My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? – The pinnacle of the suffering of Jesus on the cross for you and me.

I know this is the season of Christmas, But we can celebrate by praising the Son of God – Jesus, because we have been reconciled by this ultimate suffering on the cross, by Christ our Saviour.

This moment when Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34) is one of the most profound and mysterious statements in Scripture. Jesus did not cry out when He was beaten, spat upon or mocked.  To understand why this is the moment when Jesus has an unbearable pain, we need to explore both the spiritual reality and the relationship between Jesus and God the Father leading up to the cross

1. Jesus' Eternal Relationship with God the Father

• Before the crucifixion, Jesus always enjoyed perfect unity and communion with God the Father.

• This eternal relationship is described in passages like:

  • John 1:1-2: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

  • John 10:30: “I and the Father are one.”

  • John 17:5: Jesus prayed, “Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.”

Jesus always had unbroken fellowship with God the Father because He was sinless and shared the divine nature (John 8:29). His entire life and ministry flowed from this relationship.

2. The Moment on the Cross

When Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (quoting Psalm 22:1), He was experiencing something utterly unique—the weight of the sins of the world placed upon Him.

• 2 Corinthians 5:21 explains this moment clearly:

  
  

  “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

  
  

  Jesus, who knew no sin, took upon Himself the sins of all humanity.

At this point:

• Jesus experienced a sense of separation from God the Father, not because of His own sin, but because He bore the sins of humanity.

• God the Father, in His holiness, could not look favorably upon sin. Jesus carried the full punishment and wrath for sin.

This doesn’t mean the Trinitarian unity between Father, Son, and Spirit was broken, but the relational intimacy Jesus always enjoyed with the Father was temporarily obscured as He bore our sins.

3. Why Was This Necessary?

Jesus had to endure this separation so that we would never have to.

• Isaiah 59:2 says, “Your iniquities have separated you from your God.”

• Jesus became our substitute, experiencing the spiritual separation and punishment we deserved.

• Romans 6:23: “The wages of sin is death.” Jesus took upon Himself this death—physically and spiritually.

Through His sacrifice, Jesus opened the way for us to be reconciled to God:

• 1 Peter 3:18: “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.”

  
  

4. Did Jesus See God the Father Until That Point?

Yes, until that moment on the cross, Jesus experienced perfect communion with the Father.

• During His earthly life, Jesus often prayed to the Father and received strength, guidance, and assurance.

• Even in the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed, “Not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)

The moment when Jesus bore the sin of humanity, the sense of separation He felt was unprecedented for Him. He had always seen, known, and been one with the Father. This cry reflects the agony of that temporary, but very real, loss of fellowship.

5. Jesus’ Cry Fulfills Prophecy

By quoting Psalm 22, Jesus was not only expressing His anguish but also fulfilling prophecy.

• Psalm 22, written centuries earlier, describes in detail the suffering of the Messiah:

  • “They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.” (Psalm 22:18)

  • “All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads.” (Psalm 22:7)

Though Psalm 22 begins with despair, it ends in victory and hope:

• “He has done it!” (Psalm 22:31), which mirrors Jesus’ final words on the cross: “It is finished.” (John 19:30).

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Jesus, throughout eternity and His earthly life, had unbroken fellowship with God the Father. On the cross, when He took the sins of the world upon Himself, He experienced a momentary sense of separation—a spiritual reality where He bore the punishment and wrath for sin. This cry reveals the depth of His suffering and sacrifice, done so that we might be eternally reconciled to God.

His temporary forsakenness ensures that we who trust in Him will never be forsaken:“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

So dear child of God, Jesus suffered even being separated from God the Father , with who he was always in perfect communion, just that you and I might come back to Him through Jesus. When you pray, take a moment to reflect upon this. The Love that the Father and Jesus have for us is so immense. Would you let your child suffer and die for people who you feel are bad in character? Would you leave something or someone so dear and embrace separation, for the sake of saving unworthy people? How deep is this love of our God.

As a child of God, we should be in communion with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ at all times. When we backslide or go astray we should feel the pain of separation to bring us back to Him. Never numb this pain, lest you go to a point of no return.