Mark 15:34 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

NIV: 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?").

NASB: At the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, 'ELOI, ELOI, LEMA SABAKTANEI?' which is translated, 'MY God, MY God, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?'

CSB: And at three Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lemá sabachtháni?" which is translated, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?"

NLT: Then at three o’clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, 'Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?' which means 'My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?'

KJV: And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me

NKJV: And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Many question why Jesus displayed such anguish when anticipating the cross in the garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:32–42). He told Peter, James, and John, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death" (Mark 14:34). He submissively pled with God to avoid what was about to happen. "And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Luke 22:44).

Since that moment, He has been betrayed, arrested, abandoned, tortured, and nailed to a cross. Still, many wonder why He was so seemingly reluctant. He "only" suffered six hours on the cross. From the arrest until His death was less than a full day. And the moment He died, He was back in heaven (Luke 23:43).

Jesus the physical, earth-born man suffers in the courtyards and on the cross, but Jesus, God the Son, suffers far worse. For the first time ever, He feels separated from God the Father. Trying to articulate this in any meaningful way all-but-guarantees falling into accidental heresy. The exact nature of the Trinity, by definition, is beyond human understanding. But Scripture is clear that Jesus' sacrificial execution on the cross involves something far, far greater and more spiritual than merely the death of the body. In some esoteric way, the Trinity, the reality of holy unity and love, is impacted. Jesus is suffering, but even worse, He is suffering alone.

The words Jesus speaks are found at the beginning of Psalm 22, another important prophecy about the Messiah. Rather than this being a shout of confusion, or uncertainty, what Jesus says here is a reminder of what is happening, and why.

Taken out of context, it appears Jesus is asking God for information, but Jesus knows exactly why God is forsaking Him. It is because the weight of the sin of the world has been placed on Jesus' shoulders, and God cannot bear to see it or be in communion with He who bears it. It is still appropriate for Jesus to ask. The cry expresses His emotional turmoil as well as the moral unfairness of His situation. He isn't sinful. But "for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Mark 15:33–41 is a raw and stark account of Jesus' death. Jesus feels separated from God and abandoned by His friends. The land is covered by darkness. The earth shakes and the tombs open (Matthew 27:52–53). Only too late does the centurion get a glimpse of what he and his men have done. Even the women who supported Jesus during His ministry have moved farther away. But when Jesus breaths His last, the temple veil tears, marking the possibility of our reconciliation with God. Jesus' death is also recorded in Matthew 27:45–56, Luke 23:44–49, and John 19:28–37.

After sham trials, Jesus is taken to the local Roman governor, Pilate. This is the only person in Jerusalem with the legal authority to have Jesus executed. Pilate is not fooled, and he attempts to arrange for Jesus' release. But the ruler's ploys fail, in part because Jesus will not defend Himself, and partly because the mob is intent on His death. Pilate offers a prisoner exchange in Barabbas, and even has Jesus brutally beaten in order to pacify the crowd. Eventually, he caves in and Jesus is crucified. Thanks to His prior abuse, Jesus survives only a few hours on the cross before dying. Jesus is then buried in a tomb belonging to a secret follower among the Jerusalem council.

After being unfairly judged, Jesus will now be unfairly sentenced and cruelly murdered. It's reasonable to say this chapter provides context for everything else contained in the Bible. From Adam and Eve until the last baby born in the millennial kingdom, every person other than Christ is stained with sin. Conscience, law, Jesus' direct leadership, even the indwelling of the Holy Spirit cannot keep us from sinning. Sinless Jesus had to die on the cross, sacrificing Himself in our place, so our sins could be forgiven and we could be reconciled to God. Beneath the violence, darkness, dishonor, and death is the love of God for all mankind (John 3:16). Jesus' crucifixion is also found in Matthew 27, Luke 23, and John 19. The next chapter describes the miracle of His resurrection.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.