Did Jesus Turn From His Mission When He Cried, “My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?”?

One of the most haunting and debated moments in Scripture comes from Jesus’ cry on the cross, as recorded in the Gospels of Matthew (27:46) and Mark (15:34): “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which translates to “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” At first glance, these words can be interpreted as Jesus feeling abandoned by God, potentially turning away from His mission to save humanity.

Such an interpretation suggests a moment of crisis, doubt, or failure. How could the Messiah—fully divine and fully committed to his redemptive work—express such despair just before His death? This troubling perspective can lead some to question whether Jesus’ mission was compromised, or if He was overwhelmed by the weight of His suffering to the point of feeling forsaken by God.

A Deeper Look at the Textual and Historical Context

Understanding this cry requires looking carefully at the context and the original meaning. Jesus’ words are not a spontaneous lament but are a deliberate quotation from Psalm 22:1, an ancient Hebrew psalm that begins with a cry of abandonment yet ends in triumphant trust and vindication.

Psalm 22 is a profound prophetic text rich with Messianic imagery, describing suffering, mockery, and eventual deliverance. Jesus’ use of this psalm is significant because it situates His suffering within the framework of God’s redemptive plan foretold in Scripture. Rather than turning away from His divine mission, Jesus points directly to the fulfillment of prophecy. His suffering is purposeful, fulfilling what was written long before His birth.

Contrasting Gospel Accounts: Matthew and Mark vs. Luke and John

Interestingly, the different Gospel writers portray Jesus’ last moments on the cross with varying emphases:

Matthew and Mark record this cry of forsakenness, emphasizing the depth of Jesus’ human suffering and anguish.
Luke, on the other hand, does not include this cry. Instead, Luke highlights Jesus’ focus on forgiveness and trust: Jesus asks the Father to forgive those who crucify Him (Luke 23:34), assures the repentant criminal of salvation (Luke 23:43), and commits His spirit to the Father with peace (Luke 23:46).
John presents Jesus’ final words as “It is finished” (John 19:30), affirming the completion of His mission with a victorious tone rather than one of abandonment.

These variations emphasize not contradiction but the multi-faceted nature of Jesus’ experience—both fully human in His pain and fully divine in His mission and trust in the Father.

Why Jesus Was Not Forsaken or Abandoning His Mission

Jesus’ cry must be seen as an expression of the real and profound human experience of suffering and separation he endured on behalf of humanity. This experience of forsakenness was the weight of sin placed upon Him, symbolizing the separation humans deserve because of sin, rather than a literal abandonment by the Father within the Trinity.

By quoting Psalm 22, Jesus was expressing both the agony of His suffering and His unwavering faith. Psalm 22’s trajectory moves from despair to hope, from death to life, culminating in God’s deliverance and glory (Psalm 22:22-31). Jesus, knowing this scripture well, invites the witnesses—and readers across history—to understand His death as the fulfillment of God’s powerful plan for salvation.

The Powerful Message Behind the Cry

Jesus’ words on the cross reveal the depth of His sacrifice. They show that He truly entered into the most broken aspects of human existence, even to the feeling of abandonment, so that He could restore humanity’s relationship with God. It was not a moment of failure, but the final act of obedience and love.

Furthermore, His quoting of Psalm 22 signals to the early followers and future readers that His suffering was not random or meaningless but deeply rooted in the Scriptures pointing to the Messiah.

Conclusion

Jesus’ cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” must not be misread as turning from His mission or losing faith. Instead, it is a profound fulfillment of Scripture, depicting the ultimate cost of salvation and the Messiah’s faithful obedience to the Father’s redemptive plan.

This cry is a bridge from human suffering to divine victory, from forsakenness to fulfillment, inviting all who hear it to recognize the Messiah who truly bore the weight of the world’s sin and accomplished salvation as promised in the Old Testament.