WORD STUDY ELI ELI LAMA SABACHTHANI (PART 2) Matthew 27:46: And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying Eli, Eli Lama Sabachthani? that is My God My God, why has thou forsaken me? Yesterday I gave one possible rendering to this baffling phrase that Jesus was not calling out to God asking why He was abandoned, but that He was addressing those mourning his death saying, Listen to my heart, this is my destiny. For those of you who find that this just flies too much into the face of what you have always believed or was taught, I would like to present a part 2 of this study which may fit more into you traditional beliefs.
I have heard many suggestions as to what was going on here. The most common explanation I usually hear is that in that moment Jesus took on all the sins of the world and God could not look upon Him. Then it is as if Jesus just didn t see this coming and cries out why? But if Jesus is God He should have known this was coming and would not have needed to ask why. The answer to that, of course, is that this was the human part of Him that was speaking and as a human he did not know everything. That is a little difficult for me to swallow as I learned in my Theology classes at Moody and in seminary that Jesus was both entirely human and entirely God. That being the case he would know everything. He knew he was going to die the day before the crucifixion, I mean that was what the last supper was all about. So that being the case why did He have to ask why? This brings about another question which I don t think I have heard anyone ask, I know I have asked this question all my life. Perhaps others are bothered by this but are afraid to ask. Maybe I am the only one and everyone else knows something I do not know. But if Jesus and God are one and the same, then who was He talking to on the cross? Was Jesus talking to Himself? Was God safely tucked away in heaven while His Son suffered on the cross? Are there really two separate beings, no are there three beings, we also have the Holy Spirit. I know I learned in my Theology class that if there is only just one being then that is modalism, a heresy but if there are three separate beings that is tritheism which is also a heresy. I was also told that the trinity is not a contradiction, because we are not saying three Gods equal one God, which is clearly a contradictory statement. What we are
saying is three persons equals one God and that is a paradox. Well, I do believe in the trinity, the Bible teaches it, so I will just join myself with the crowds of Christianity who say, I believe it but it is a mystery. I can t wrap my mind around it so I will wait until heaven to understand it. Fortunately, I am not a theologian, so I can shrug my shoulder and send you to theologian if you ask me about the trinity. I am not schooled in dogma (opinions about God) so I will send you to the local Catholic priest to explain the dogma on the trinity. I am not a pastor so I cannot give you doctrine (teachings about God). I am just your average Joe Christian who studies and teaches ancient languages and all I can do is offer some insights into the language that Jesus spoke and let you apply your own theology, dogma and/or doctrine. As I am not a pastor or theologian but Joe Christian I, like most Christians, who do not hold academic degrees in theology, tend to be like the Jews who do not really have a systematic theology but are more organic in their theology. Although I am an ordained Conservative Baptist Pastor I guess I do have some sort of systematic theology, at least on paper. But as I am not a practicing cleric at this time I live my life as if I have an organic theology. Yesterday I explained that sabachthani has two possible roots. There is shwaq which means to be kept, spared or left behind, held in reserve for a purpose. Another word would be to fulfill one s destiny. The other possible root of Sabachthani is sbq which means to forsake or abandon for a purpose. They are both pretty much the same one shows more caring than the other so I choose shwag. If Jesus was forsaken or abandoned as our English word suggest which is to be abandoned because you no longer care for that person or thing, then He would have used the Aramaic word taatani which means to abandon for the
sake of not caring or having no further interest in someone or something. So when we use the word sabachthani for forsaken we need to keep in mind it does not mean that God no longer cared which is why he was forsaken but that He was forsaken to fulfill a purpose. I think the bigger issue is who was he talking to when He asked Why? This opens up the door to trying to explain the trinity, which I cannot do, but I can offer an insight where we could sidestep the issue of the trinity. The Aramaic word lema, like the Hebrew lama is usually an interrogative, who, what, where and why. But it does not always have to be in the form of a question. You could also say, this is why, or that is where. It could be a declaration. So Jesus could have been saying, This is why I am forsaken or abandoned (and if you wish) by the Father. Putting this into a statement He could have been talking to those who mocked him by saying that if He is the Son of God come down from the cross. Jesus was responding to this by saying, This cross is my reason, my purpose in life. But it does say he called out to Eloi. So did He really call out to God? Again, I will let the theologians answer that. I will tell you this as a language teacher that eloi when used as a verb also means to help, aid, sustain, nurture or a controlling force. It is not always rendered as God in extra Biblical literature. To say that my help or nurturing force has abandoned me is Gnosticism which is another heresy. However, if I define Eloi as a controlling force I could say he is expressing His heart which we all, even God is controlled by His heart s desire. The heart of Jesus was also the heart of God, filled with such love that He would not use
His supernatural power to come down from the cross or to end His suffering. To do that would show He cared more for Himself or God for His Son if you wish and not us and that would not demonstrate true love. Jesus not only died on the cross to provide an escape from our sins, but also to demonstrate the greatest love of all and that was to lay down His life for us. So perhaps another way to express this is Jesus saying, Eloi, Eloi, Listen to my heart (and my Father s heart) I am on this cross for a purpose more important than Myself.