The words, “my God, my God” (Matthew 27:46) reveal Jesus’ thoughts and feelings while he hung on the cross. Throughout his earthly life, Jesus was constantly in communion with God and was renewed in strength and love thereby. However, part of Jesus’ sacrificial experiences as Adam’s ransom included experiencing Adam’s (mankind’s) loss of a relationship with His Father. Thus, when God completely removed His presence, Jesus’ grief was manifested by his cry.

Psalm 22:1 reads, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?” By uttering this cry, Jesus directed His thoughts (and ours) to this psalm. The prophetic psalm foretold the pain and suffering Jesus was experiencing (especially verses 9-18), as well as his continued trust in God. It also detailed God’s faithfulness to Israel throughout difficulties, and faith in God’s future deliverance of all mankind from sin and death (verses 25-31).

It was necessary that Jesus experience suffering in many different forms. When Jesus cried out the words, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me,” (Psalm 22:1, Matthew 27:46) he was being honest in prayer and vocal about his experience. Though he had read these words of Scripture, he had never experienced the Father’s face being turned from him. He was ‘taking the sinners’ place,’ and it was the first time in his existence he experienced emotional separation and alienation from his Father. It was a temporary experience of very great suffering, equipping him to have an even greater depth of sympathy and understanding for all the human family born in sin. This suffering was part of equipping him to be a High Priest and a Blesser for his followers and for all of fallen humanity.

Even the specific insults hurled at him from the scribes and Pharisees, the people passing by, and the two crucified thieves were prophesied in verses 6-8. This psalm truly described Jesus’ last hours on the cross.

The Jews knew the Scriptures; they knew the psalms. By hearing these words, the Jews at the cross would also recognize this fact. Those with honest hearts would be able to connect these verses with Jesus’ words and see that all of this was foretold, and that Jesus was fulfilling the prophecy.

Jesus’ suffering was not the only thing foretold by this psalm, however. It also detailed His faith, and that God would rescue him. Verses 22-31 show him gaining strength and peace, and as he rehearsed this psalm, he would be strengthened to endure until “it is finished.”

His experience on the cross and the unimaginable stress and pain of his sacrifice on our behalf culminated in the Father turning his face from him. But Jesus’ very last words were words of triumph. Luke 23:46: “And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Thy hands I commit my spirit.” And having said this, he breathed his last.” 

Jesus triumphed in faith through every experience on earth, and his faithfulness through all the suffering has qualified him to be a Sympathetic Blesser of all, by making him perfect, complete crystallized in loyalty and love.

The Law of Moses contained a vivid description of the qualifications of the High Priest. Hebrews 5:1-2: “For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness…” Jesus fulfilled this picture, being appointed by God to become a high priest. (See Hebrews 2:4-6) Hebrews 2:8: “Although he was a son, he learned obedience from the things which he suffered. And having been made perfect, he became to all those who obey him the source of eternal salvation…”

Hebrews 4:15: “For we have not a High Priest who is unable to feel for us in our weaknesses, but one who was tempted in every respect just as we are tempted, and yet did not sin.”

These verses reveal the purpose for his suffering, which was not for his personal deliverance, but for the deliverance of all mankind. Verse 27 says, “All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.” The depths of Jesus suffering pales in the face of his resurrection power and his use of that power to bless not only his faithful followers but also all of our human family.  John 5:28-29.

Isaiah 53:11: “Out of the suffering of his soul he will see light and find satisfaction.  And through his knowledge his servant, the righteous one, will make many righteous, and he will bear their iniquities.”

Philippians 2:7-11:  “He stripped himself of his glory, and took on him the nature of a bondservant by becoming a man like other men. And being recognized as truly human, he humbled himself and even stooped to die; yes, to die on a cross. (Weymouth) Therefore also God highly exalted him, and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (New American Standard Bible)

Finally, let us learn from Jesus’ example that when we are in times of trouble, we can turn to God’s word. There we will find comfort and purpose for our experiences, and we can gain strength and peace to endure until the end.

Additional Resource: 
Christian Questions Podcast 
Episode #1276: “When Jesus Said, ‘It is Finished,’ What Did He Begin? 
Absorbing the crucifixion through the eyes of Bible prophecy 
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