Matthew 27:46 And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” That is, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?”
Some argue that Jesus was not forsaken at the cross in the literal sense because it is impossible for God to forsake Himself.
The problem with this position, that God did not forsake Jesus, that God cannot be divided within Himself, which is palpably true, is that it does not give due regard to the legality of the transaction that is taking place.
This is a legal transaction. This has to fit the bill and the demand of the Law of God perfectly, not give opportunity for Divine slight of hand. What is suggested by those who reject the literal meaning of this heartfelt cry from our Lord, though I understand the argument, is illegal. The bill is not properly paid nor the demand met. The wages of sin is death. God cannot die, therefore Jesus did not really die. But He did! God cannot forsake His Son because He would be forsaking Himself, but He did. The question then arises (because the assertion that God cannot be divided against Himself is true), how was it done?
It was done by Jesus becoming Man. Of course this is beyond our understanding, though we are all arrogant enough to think we understand it! Jesus was both God and Man. He had to die as a man. He had to take our sin as a man. He was forsaken by the Father as a man, not as God. Anything else would have been illegal and Satan would have been marching up and down in heaven (see Job!) declaring it illegal. He would have been right too.
In order that Romans 5:1-2 can stand true, the very opposite had to be experienced by Christ. It is eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth at every level of redemption. His eye, His tooth.
Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
So that we could experience this, so that we could stand in the presence of the Father, Jesus experienced the exact opposite. It’s the same at every level. His chastisement in lieu of ours. His separation in lieu of ours. His blood in lieu of ours. His death in lieu of ours. Jesus experienced everything we experience including the ultimate judgement. There is nothing that man will experience that He has not experienced. Even when He sentences those to eternal separation, He too has experienced it. Perhaps, though I only say perhaps, there is a part of Him that is still experiencing it – for us. [br] [br]
Stand at the cross. Hear the cry and the desolation from The Saviour’s mouth and soul. Taste His anguish. He is suffering that for You. It is pure, it is holy, it is just. Don’t persuade yourself it is anything other than what it is, at its most brutal level. That way lies deception.
Having suffered and died for us, being the Perfect Sacrifice, sin was powerless (and still is powerless) and quite unable to hold Jesus in death. Righteousness rose up in resurrected life at the appointed time and Jesus ascended not only to His former glory and position, but also as a fully qualified and acceptable Saviour for us. Hallelujah.
I like Dr James White’s idea, that there is direction contained in the cry of Jesus to the whole of Psalm 22, but we cannot and must never refuse to accept the plain meaning of scripture as presented to us, for some deeper application. The simple application is as relevant is the deeper one. They are inclusive not exclusive.
Thank you John for this and hopefully I will find more like this .. it’s such a good way to help me study .just wanted to say thanks