A Devotional Meditation on Matthew 27:45-46
Matthew 27:45–46
Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
The moment described in these verses stands at the very center of the mystery of redemption. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ is not merely an event of suffering or injustice, but the decisive act in which the Son of God bears the weight of human sin before the holiness of God. Matthew records that from the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness covered the land, a sign that the events unfolding on Golgotha were not ordinary historical happenings but cosmic and theological realities.
The darkness that enveloped the land carries deep symbolic meaning throughout Scripture. Darkness is often associated with divine judgment and the gravity of sin. In the prophetic literature, such as in the writings of Amos, the day of the Lord is described as a day of darkness rather than light. Thus, the darkness during the crucifixion signifies that the judgment against sin is being executed. Yet this judgment does not fall upon humanity directly in that moment; instead, it falls upon the one who stands as the representative and substitute for sinners. Christ, though sinless, stands in the place of the guilty.
This three-hour period of darkness represents more than a natural phenomenon. It marks the solemn hour in which the Son bears the curse pronounced upon sin. The apostle Paul later writes that Christ became a curse for us. The curse of the law, which rests upon all who fail to keep God's commands perfectly, is transferred onto the crucified Messiah. The darkness signals that the cross is the place where divine justice and divine mercy meet in profound tension.
At the climax of this dark interval comes the cry recorded in verse 46. Jesus calls out with a loud voice, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? Matthew immediately provides the translation: My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? This cry echoes the opening line of Psalm 22, a psalm that begins with profound anguish but ultimately moves toward vindication and triumph. The words are not an expression of confusion or disbelief, but the deliberate invocation of Scripture at the moment of deepest suffering.
The significance of this cry lies in the reality it expresses. Jesus, the eternal Son, has lived in perfect communion with the Father from all eternity. Throughout His earthly ministry He repeatedly speaks of His unity with the Father and His constant fellowship with Him. Yet at the cross, He experiences the abandonment that belongs to sinners. The one who knew no sin is treated as sin itself, and the relational rupture that sin creates between humanity and God is borne by Christ.
This does not mean that the divine nature of Christ was separated from the Father in essence, for the unity of the Trinity cannot be broken. Rather, the forsakenness pertains to the judicial and relational dimension of His suffering as the incarnate Son. In His human experience, Jesus undergoes the full weight of alienation that sin deserves. The Father withdraws the sense of comforting presence so that the Son may fully endure the penalty of sin.
The language of abandonment reveals the cost of atonement. Sin is not merely a moral failure or a social problem; it is a profound rupture in the relationship between humanity and God. The consequence of sin is separation from God, the source of life and goodness. On the cross, Jesus willingly enters into that separation on behalf of others. The cry of dereliction therefore reveals the depth of the substitution taking place.
The use of Psalm 22 is also deeply significant. While the psalm begins with the lament of abandonment, it progresses toward a declaration of God's faithfulness and the ultimate vindication of the sufferer. By invoking this psalm, Jesus situates His suffering within the broader narrative of God's redemptive purposes. The suffering of the righteous one is not the end of the story; it leads to the proclamation of God's salvation to the nations.
Psalm 22 contains striking parallels to the events of the crucifixion. It speaks of mockers who ridicule the sufferer, of hands and feet pierced, and of garments divided by casting lots. These details underscore that the suffering of Jesus fulfills the scriptural pattern foretold centuries earlier. The cross is not an accidental tragedy but the fulfillment of divine prophecy and purpose.
The cry of Jesus also reveals the reality of His humanity. In His incarnation, the Son of God truly assumed human nature with all its capacities for suffering. The anguish expressed in this cry demonstrates that the suffering of Christ is not merely symbolic but deeply real. He experiences the agony of abandonment in the depths of His human soul. The cross therefore shows both the fullness of His humanity and the magnitude of His obedience.
At the same time, the cry is addressed to God as My God. Even in the moment of abandonment, Jesus still directs His appeal to the Father. This reveals that His faith remains intact even in the midst of suffering. The relationship is not destroyed but strained under the weight of judgment. The address My God reflects the continuing covenantal bond between the Son and the Father.
This moment therefore reveals the paradox at the heart of the gospel. The Son is forsaken so that others may be accepted. The darkness that falls upon Him becomes the means by which light is offered to the world. The cry of abandonment becomes the doorway through which reconciliation is achieved.
The doctrine of substitutionary atonement finds one of its clearest expressions in this passage. Humanity deserves abandonment because of sin, yet Christ takes that abandonment upon Himself. The justice of God is satisfied because sin is punished, yet mercy is extended because the punishment falls upon a willing substitute.
This also demonstrates the depth of divine love. The cross shows that redemption is not achieved through distant decree but through costly sacrifice. The Father gives the Son, and the Son willingly offers Himself. The suffering expressed in the cry of dereliction reveals the immeasurable price paid for the reconciliation of sinners.
The darkness ends after three hours, and the narrative of the crucifixion moves toward the completion of Christ's work. Yet the cry recorded in these verses remains one of the most profound statements in the entire New Testament. It exposes the severity of sin, the holiness of God, and the depth of the love that brings about redemption.
Within these words lies the mystery of the gospel. The righteous one is treated as forsaken so that the forsaken may be treated as righteous. The Son enters the depths of abandonment so that humanity might be restored to fellowship with God. The darkness of the cross becomes the dawn of salvation.
No comments:
Post a Comment