Matthew 27:46
Bible Verses. Also called Matt. 27:46, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani, Why hast thou forsaken me?, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?, Cry of Dereliction, Seven Last Words of Christ.
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Scripture quotation from the King James Version (KJV). Read this chapter
Matthew 27:46 records the cry that Jesus uttered with a loud voice from the cross: "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" It is one of the Seven Last Words of Christ. Its meaning, specifically what it means for the Son to have been forsaken on the cross, has been the subject of profound theological discussion.
About this articleAI draft from a Korean source. Notes on Korean Protestant practice. No sources listed. Not yet reviewed by a person.
- Origin
Drafted by AI from the Korean church.wiki article, then translated and adapted for English readers on 5 November 2026.
- Perspective
Includes notes on Korean Protestant practice; other traditions are noted where they differ.
- Sources
None listed yet. The article draws on the biblical text and general reference works. Add a source
- Review
Not yet reviewed by a person. Last edited by a person: never. Translation updated 5 November 2026. Edit history
Context
After Jesus was crucified, darkness came over all the land from the sixth hour (noon) until the ninth hour (3 p.m.). About the ninth hour, Jesus cried out these words, which are the opening words of Psalm 22:1. Matthew records the Hebrew form "Eli," while Mark gives the Aramaic form "Eloi" (Mark 15:34). Some of those standing nearby took the cry to be a call for Elijah (Matthew 27:47). Matthew and Mark record this as the only saying of Jesus from the cross. Shortly afterward, Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last.
Interpretations
- As forsakenness in bearing sin: This view holds that Jesus, receiving God's judgment in the place of sinners, actually suffered the anguish of having his fellowship with the Father broken (2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13). The verse is an important text for the doctrine of penal substitution in the Reformed tradition. John Calvin is known to have connected the Apostles' Creed's phrase "he descended into hell" with this anguish of soul.
- As a citation of the whole of Psalm 22: This view notes that reciting the first line of a psalm was at that time a way of calling the entire psalm to mind. It therefore holds that the cry points to the whole of Psalm 22, which begins with a lament of suffering and ends with God's deliverance and praise. On this reading, the cry expresses not despair alone but a prayer of trust.
- As the suffering of true humanity: This view emphasizes that Jesus, as truly human, endured to the end the suffering of one who has been forsaken. The German theologian Jürgen Moltmann, in The Crucified God, interpreted this cry as an event revealing that God is present in suffering.
Debates and Controversies
Theologians have long discussed how the statement that the Father "forsook" the Son can be reconciled with the unity of the Trinity. Many hold that language implying an actual rupture within the Trinity should be avoided, and they explain the forsakenness as something the Son experienced in his humanity. Others object that diminishing the weight of this cry too much weakens the meaning of the atonement.
Perspective: Korean Protestant practiceHow this idea is used in Korean churches, kept from the original Korean article.
In Korean Protestant churches, the verse is a central text for Good Friday services during Holy Week and for sermons on the Seven Last Words. It is also frequently meditated upon during the special early-morning prayer meetings held during Holy Week.
Related Passages
See also 6
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