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Question: Why did Jesus say, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" during His last moments of consciousness? Why did God apparently abandon Him?

—A.B.S., Texas

Answer: You are not alone in your bewilderment. Noted British author and journalist Paul Johnson has also found this particular biblical passage somewhat of a puzzle. He wrote: "But what are you to make of Matthew [27], verse 46: 'And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying Eli, Eli, Lama Sabachthani?' That is to say, 'Why hast Thou forsaken Me?'. . . Whence this sudden note of anguish, the last words to come from Him, immediately before He yielded up the ghost? . . . I have never found a theologian with a satisfactory explanation of this episode" ( The Spectator, Dec. 1, 2007, emphasis added throughout).

To arrive at a reasonable explanation, we need to look at the Bible as a whole, closely examining the context of this particular passage along with tying in other related scriptures. Jesus commanded us to heed every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
See All...; Luke 4:4And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
See All...; Deuteronomy 8:3And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
See All...). The apostle Paul added that we should be "rightly dividing [or correctly sorting out] the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
See All...)—recognizing that all Scripture is by inspiration of God (2 Timothy 3:15-17 [15] And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
[16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
[17] That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

See All...).

First we should understand that Jesus crying out to the Father on this occasion was a direct fulfillment of a prophecy recorded in a psalm of King David (see Psalm 22:1(To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David.) My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
See All...). Christ's fulfillment of many prophetic aspects of this psalm is one of the proofs of His Messiahship.

We should also understand that a comparison of the Gospel accounts shows that these were not the actual last words of Jesus as He was being crucified. Notice verse 50, which occurred moments afterward: "And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit."

But He did not simply cry out this second time. Another Gospel account reveals further details, explaining that on His final cry He said His last words to His Father as a human being. Notice what Luke states: "And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice [the final cry referred to in Matthew 27:50Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
See All...], He said: 'Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.' Having said this, He breathed His last" (Luke 23:46And 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.
See All...).

The biblical evidence, examined as a whole, indicates that these were Jesus' actual last words— not the cry of anguish shortly before. Just as in the heaviest of temptations in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus asked His Father if there could be another way out of this dilemma before quickly submitting Himself to God's will as He always did (see Matthew 26:36-44 [36] Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
[37] And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
[38] Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
[39] And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
[40] And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
[41] Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
[42] He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
[43] And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.
[44] And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

See All...)—Christ again instantly exerted self-control and submitted to His Father's will just prior to His death. (If only we as Christians would deal with our temptations, minor by comparison, like our Savior did!)

Although the Father totally supported and helped Jesus during His time on earth, dying by means of crucifixion to forgive our sins was something Jesus had to accomplish absolutely alone. The book of Hebrews says, "When He had by Himself purged our sins, [He] sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Hebrews 1:3Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
See All...). Indeed this sacrifice was planned by the Father and the preexistent Word, the One who became Christ, from the beginning.

Our modern age takes sin very lightly, often in a cavalier manner, watering it down to "faults" and "mistakes." But in truth sin is a very serious matter to God. It is the transgression of His holy, spiritual law (1 John 3:4Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
See All...). To atone for it required the precious life of the very Son of God in a humiliating and painful death by crucifixion.

Our Savior's words on this occasion help us understand just how serious sin is in God's sight. Isaiah 59:2But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
See All... explains that sin cuts us off from God: "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear."

Sin is deadly serious. To be our sacrifice for sin, Jesus took on Himself all the sins the human race had ever committed or ever would commit. As 2 Corinthians 5:21For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
See All... tells us, God the Father "made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us." Hebrews 9:26-28 [26] For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
[27] And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
[28] So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

See All... explains that "He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself ... so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many."

As a well-known prophecy of the crucifixion states: "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities . . . And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:5-6 [5] But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
[6] All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

See All...).

Because of what Jesus Christ represented for those few brief moments—the sins of all mankind—our Heavenly Father had to justly judge this sin, giving Jesus over to its awful penalty, death (Romans 6:23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
See All...), in effect turning His back on Him. Thus Jesus cried out, quoting Psalm 22:1(To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David.) My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
See All..., "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

In inspiring Psalm 22, the Father and Christ both knew this would happen —but realizing it ahead of time is not the same as actually experiencing it. Jesus, who had been in communion with the Father as a constant companion His whole life, was now cut off—and deeply felt the severance of that contact. His anguished cry was no doubt very real.

Yet through Jesus' perseverance at that very time, the gulf between God and man created by our sins was about to be bridged. As Isaiah 53:11He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
See All... foretold, "My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities."

Jesus Christ, who alone among mankind lived a sinless life, took our sins on Himself—willingly paying the penalty for our lawless behavior so we could be totally forgiven and reconciled to God and begin a new life of obedience. We had all earned the death penalty for our disobedience. But through His sacrifice we pass "from death into life" (John 5:24Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
See All...).

To understand more about Jesus Christ and His paramount sacrifice, request or download our free booklet Jesus Christ: The Real Story .

Question: Surely "Jerusalem above" is the heavenly Jerusalem. So isn't that where Christ will reign, and not from the Jerusalem on earth?

—J.D., Penzance, Britain

Answer: The scriptural record attests to the fact that Christ will return from heaven to this physical earth to reign for 1,000 years on this planet—with the restored and renewed physical city of Jerusalem as its world capital.

Zechariah 14:3-4 [3] Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
[4] And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

See All..., for example, states: "Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle. And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east . . ."

At His ascension to heaven from the Mount of Olives 40 days after His resurrection, two angels told the disciples: "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
See All...).

In Revelation 20:4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
See All..., John records his vision of the resurrected saints ruling with Jesus Christ: "And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them . . . And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years." Revelation 5:10And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
See All... says that this takes place on the earth.

But beyond that millennial period and the Great White Throne Judgment, God the Father—bringing the New Jerusalem with Him—will come down to be with Christ and the rest of His divine family, the vast multitude of the saved, who will by this time have been changed into immortal spirit beings (see Revelation 21:1-5 [1] And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
[2] And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
[3] And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
[4] And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
[5] And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

See All...). By then, the old physical order will have passed away.

To understand the intriguing details, request or download our free booklet You Can Understand Bible Prophecy . Chapters 7 and 8 will clarify the order and nature of these future events. Another booklet, Heaven and Hell: What Does the Bible Really Teach? , will help show that the Jerusalem of Christ's millennial rule on earth is not in heaven. And to better understand the nature of Christ's coming Kingdom, request or download The Gospel of the Kingdom . All of these are free for the asking.