Faith Formation: Matthew The Gospel of God With Us. Matthew 27:45-50

From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three o'clock in the afternoon. And about three o'clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, "This man is calling for Elijah." At once one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it for him to drink. But the others said, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him." Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night but find no rest. Yet you are holy... Psalm 22:1-2

What do you do at noon on Good Friday? Do you sit down to lunch? What do you do at 3:00 PM on Good Friday? Do you settle in for a nap? From noon to three o'clock as "darkness came over the whole land." Jesus breathed his last breath. Many in the ancient world may have read the coming of this darkness and death in terms of the royal designation "King of the Jews." Darkness at noon was in literature and imagination a cosmic sign that shadowed the death of kings and heroes. Those who remembered scripture may have heard an echo from Genesis and creation. In the beginning "darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind (a breath, the Spirit) from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, 'Let there be light.'" Genesis 1:2-4 A parallel exists between these moments when God speaks light into the chaos of the world and the sinfulness of humanity. It is an ironic parallel, sad and saving at the same time, death and darkness and the last breath of Christ, before a new creation and hope arose. Other's might remember the story of Passover and the death of the first born males of Egypt, before Israel was set free from slavery. The prophet Amos made a more obscure reference to the moment of God turning away from Godself, from God's people, or from the world. "On that day, says the LORD God, I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight. I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentation." God's withdrawal from the world is a time of deepest darkness and despair. The world would wait through the vigil of days until there was light again.

Jesus final cry was misunderstood by those who heard it. They did not know Hebrew or Aramaic (the common language that Jesus spoke), or perhaps his words were so slurred, or whispered from exhaustion that no one heard him clearly. Many at the foot of the cross may also have been drinking heavily like revelers at a party who make crude, inebriated remarks, laughing in self-defense at tragedy. Legend, hope, suggested that Elijah, who ascended to heaven in a chariot of fire and did not die, would return to rescue the righteous at the time of their greatest distress. Whether they were waiting for a miracle or joking about Jesus last chance to escape is unclear. Giving him sour wine to drink was no help and served no purpose. I suspect said these things in Jesus hearing to further mock and ridicule him. No one ever offered or imagined hope for those being crucified. The laughter only increased Jesus experience of isolation. Those who had been listening to the Gospel as it was read to them already knew that Elijah had come in John the Baptist. John was already gone, and Elijah was not going to show up. Listeners to the Gospel were also informed by Matthew the real meaning of what Jesus cried out. It had nothing to do with Elijah. It had everything to do with God and Jesus.

Jesus last cry was simply anguish that no word can render. "He breathed his last." The phrase may also be translated, "he gave up his spirit." Breath and spirit are closely related words. Spirit conjures up ideas about the Holy Spirit which descended on Jesus at baptism. The spirit Jesus gave up was simply the breath of life that makes a person a living being. It simply means, "He died."

Keep the faith. Say your prayers. Love like Jesus.

Pastor Tim Bauer