Darkness Draws Near"My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"
A phrase we have heard for the centuries. Matthew along with Mark recorded this phrase of Jesus as He embraced Death itself.
Death. Many do not like this word. We live in a world where we watch movies and TV shows that have heroic endings, "Super Heroes" that come to the aid of those that would need them.
Happy endings! Everyone ends up in sharing Peace...sharing Love.
Yet, here this predator we call "Death" is about to enter his final battle....where he has always been the conqueror... the victor...that is...until this moment!
For Jesus...this is "what He has lived for". Although He cried out and felt OUR abandonment, OUR separation from God...He was ready!...make no mistake....He was ready!
In fact, some biblical translators say this could have been what Jesus was really saying: "God, my God,...now I understand...I see why we need to do it this way!"
"My God...My God"....He didn't like OUR distant relationship with His Father....He much preferred calling out "Abba...Abba"...but at this moment He couldn't....for He had now taken our place...yet, He was ready!...make no mistake...He was ready!
Actually, His very words had been spoken by David in Psalm 22:1. David was in a desperate situation, and felt abandoned...needing the comfort and Grace of God to see him through this time.
Jesus, here at the Cross, felt OUR desperation, and the difference between David and Jesus at this juncture is: Jesus Himself is the Comfort..He is the very Grace of God...Himself!
...but He was ready!...make no mistake...He was ready!
Biblical scholars are not for certain whether He spoke in Hebrew or Aramaic, or a mixture of both when He shouted," My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me."
One thing is evident from the Scripture, the ones who were near enough to actually hear Him say these words...did not understand either...they thought He was calling out for Elijah.
Getting back to Death...the battle was...on! How did Jesus approach Death? Well, In Hebrews 2:15, here are the early reports of what took place (in Gleaning form): " For He embraced Death...pulled him right into Himself, and He destroyed the evil hold of Death itself, including all of his strongholds, and brought freedom to all who cower through this life, scared to death...of Death."
...He was ready!...make no mistake...He was ready!
So, the gleaning of Mark 15:34 goes like this: " At noon, right about the middle of the day, darkness was over the land, and remained so until about 3:00 p.m. Then, Jesus shouts out...with a loud voice: " Eloi...Eloi...lame sabachthani?", which means: "God, my God, why have You abandoned Me, leaving Me feeling totally helpless and forsaken?"
John Wesley wrote in his commentary: "Jesus claimed God as His God, yet the distance was overwhelming...for now He was covered...in OUR sin."
Death, who now was focused on Christ Jesus..was about to feel what it means to have the "tables turned"..for Death itself was in for the battle of "his life".
Christ was ready!...make no mistake...He was ready!
There is a Latin phrase that was translated from the words of St. Paul: "Scriptum est, Factum est." In English this would be: " It is written, It is done."
Martin Luther observed the outcome of Death and our Lord Jesus: " For God did not create man that he should sin and die, but that he should live."
Luther went on to write: " Now, we simply shed this old garment, being divested of it entirely, allowing it to return to dust, and allow Death escort us to the One who gives us Eternal Life."
The strength and power that Death had over all humanity...had been annihilated by God's very own Son.....Jesus, the Christ!
St. Paul wrote to confirm this total victory at the Cross: Gleanings from 1 Corinthians 15:54-55: "Here then is the joyous mystery! Although we all die, we are no longer left in the grip of Death. We will be simply changed!...into the very bodies the Lord has made for us...that being: Eternal Bodies!
For now, from the humility of our own hearts, we can now shout: "Death has lost! The battle is over! Death was swallowed up..in victory of the Risen One!"
Now, we as His very own...shout: "Death, where is your victory over me? For what sting do you have now that would condemn me forever?"
Yes, when Christ Jesus cried out from the Cross...there was darkness...there was separation...there was sin.....But...He was ready...make no mistake...He was ready!
One more thing: from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Jesus was alive on the Cross for approximately 6 hours. In Roman times, it wasn't uncommon to stay alive for 2 to 4 days...or even longer.
Pontius Pilate was surprised for example when he heard Jesus had passed so soon.
He died..well yes...actually He gave Himself up...Death had no power to prolong or shorten His life...in fact...Death had probably already heard: "Hey, Jesus is looking for you."
Final Thought: "Don't mistake His utter weakness...for His eternal Strength"
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