Mar. 29, 2023

Yes. St. Matthew records only one of the seven statements Jesus spoke from the cross. And he writes it the way it was heard.  "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" Evidently the sound of these words made quite an impression. St. Matthew tells us what it meant, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" Jesus dies for the joy set before Him, but make no mistake about it, there is fear here—real crushing anguish. Jesus is before the judgment seat of the Almighty God getting the reward that I deserve. Jesus is being paid for my lust; my shameful selfishness; my cold-heartedness; my misuse of God’s holy name; my despising of God’s holy word; my hoarding of temporary, worthless pleasures; my failure to hold the Lord’s word as more important than anything; all my fear, love and trust in everything but the Lord. What a shameful mess that I prefer were hidden!  But Jesus bears all of it before the Almighty God. Jesus bears all of your sin and indeed the whole world’s sin. That’s why the Father has turned away. That’s why Jesus is alone. He’s damned in the darkness and you can hear His fearful, anguished, cry—“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”