Rev Dr Quek Suan Yew

SEVEN SAYINGS OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS (Part 2 of 2)

4. Forsaken -- Matthew 27:46 (KJV) "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Mark 15:34 (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?

1. The Context – Why is there a difference between Matthew and Mark? The first observation is that this phrase is NOT pure Hebrew or Aramaic (or Syriac). It is a mixture commonly called Syro-Chaldaic (Barnes’ notes on the Bible, Swordsearcher 6.0). This phrase was taken from Psalm 22:1. The actual Hebrew phrase found in Psalm 22:1 is "Eli, Eli, la-mah ‘a-zav-tha-niy". "Eloi" is Aramaic and "Eli" is Hebrew. "Lama" is Hebrew and "Sabachthani" is Aramaic. This means that Christ must have uttered the saying twice as he cried to the heavenly Father because both gospels were recorded correctly based upon inspiration and preservation of Scriptures. Matthew recorded the mainly Hebrew version whereas Mark recorded the mainly Aramaic version. This was a common way in the OT to express a cry of help or endearment by saying the same thing twice. For example, Christ cried to the Father, "My God, My God." Is it therefore too hard to believe that Christ cried twice to God the same statement, with only a slight difference in pronouncement as Syro-Chaldaic was a common way of speaking? In Singapore, many dialects have been mixed with Bahasa and our spoken English is often mixed with the Chinese language.

The sixth hour refers to 12 noon (our time) and the ninth hour refers to 3 pm. After asking for forgiveness for the people who crucified Him, granting salvation to the malefactor and honouring Mary by ensuring that she was well looked after by John, Christ then turned His attention to the great significance and depth of His crucifixion.

2. The Theology –These are words that we will never comprehend even when we have eternity to understand it. Would any human father not lift a finger to help his own son if he saw him unjustly brutalised and killed? Which father would not help when he has all the power in the world at his disposal to save his son from being killed? Yet, God Almighty did not lift one finger to help His only begotten Son from the moment He was betrayed to the time He was crucified on the cross. He allowed Christ to be led silently to the slaughter like a lamb. He forsook Christ!

The "forsaking" of Christ by God the Father must not be understood as a broken relationship or even fellowship, otherwise Christ's prayer would not have been heard. The Father-Son relationship can never be severed. It is eternal. The fellowship between the Father and the Son can never be cut or even diminished in the slightest. The broken fellowship can only take place when there is refusal to repent of known sins (Psalm 66:18). Christ did not sin and was never a sinner at any time of His sojourn on earth. Hebrews 4:15 (KJV), "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."

Christ’s prayer was heard by God (1st utterance). The only basis for the breaking of fellowship with God is when the sinner has sinned knowingly and refuses to repent of his sin. Christ did not refuse to repent of any sin as He has not committed any sin. There is a world of difference between "carrying the sins of the world on Him" and "the sins of the world in Him." The latter would make Christ a sinner like us when He carried our sins. This is spiritual death. Christ did not die spiritually. He only died physically. Christ died as the perfect Lamb of God in our place all the while having no sin and not having sinned (Isaiah 53:7-8).

The word "forsaken" literally means "to leave alone." God the Father left Christ to die alone. It was not the Father or the Spirit who went to the cross but the Son. There is no Patripassionism involved at all. The Son died all alone on the cross in that the Father did not stop the evil men from crucifying His Son. Christ bore our sins on the cross all alone. The Father also did not soften the vicarious atoning work of His Son when He died on our behalf. It was the full wrath of God that Christ bore for us when He went to the cross. He died alone! This is the meaning of the phrase "Eli Eli Lama sabachthani!" Our sins put Christ on the cross. He died for our sins!

3. The Application – Our salvation might be freely given to us but it was priceless. Christ had to pay for it with His precious blood. Jesus Christ was our sin offering, burnt offering, peace offering, trespass offering, wave offering and thank offering! He was forsaken by the Father on the cross so that you and I may not be forsaken by God forever. If we die in our sins without the Saviour, we will be sent to Hell and finally the Lake of Fire that burns without end.

But Christ did come to die for us. The final step was crucifixion. He died all alone, forsaken by the Father. God did not aid His Son because He loved us even when we were His enemies (Romans 5:10). This was the only way to save us. There was no other alternative to save totally depraved sinners such as us. We are all chiefs of sinners.

NOW, we must hate sin and be ashamed of what we used to do with this body of ours. Now that we have been saved by the blood of Christ, let us not sin anymore and be like a dog going back to its own vomit. Let us be holy as our God is holy.

"My God! My God! Why hast thou forsaken me!" were the very words of Christ on the cross, crying to God His Father who has never left His Son from eternity past to eternity future. Nevertheless, for that brief moment in time Christ was forsaken by Him for our sake. This must cause all of us who call ourselves Christians to live this life for Christ. We must die to self! What we want must be dead and gone forever! It is now only what God wants that matters! Christ paid the priceless price for us that we might live forever in God’s eternal presence one day! Trust Him and live for Him with all our hearts, minds, soul and strength.

