Jesus’ perspective

Mark 15:33-41

³³ At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. ³⁴ And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

³⁵ When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”

³⁶ Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.

³⁷ With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.

³⁸ The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. ³⁹ And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

⁴⁰ Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph, and Salome. ⁴¹ In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.

Mark has shown us Jesus’ rejection, unjust condemnation, torture, mockery and humiliation from the perspective of his abusers. Now we hear Jesus’ perspective on what’s happening: he loudly shouts the first line of Psalm 22 and it reveals both the stark reality of what is happening, and that how that turns everything around.

Like all psalms of protest, Psalm 22 begins with a heart-felt call to God for rescue based on God’s past faithfulness and the firm expectation that he must be faithful now. It gives a graphic description of the depths of the psalmist’s abandonment, abuse and injustice (that also vividly describes what Jesus is experiencing). “All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads.” (Psalm 22:7, echoed in Mark 15:29a) The say, “he trusts in the Lord, let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.” (Psalm 22:8 echoed in Mark 15:29b-30) “They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.” (Psalm 22:18 echoed in Mark 15:24)

And then God does something (it doesn’t say what) that turns everything around, and turns desperate protest into the opposite extreme of praise. “I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you. You who fear the Lord, praise him! … For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.” … “future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it!” (Psalm 22:22-24, 30b-31) And this is that moment that turns everything around.

Why is Jesus abandoned on the cross? To make the way through death to resurrection life for all who follow him.

Who is it that has abandoned Jesus? We have seen everyone abandon Jesus, from his closest friends to the crowds who welcomed him a few days earlier. We have seen everyone from Israel’s leaders to Gentile authorities to the hostile onlookers rejecting, humiliating, and crucifying the embodiment of God. Far from God being the one who abandons, this is where humanity abandons God. But this is also where God identifies himself with all who suffer and call out to him. This is where God rescues all humanity from separation from him.

Oh God, I will declare your praise. You have not hidden your face from me but have listened. You have stepped into my place of separation, and you have rescued me. You have made the way for me to be restored to relationship with you. You have made the way for me to come through death to resurrection life. I will proclaim your righteousness to my generation and to further generations yet unborn that you have done it.

Written by David Cornell