A Theological Commentary on Matthew 27:45–46
Matthew 27:45–46 reads:
“Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’”
These two verses stand among the most theologically dense and emotionally piercing moments in the entire New Testament. The scene describes the climax of the crucifixion narrative, where cosmic darkness and a cry of abandonment converge to reveal the mystery at the center of the Christian gospel. Matthew presents not merely the physical suffering of Jesus, but the profound theological reality of the cross as the moment where divine judgment, covenant fulfillment, and redemptive substitution intersect.
The Setting of Cosmic Darkness
Matthew begins by noting that darkness fell over the land from the sixth hour to the ninth hour, which corresponds roughly to noon until three in the afternoon. This detail is significant both historically and theologically. Darkness at midday was understood in the ancient world as a sign of divine intervention or judgment. Within the Old Testament tradition, darkness frequently accompanies moments when God acts in judgment or in dramatic revelation.
Several Old Testament passages provide important background for Matthew’s description. Amos 8:9 declares that God will cause the sun to go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight as a sign of judgment. Likewise, in Exodus during the plague narratives, darkness covers Egypt as a manifestation of divine wrath against oppression. By invoking this imagery, Matthew signals that the crucifixion is not simply a tragic execution but an eschatological event in which God's redemptive purposes are unfolding.
The darkness also carries cosmic implications. Throughout Matthew’s Gospel, creation responds to the identity and mission of Jesus. At his birth, a star announces him; at his death, darkness blankets the land and later the earth shakes. The created order itself participates in the drama of redemption. The darkness symbolizes mourning, judgment, and the gravity of the moment when the Son of God bears the consequences of human sin.
Furthermore, the timing is theologically significant. The darkness spans three hours, culminating at the ninth hour, which corresponds with the time of the evening sacrifice in the temple. Matthew subtly draws a connection between the sacrificial system and the death of Jesus. As the lambs are prepared for sacrifice in Jerusalem, the true sacrificial Lamb cries out from the cross.
The Cry of Dereliction
At the climax of this darkness, Jesus cries out with a loud voice: “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” Matthew preserves the Aramaic words of Jesus, transliterated for his readers, before offering the translation. This cry is a direct quotation from Psalm 22:1. The preservation of the original language emphasizes both the authenticity of the moment and its theological significance.
Psalm 22 begins with a cry of abandonment but ultimately moves toward vindication and praise. By quoting its opening line, Jesus evokes the entire psalmic context. In Jewish interpretive practice, citing the beginning of a psalm could call the whole passage to mind. Psalm 22 describes a righteous sufferer surrounded by enemies, mocked by observers, and physically tormented in ways that closely parallel the crucifixion narrative. The psalm concludes with the proclamation that God has not ultimately forsaken the afflicted one but will deliver him and bring salvation to the nations.
Thus, Jesus’ cry operates on multiple levels. It is both an expression of real anguish and a theological declaration that his suffering fulfills the scriptural pattern of the righteous sufferer.
The Reality of Forsakenness
One of the most difficult theological questions raised by this passage concerns the nature of Jesus’ experience of being forsaken by God. Within the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, the Father and the Son share an eternal and inseparable relationship. How, then, can the Son be “forsaken” by the Father?
Several theological interpretations have been offered throughout church history. Some emphasize the experiential dimension of Jesus’ suffering. In this view, Jesus, bearing the full weight of human sin, experiences the depth of alienation that sin produces. Though the ontological unity of the Trinity remains intact, the incarnate Son experiences the horror of abandonment that sinners deserve.
Others emphasize the judicial dimension. Within the framework of substitutionary atonement, Jesus stands in the place of humanity under divine judgment. Second Corinthians 5:21 states that God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us. Similarly, Galatians 3:13 declares that Christ became a curse for us. The cry of dereliction reflects the moment when the Son bears the penalty of sin, enduring the judgment that rightly belongs to humanity.
In this sense, the forsakenness is not a rupture in the divine essence but a relational and covenantal reality experienced within the economy of salvation. The Son willingly enters into the place of the condemned so that those who trust in him may be reconciled to God.
Matthew’s emphasis on the loudness of the cry is also significant. Jesus does not whisper this lament; he cries out with a loud voice. This suggests that the cry is not merely an expression of despair but a deliberate proclamation. Even in the depths of suffering, Jesus directs his lament toward God. The address “My God, my God” reflects continued relationship and faith even amid perceived abandonment.
Christological Implications
Matthew’s account underscores the paradox at the heart of Christian Christology: the one who experiences abandonment is the beloved Son of God. Earlier in the Gospel, at Jesus’ baptism and transfiguration, the Father declares, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” The cry of dereliction therefore stands in tension with these earlier affirmations.
This tension reveals the depth of the incarnation. In becoming truly human, the Son enters fully into the human condition, including suffering, vulnerability, and the experience of distance from God that sin produces. Hebrews 4:15 later reflects on this reality by stating that Jesus is able to sympathize with human weakness because he has been tested in every way, yet without sin.
The cross therefore becomes the place where divine love and divine justice meet. The beloved Son willingly embraces abandonment so that others may be adopted into the family of God. What appears to be defeat is in fact the means of redemption.
Theological and Pastoral Significance
The cry of Jesus also carries profound implications for Christian theology and spiritual life. First, it validates the reality of lament within faithful relationship with God. Jesus himself gives voice to the deepest human question: why? The presence of this cry within the Gospel narrative affirms that genuine faith does not exclude anguish or confusion.
Second, the passage reveals the costliness of redemption. Salvation is not accomplished through abstract divine decree but through the suffering of the incarnate Son. The darkness and the cry together communicate the seriousness of sin and the magnitude of God’s redemptive love.
Third, the passage points forward to vindication. Although Matthew does not immediately resolve the tension of the cry, the narrative continues toward resurrection. The apparent abandonment of Good Friday becomes the pathway to the triumph of Easter morning.
Conclusion
Matthew 27:45–46 presents one of the most profound moments in the biblical narrative. In the darkness that covers the land and in the anguished cry of Jesus, the reader encounters the mystery of the cross. The passage reveals the depth of Christ’s identification with humanity, the fulfillment of Scripture, and the redemptive purpose of God.
The cry “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” echoes across centuries as both a lament and a proclamation. It is the voice of the righteous sufferer fulfilling the Scriptures, the voice of the substitute bearing human judgment, and the voice of the Son whose suffering opens the way for reconciliation between God and humanity. In this moment of apparent abandonment, the foundation of Christian hope is laid, demonstrating that through the suffering of the Son, the darkness of sin is ultimately overcome by the light of resurrection.
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