"My God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?" Understanding the Deep Significance of Jesus' Words on the Cross

One of the most heart-wrenching and profound statements ever uttered in human history comes from the lips of Jesus Christ as He hung on the cross. In Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34, we hear Jesus cry out, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" These words, known as the Cry of Dereliction, have left many Christians and theologians pondering their deeper meaning for centuries.

Why did Jesus—the Son of God, who had lived a perfect, sinless life—express such a feeling of abandonment and despair? Was God the Father truly forsaking His Son? Or was there something deeper happening in this moment of suffering and separation?

In this post, we’ll unpack the significance of this cry, exploring its theological meaning, its connection to Psalm 22, and what it reveals about the nature of Jesus’ sacrifice and the atonement for humanity's sins.

1. Jesus’ Cry as a Fulfillment of Prophecy: A Connection to Psalm 22

The first thing to understand about Jesus’ words is that they are directly quoted from the Old Testament—specifically, from Psalm 22:1:

• Psalm 22:1: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”

This psalm, written by King David, expresses deep feelings of abandonment, isolation, and intense suffering. While David wrote these words centuries before Jesus’ crucifixion, they were prophetic of the Messiah’s suffering.

By quoting Psalm 22, Jesus was not only expressing His anguish but also pointing to the fulfillment of this prophecy. He was identifying with David’s cry of distress, yet the fullness of the psalm reveals that God will ultimately vindicate and rescue the righteous sufferer.

• Psalm 22:24: "For He has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; He has not hidden His face from him but has listened to his cry for help."

So, while Jesus felt forsaken in that moment, His cry also pointed to a hope of eventual rescue and redemption. It was an act of fulfilling prophecy and affirming that the suffering of the Messiah was part of God’s eternal plan for salvation.

2. The Depth of Jesus’ Suffering: A Real Separation from the Father?

Many have wrestled with whether Jesus was truly forsaken by God the Father in a literal sense. Theologically speaking, God the Son and God the Father are eternally in perfect unity and relationship within the Trinity. So, how could it be that the Son of God would experience separation from the Father in such a way?

While Jesus was never separated from the Father in the eternal sense, His cry of forsakenness represents the depth of His suffering in that moment of crucifixion. Jesus, in His humanity, was experiencing the weight of sin and the full consequences of separation from God that humanity faces because of sin.

In that moment on the cross, Jesus took on the sins of the world—past, present, and future. He became the sin offering for humanity, and God the Father, in His holiness, could not look upon sin. This led to a momentary separation between Father and Son, which was excruciating for Jesus, both physically and spiritually.

• 2 Corinthians 5:21: "God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."

This separation was not eternal—it was a temporary separation that lasted only for the duration of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. It was the necessary consequence of Jesus taking on the penalty of sin in our place.

3. Jesus’ Cry Reflects His Deep Humanity

While Jesus is fully God, He is also fully human. His cry reveals the deep humanity of the incarnate Son of God. Jesus felt the weight of the world’s sin, the emotional burden of His impending death, and the physical pain of being crucified.

By expressing His feelings of abandonment, Jesus shows that He identified with human suffering on the deepest level. His cry is not just a theological statement but a very real, emotional expression of anguish. It also demonstrates that Jesus understands our feelings of abandonment, sorrow, and despair.

• Hebrews 4:15: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

Jesus’ cry assures us that He truly understands the depths of human pain and rejection. In this moment, He suffered for us and with us—bearing our burdens as He took on the punishment we deserved.

4. The Significance of Jesus’ Atoning Death

The cry of forsakenness underscores the great sacrifice that Jesus made for humanity’s atonement. By experiencing a temporary separation from God the Father, Jesus was fully bearing the weight of sin and its consequences on our behalf.

• Isaiah 53:6: "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."

His death on the cross, symbolized by this cry of dereliction, was the ultimate act of substitutionary atonement. Jesus was taking our sin and rejection so that we could experience forgiveness and reconciliation with God. This separation He felt was necessary for the restoration of humanity’s relationship with God.

5. The Ultimate Victory: Jesus’ Cry is Not the End

Though Jesus’ cry of abandonment may seem like the end of the story, it is actually a precursor to victory. As Psalm 22 progresses, it shifts from the cry of forsakenness to a proclamation of God’s deliverance:

• Psalm 22:28: "For dominion belongs to the Lord and He rules over the nations."

Jesus’ death on the cross was not the end—it was the beginning of God’s ultimate victory over sin, death, and Satan. Jesus’ cry pointed to the fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan and the coming resurrection. After His death, He would rise again, proving that death and separation had been defeated once and for all.

Conclusion: The Cry of Forsakenness—A Powerful Expression of Jesus' Sacrifice

When Jesus cried out, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" He was not only expressing His anguish and deep sorrow, but He was also fulfilling prophecy, identifying with our suffering, and bearing the weight of sin on our behalf. His temporary separation from the Father was a necessary part of His atoning death for the sins of the world. Through His sacrifice, He reconciled humanity to God, making a way for us to experience eternal life and fellowship with the Father.

In the end, Jesus' cry of forsakenness is not a cry of defeat, but a victory cry that points to the hope of redemption and restoration for all who believe.