Mark 15:34

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

And {G2532} at the ninth {G1766} hour {G5610} Jesus {G2424} cried {G994} with a loud {G3173} voice {G5456}, saying {G3004}, Eloi {G1682}, Eloi {G1682}, lama {G2982} sabachthani {G4518}? which {G3739} is {G2076}, being interpreted {G3177}, My {G3450} God {G2316}, my {G3450} God {G2316}, why {G5101} hast {G1519} thou forsaken {G1459} me {G3165}?

At three, he uttered a loud cry, "Elohi! Elohi! L'mah sh'vaktani?" (which means, "My God! My God! Why have you deserted me?")

At the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Context

Mark 15:34 captures one of the most poignant moments of Jesus' crucifixion. This cry occurred at the "ninth hour" (approximately 3 PM), after three hours of supernatural darkness had enveloped the land (Mark 15:33). This period of darkness, from noon until 3 PM, is widely understood as a time when God’s judgment for sin was being poured out upon His Son. Jesus had been on the cross for several hours, enduring unimaginable physical agony, but this cry reveals a deeper, spiritual suffering. This account is also paralleled in Matthew 27:46.

Key Themes

  • Divine Abandonment and Separation: This cry is a raw expression of Jesus' feeling of being forsaken by God. While Jesus is eternally one with the Father, at this moment, as He bore the full weight of humanity's sin, there was a profound spiritual separation. He became "sin for us" (2 Corinthians 5:21), experiencing the Father's holy wrath against sin.
  • Vicarious Suffering and Atonement: The cry underscores the depth of Christ's suffering, not just physically, but spiritually. He endured the punishment that humanity deserved, making atonement for sins. This moment is central to understanding the prophecy of the suffering servant in Isaiah 53, who bore our griefs and carried our sorrows.
  • Fulfillment of Prophecy: Jesus' words are a direct quotation from Psalm 22:1. By quoting the opening line of this messianic psalm, Jesus likely intended to draw attention to the entire psalm, which begins with lament and ends with a declaration of God's faithfulness and ultimate triumph.
  • The Cost of Redemption: This verse powerfully illustrates the immense cost of our salvation. The perfect, sinless Son of God experienced the ultimate alienation from the Father so that sinful humanity could be reconciled to God.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" is Aramaic, the common language spoken by Jews in Palestine during Jesus' time. Mark, writing primarily for a Gentile audience, immediately provides the Greek interpretation: "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" The use of Aramaic here adds a profound sense of authenticity and immediacy to Jesus' agonizing cry. It is a direct and visceral expression of His suffering, highlighting the raw, human experience of Jesus while simultaneously fulfilling the ancient prophecy of Psalm 22:1, which uses the Hebrew equivalent.

Practical Application

Mark 15:34 offers profound insights for believers today:

  • Understanding God's Love: This verse highlights the astonishing depth of God's love. He allowed His Son to endure such spiritual separation and judgment so that we might be brought into fellowship with Him.
  • The Gravity of Sin: It reveals the immense gravity and offensiveness of sin to a holy God. The separation Jesus experienced underscores the true consequence of sin, which is spiritual death and alienation from God.
  • Hope in Despair: For those who feel abandoned, alone, or in deep spiritual despair, Christ's cry resonates. He experienced the ultimate isolation, demonstrating His profound empathy for human suffering. His cry also points to the hope that even the deepest despair can lead to ultimate victory, just as Psalm 22 moves from agony to praise.
  • Assurance of Salvation: Because Jesus bore the full wrath of God for our sins on the cross, those who trust in Him can be assured that they will never experience such divine abandonment. He took our place so we could forever be with God.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Psalms 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?

  • Matthew 27:46

    And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

  • Hebrews 5:7

    Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

  • Psalms 27:9

    Hide not thy face [far] from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

  • Psalms 71:11

    Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for [there is] none to deliver [him].

  • Isaiah 41:17

    [When] the poor and needy seek water, and [there is] none, [and] their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

  • Psalms 42:9

    I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

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