hour was three o'clock in Palestine. Just after He speaks, Mark relates with a horrible sense of finality, "And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed his last" (Mark 15:37).

One is struck by the anguished tone of this expression compared to the first three words of Jesus. This cry is from the painful heart of the human Jesus who must feel deserted by His Father and the Holy Spirit, not to mention his earthly companions the Apostles. As if to emphasize his loneliness, Mark even has his loved ones "looking from afar," not close to him as in the Gospel of John. Jesus feels separated from his Father. He is now all alone, and he must face death by himself.

But is not this exactly what happens to all of us when we die? We too will be all alone at the time of death! Jesus completely lives the human experience as we do, and by doing so, frees us from the clutches of sin.

There can not be a more dreadful moment in the history of man as this moment. Jesus who came to save us is crucified, and He realizes the horror of what is happening and what He now is enduring. He is about to be engulfed in the raging sea of sin. Evil triumphs, as Jesus admits: "But this is your hour" (Luke 22:53). But it is only for a moment. The burden of all the sins of humanity for a moment overwhelm the humanity of our Jesus.

But does this not have to happen? Does this not have to occur if Jesus is to save us? It is in defeat of his humanity that the Divine plan of His Father and Himself will be completed. It is by His death that we are redeemed. "For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and the human race, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself as ransom for all" (l Timothy 2:5-6).

I was always taught in school that he was beginning to recite Psalm 22, which begins with this phrase, but exalts God by the end.
Various teachers have told me that people of that time would have immediately realized what he was quoting, even though he was unable to finish the Psalm.

Interesting topic, I love a good mystery... this ranks up there with what he wrote in the sand.

I agree it could be very likely He was going to recite a Psalm... as much as it could also be that in His human form He felt abandoned after taking the weight of humanity's sin on His shoulders. I have always found the passage to be comforting that if He could falter for a moment in His faith while in human form that we should not judge ourselves too harshly if we have a moment of distraction in our lives.

Somewhat off topic I was quite surprised & gave a round of applause to Anne Rice who recently said she was denouncing "Christianity for Christ". When I read the title of the article I immediately knew what she meant. Religion & spirituality are two very different things that should not be confused as being the same thing. To me the core of your belief is your rock & everything else are the glorious details you can decide to pursue or not pursue as complements to your journey.

I was involved in a channeling of Jesus and he said that refers to his - very temporary - spiritual crisis where he become too involved with his earthly life and was thus cut off from the spiritual and hearing his guides, etc so he cried out .... Just my experience.

Yes, religion and spirituality are worlds apart imho.

:grouphug: :grouphug:

Jesus spoke those words from the cross because the witnesses to the crucifixtion would all recognize the prophecy saying that the Redeemer would speak those words. They knew aright away what Jesus was talking about and they asked if he was calling out to Elijah. Elijah had told the prophecy and was given a vision of the crucifixtion.

OH that's right! I forgot all about this Psalm. It actually seems pretty reasonable to me. He's in pain and quoting the psalm that's usually quoted when one is in pain. It's very deep.. =)

Killarican wrote:This is somewhat of a controversial statement made by Jesus as he was dying on the cross. But what did he really mean? What do these words mean? If he truly believed he was the Son Of God at the point of his death did he felt Like God abandoned him? That God was going to save him? Was he having 2nd thoughts about his faith?Whether one really believes Jesus himself was a divine being or not , the fact of the matter was he was still HUMAN. Like us.

According to Christian Theologians - and as taught in the Southern Baptist Theological Seminaries - when Jesus cried out on the cross "My God, My God, Why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46b, New King James Version) it was because at that moment he had taken upon his pure, spotless, and holy self all the sins of the world: past present and future. In doing so, God could not look upon his Son, for God himself is Holy and cannot look upon sin. (There is a verse somewhere for this, but I cannot find it.) Thus Jesus cried out unto his Father.

creepyhollows wrote:Interesting topic, I love a good mystery... this ranks up there with what he wrote in the sand.

This is in reference to the Pharisees bringing before Jesus a woman who'd been caught in the act of adultery. They asked Jesus whether they should follow the Laws of Moses and stone her for her sin, testing him to see if they could find fault in him. Jesus replied:

"(7) 'He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.' (8) And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. (9) Then those that heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst." (John 8:7b-9, New King James Version)

Christian Theologists also speculate that when Jesus knelt in the sand, he wrote the sins of those in the crowd who were condemning her for her own sins, thus upon seeing Jesus writing their own dirty laundry for all to see their conscience quickly made them turn tail and forget about accusing her.



I hope this was helpful. My Dad is a pastor and studies at The Theological Seminary here in North Carolina. Thus I got subjugated to long, lengthy debates and discussions with him...which most likely also influenced me to look into my current beliefs... :lol: I apologize for not being able to find the one verse to support my explanation, but I will look into it some more, or just call my Dad, and update you as soon as I know.