by Timothy W. Burnett
The word "forsaken" comes from the Biblical Greek word egkataleipo. Don't get bogged down with trying to pronounce this word. In the bible-study portion of the website crosswalk.com, the above mentioned Greek word is defined to abandon or desert, leave in straits or to leave helpless, utterly forsaken, to leave behind among others, or to leave surviving.
A huge contradiction exists between the above scripture and the rest of the Gospels. The first clue of a serious problem occurs three days and three nights after Jesus was buried. God raised him from the dead. Aside from this, there are many accounts throughout the Gospel records that show a very close and personal relationship between God and His son. In Matthew 3:17 it says, "And lo, a voice from heaven saying, 'This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.'"
Let's look at Jesus' fellowship with his Father, "I can of mine own self do nothing. As I hear, I judge. And my judgement is just because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which has sent me" (John 5:30). Jesus Christ fully understood that he could do nothing by his own power. Jesus' decisions were right because he did not seek his own will, but the will of his Father who gave him the ministry. This can be confirmed by studying all the stories related to his ministry. There should be no doubt that Jesus did the will of his Father in heaven perfectly.
Alas, we have the following scripture in John 16:32, "Behold, the hour comes, yes, is now come, that you shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me." In the verse, Jesus told his followers that they would all abandon him, but that his Father would be with him.
How is it that Jesus never complained or reviled anybody during the most excruciatingly painful time of his life, yet while hanging on the stake he suddenly accused his Father of abandoning him?
To fully expose the contradiction we will use basic logic. God's word is mathematically exact and scientifically precise. This means that mathematic and scientific principles of logic can be applied in the study of His word. Applying basic logic, the following can be stated: If God truly forsook and utterly abandoned His beloved son, then there would be no record of Him resurrecting His son; And, if God truly raised Jesus from the dead, then He did not forsake and utterly abandon him.
A study of the Aramaic Eastern text will show that Jesus never believed he was forsaken by his Father. In Matthew 27:46 we find the Aramaic words, "Eli Eli lama sabachthani." These words were preserved because the editors of the Bible were not sure what they meant. In the book Gospel Light, author George M. Lamsa explained that the word lama was "lmna." It was a declaration of "for this purpose" or "for this reason." The word sabachthani was "shbqthni." The root of the word was "shbq" which meant to spare, leave, reserve or keep.
When we apply a more accurate definition of the Aramaic words, and allow God's word to interpret itself in the context of the rest of the scripture, we learn that while Jesus hung on the stake, he cried out with a loud voice, "My God my God, for this purpose was I spared or reserved!"
What was the purpose? Jesus Christ humbly knew that he was God's perfect Passover Lamb. He knew what would result from his crucifixion. After all the he endured, Jesus Christ our Lord still had the frame of mind to declare a cry of victory! Next he said, "It is finished." Because Jesus finished his work, it is now available to walk in the victory that he accomplished.
Just as God did not forsake and abandon his beloved son, so also will He not abandon any of His beloved saints and children now. This is God's promise...and He guarantees it.
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