Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?

Paul Rai, KalimNews, 27 March 2016: Jesus was captured and brought before Pontius Pilate the governor. After series of trials – He was not found guilty of anything but the crowd wanted Him to be crucified, for the scripture had to be fulfilled. This was His purpose for coming to this world. Pilate did not find any error in Jesus. He asked the crowd ‘what wrong he has done so I should punish him’. Yet the bloodthirsty crowd said “crucify him”. 

They wanted a notable prisoner named Barabbas who tormented the society through his evil ways to be freed in Jesus’ place. Pilate could find no fault in Jesus and as per the tradition he washed his hands before the multitude saying ‘I am innocent of the blood of this just person’. Then the multitude answered “Let his blood be upon us and on our children”.

They stripped Jesus and put on Him a scarlet robe. They put a crown of thorns upon His head and a reed in His right hand. They spit upon him, mocked him, beat him and made to carry a cross to the place called Golgotha. Offered him to drink vinegar mingled with gall, they parted his garments. They crucified Him with thieves and over His head they put an accusation written “JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS” written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin. At one point while on cross Jesus cried out ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ which means “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” When He died at the cross, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom and there was an earth quake.

Jesus took the sins of the world upon Him. His blood was shed for the remission of the sins of many. God (the Father) could not see the Son (Jesus) on the cross and turned His face away and Jesus said “Father, Father why have you forsaken me”.  God is turning face from God. God could not see God on the Cross of Calvary. In other words God did not rescue God from the punishment of the cross because Jesus had to die on the cross as a ransom for many. This was His mission. Jesus who knew no sin became sin on the cross. God (the Father) would have send tens of thousands of angels to save Jesus from the cross but He did not because Jesus had to be afflicted. 
Seeing the terrible scene of the cross many mighty angels of heaven may have wished to save Jesus perhaps God did not wished so. Jesus being the Son of God performed many miracles during His ministry in Israel would have performed another miracle by saving Himself from the cross. But it was not the plan of God. He was to put on trials for false accusations and like a Lamb He was mute even when the butchers were about to execute Him for not being guilty. God (the Father) could not see God, for Jesus had turned into sin, He took upon Himself all the sins of the world at that point. This is the reason why God hid His face from God. Jesus became sin in order to defeat sin. At the final hour of His death Jesus committed His spirit to God saying “Father, I give my spirit to you”.

His body was taken to a grave where no one was ever kept. A huge stone was put at the entrance of the grave with two Roman soldiers as guards. On the third day, early morning when disciples went to check the grave they did not find Him, neither the guards. The stone was rolled to the other side of the grave. As Jesus foretold that He has to die and after three days He will be resurrected and it came to pass. After this, resurrected Jesus appeared to his disciple and other people. He fellowshipped with them for forty days. And while He was with disciples at Mount of Olives - He ascended to Heaven.

Around the world the day Jesus was crucified is celebrated as Good Friday as this was good for all   mankind for the forgiveness of sin, and Sunday as victory day – a hope of resurrection. 
Many followers play Easter Carol on early Sunday morning singing –

“God sent His son, they called Him Jesus

He came to love, heal and forgive

He lived and died to buy my pardon

An empty grave is there to prove my Savoir lives

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.

Because he lives, All fear is gone.

Because I know He holds the future,

And life is worth the living just because He lives.”