Living Bulwark

March 2009 - Vol. 28

The Word of Despair

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
– Matthew 27:47; Mark 15:34

commentary and painting
by John Dunne

These words of despair are the most enigmatic of all the words spoken by Jesus throughout his life. Jesus and his Father were bound together in a mysterious bond of love. There are numerous references to Jesus’ witness to the Father in his life; who can forget Christ’s intercessory (high priestly) prayer in John’s Gospel where their relationship is spelled out in such a beautiful way. “I and the father are one, all mine are yours, and yours are mine, as you did send me into the world…” And when Jesus prays for the unity of his church, we hear the same intimacy expressed, “that they may all be one; even as you, father, are in me, and I in you.”

The Word of Despair, oil painting by John Dunne

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And how are we to understand these words in light of such events as the baptism of Jesus when the voice from heaven declares that Jesus was indeed the “beloved son”? Or in Jesus’ transfiguration on Mount Tabor when the voice from the bright cloud says, “This my beloved son with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

We are discussing matters that are beyond our ability to comprehend, but if we turn to the prophet Isaiah (53:10) we can see a glimmer of light thrown on this mysterious saying:

“Yet it was the will of the Lord to bruise him;
He has put him to grief.”

The answer as to why this was so is given in the very next line: “when he made himself as offering for sin.” And in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians (5:21) we are told: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us.”

Jesus had become the darkness of sin, and this is shown in the painting by the conflict of light and dark. John’s Gospel has told us, “God is light and in him is no darkness at all.” So God the Father must turn away from this darkness of sin that Christ bears for us, and this causes the deep spiritual anguish felt by Jesus.

If we but turn to Psalm 22, from whence came these words:

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

This is the very first line of the psalm, so Jesus is here quoting from the psalms. He knew that those versed in scripture would recognize the quotation and remember what came after it - a word of hope for him and for us. For when we continue reading this psalm we see that it is about those who cried out to their God in times of trouble and were saved. In verse 24 we are given the best answer possible

For he has not despised or abhorred
The affliction of the afflicted;
And has not hid his face from him,
But has heard, when he cried to him.

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