Hallelujah what a Saviour!

5. He Thirsts -- John 19:28 (KJV) "After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst."

1. Mission Accomplished -- John 19:29-30 (KJV) "Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. 30. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."

The Context –

a. "Father forgive them" to "today shalt thou be with me in Paradise" to "Behold thy mother" to "My God, My God why hast thou forsaken me" to "I thirst" and "It is finished".

b. The words of Christ were taken from Psalm 69:21 (KJV), "They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink." Jesus’ words in John 19 were a fulfilment of prophecy.

c. With these words "I thirst" the LORD uttered, "It is finished." It is in the perfect tense, which means the action is completed but the effect of it continues into the present. This is the tense often used to describe the work of Christ on Calvary.

The Theology –

a. The thirst of a man on the cross is the final agony that he experiences before death. This is the last gasp for life. Of the five senses, thirst conveys the depths of suffering and physical pain. It demonstrates the reality of Christ’s sufferings. The fullness of Christ’s humanity was firmly established by His thirst. Six hours on the cross since 9 am, coupled with a great loss of blood and the strain on His chest and shoulder muscles make breathing nearly impossible. Thirst is the inevitable result. Hebrews 2:14-18 (KJV) capture the humanity of Christ best, "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted."

Vinegar was the cheap wine that the Roman soldiers drank. They gave it to Christ just as Scripture had prophesied. This was fermented grape juice, which had reached the end of its fermentation. The sugar and alcoholic contents were completely gone. What remained was vinegar. The beginning and the end of Christ’s life on earth were in fulfilment of God’s infallible prophecies. Every detail was fulfilled according to God’s time. God was in control of every event in Christ’s life, even to the last breath of His earthen vessel!

When Jesus cried "it is finished", he was not referring to His death, as if He had lost everything. He was referring to His ministry on earth and His work of salvation as prophesied from the time of Adam and Eve. There is no need to add to this salvation. Christ has fulfilled all the requirements demanded by God to secure our salvation. Man’s response to the finished salvation of Christ should simply be . . . I believe. Romans 10:9-11 (KJV) summarises the finished work of Christ aptly, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed."

The Application – The words that Christ uttered on the cross pertaining to Himself must be our words too. When we do God’s work on this earth, the journey and the end ought to be the same. The content of the calling is different. Christ’s calling was to be the Anointed Saviour (i.e. Christ Jesus). Our calling, also anointed by God, is to be His anointed servants.

The end of our service should be a state of tiredness and thirst. It ought to be of exhaustion after a lifelong endeavour of toiling for Christ, as labourers together with God. It is the satisfying kind of exhaustion, like a life poured out onto the earth in front of the LORD as an offering to God. 2 Timothy 4:6-8 (KJV), "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." These words of the Apostle Paul capture this truth accurately.

Our cry to the LORD must also be "it is finished". The long and arduous road of service to the King of kings in this sin-filled world is over. There are no regrets. Every ounce of energy was used to serve the heavenly Father who sent Jesus, His only begotten Son, to die for us. It was a life worth living, a life of purpose and direction. There is no repeat or re-living of this life. It can only be lived once. Live it well. Live it for God’s glory. Live it for others that they may see Christ in us.

7. Return Home -- Luke 23:46 (KJV) "And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost."

A. The Context – The final and seventh saying of Christ after He uttered the words "it is finished" had to be, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit". Then Christ gave up the ghost. These words were from Psalm 31:5 [(KJV), "Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth."] on His lips.

B. The Theology – The significance is to return the life that God has given to us back to Him. The "spirit" here is not a reference to the Holy Spirit or the Divine Nature of Christ. It refers to His human soul or spirit. The soul or spirit of a man cannot be destroyed or annihilated. He goes to either Hell or Heaven upon death. If he is a sinner who dies in his sin, he goes to Hell. He remains in Hell till the day of the Great White Throne judgement when he will be resurrected and sent to the Lake of Fire after the judgement. If he has truly believed in Christ as his Lord and Saviour, then he will go to Heaven and ultimately the New Heaven and New earth described in Revelation chapters 21 and 22.

Christ commended His human spirit that God gave to Him at the time of His incarnation to His care and protection at the point of His death. Christ continues to possess His human spirit even now when He is seated at God’s right hand interceding for us. 1 Timothy 2:5 (KJV), "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man [anthropos-human being] Christ Jesus;" [Emphasis added] His humanity is part of His qualification to be our great High Priest.


C.The Application – Upon death, Christians also return their souls that God has given to them back to Him. Therefore we must be able to say like Paul the Apostle in Philippians 1:21 (KJV), "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

The knowledge that this life is eternal and can be returned to God is a very sobering and serious revelation. How we live is of utmost importance. We have to give an account. We must ensure, and not assume, that salvation grace is present in our lives. 1 Corinthians 9:27 (KJV), "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway [a reprobate]."