Jesus' cry of anguish from the Cross Photo: Lightstock adapted
The Ultimate Obedience
Hebrews 5:8 reads: "Though Son (of God), he (Jesus), learned obedience through suffering." The ultimate test for Jesus was settled in The Garden of Gethsemane, when he cried three times in anguish of body, soul and spirit to Father God:
"Father, if it is at all possible, take this cup of your wrath (at all the evil and human sin) from me. Nevertheless, Father, not my will but yours be done."
Dr Luke tells us that his agony was so great he sweated drops of blood (Luke 22:44) - a rare medical condition called haematidrosis that is associated with absolute terror.
Jesus knew very well the horror facing him in going to the Cross for our sin and all the evil ever perpetrated by mankind since the rebellion in The Garden of Eden. That is why on the Cross he cried out in agony "Eli, eli, lama sabachthani" -- "My God My God! Why have you forsaken me?" A cry of utter abandonment by the God of the universe, who had planned this as the only possible way of redeeming a fallen creation and reconciling human beings to God and restore the intimate fellowship with him that Adam and Eve enjoyed before they disobeyed his instructions.
A Prophetic Picture Of Victory
When Jesus uttered this cry, he was quoting the first verse of Psalm 22 - a psalm written by King David a thousand years before Jesus was born. It consists of three sections:
A. An Anguished Cry of Dereliction vv 1-10
The cry of a person who feels abandoned by God, but who reminds himself and us that God has always been faithful.
B. A Prophetic Picture of Crucifixion vv 11-22
These verses contain a detailed picture of what the crucified man is feeling on the cross.
C. A Triumphant Shout of Resurrection vv 22-31
In these verses the crucified man utters a shout of triumph that God will raise him to life and vindicate his death, ending with the words in verses 30-31 -
"Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: 'He has done it!' "
Far from being a cry of abandonment, Jesus was telling those who were watching and listening that he would conquer sin, death and Satan by his obedience even to death on a cross.
The Gospel writer John tells us that Jesus' final word from the Cross as he died was: "Tetelestai!" - "It is finished! Mission accomplished!" (John 19:30)