We have heard it many ways, for example : Jesus was forsaken so God would never forsake you or when Jesus became sin God couldn’t look at Him.

But what if scripture says different?

We know this verse :

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”Matthew 27:46 NKJV

We take this verse just like that and say : see the bible says it clearly. But that is how we misunderstand much in the bible.

If we look at the other times Jesus speaks to God the Father, He never refers to Him as God, but as Father. So when He says “My God, My God”, He is doing it to make a point. The Jews who heard Jesus say that knew their old testament, especially a psalm like this one.

My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning?Psalms 22:1 NKJV

Jesus was quoting David! He was drawing attention to what David said in Psalms 22. Why would Jesus do that? See what it says :

All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, “He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!” I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother’s womb You have been My God. For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots. For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Nor has He hidden His face from Him; But when He cried to Him, He heard.Psalms 22:7‭-‬8‭, ‬10‭, ‬16‭-‬18‭, ‬24 NKJV

He says the words from David so that the Jews would see the relevance and fulfillment of what was happening! But even when you read Psalm 22 you see that God never hid His face nor ignored the cry because of sin.

This is why this scripture makes sense :

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.Romans 5:8 NKJV

God didn’t forsake Christ, He is not forsaking you either. He loved you while you were a sinner. You might not have loved Him, that makes a big difference, because when you love Him, you change.