Jesus had passed responsibility for His mother to His close disciple, John. Now, He remained suspended between earth and sky, barely clinging to life. He was still pushing Himself up against the raw wooden beam, so as to continue breathing, and then slumping back down, hanging from the iron nails in His hands. The pain must have been maddening by now. Historians tell us that it was not uncommon for a man being crucified to curse and rail profanely, as though only foul language was an adequate expression of the foulest of deaths. But this was not Jesus' response. He did not curse His executioners. He did, however, make seven powerful statements. The fourth statement is the most anguishing of all. “‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’” (Matthew 27:45-46).

Matthew 27

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