“[A]bout 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?’” It’s a strange question for a Man who is God to ask. If the Son and the Father are truly of the same essence, with the Holy Ghost, then why is the Son asking this question. One must conclude that He is asking it from His human nature.

So, let’s answer the question, shall we?

• “And the LORD said to Moses: ‘Behold, you will rest with your fathers; and this people will rise and play the harlot with the gods of the foreigners of the land, where they go to be among them, and they will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them. Then My anger shall be aroused against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured. And many evils and troubles shall befall them, so that they will say in that day, “Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?” And I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they have done, in that they have turned to other gods.’” (Deuteronomy 31:16-18)
• “Yet you have forsaken Me and served other gods. Therefore I will deliver you no more.” (Judges 10:13)
• The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him. (Ezra 8:22b)
• Alas, sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the LORD, They have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel, They have turned away backward. The destruction of transgressors and of sinners shall be together, And those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed. (Isaiah 1:4, 28)
• I will utter My judgments Against them concerning all their wickedness, Because they have forsaken Me, Burned incense to other gods, And worshiped the works of their own hands. (Jeremiah 1:16)
• Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their own Mercy. (Jonah 2:8)

So, why? Because of wickedness. Because of forsaking God. Because of turning to idols and false gods. The Father has forsaken the Son for these reasons.

But these were not Jesus’ infractions. The Son was obedient to the end, to the point of death on the cross, as St. Paul put it. (cf. Philippians 2:8) And since He was obedient, He kept the whole Law, point for point, which meant He was not wicked, He did not forsake God, and He never turned to idols and false gods. These charges were leveled against Him as He stood before the council (cf. Matthew 26:59-66), but they are not His offenses.

These, dear hearer, are your offenses. You are the wicked one. You are the one guilty of forsaking God. You are the one who turns to idols and false gods, more often than not yourself. You are the one who does not keep the whole Law, point for point, but are guilty of transgressing it all. “The soul who sins shall die,” (Ezekiel 18:4d, 20a) and you most certainly have sinned. You are the one who should be nailed to a cross and crying out to the Father, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?”

“Jesus, whelmed in fears unknown, / With our evil left alone, / While no light from heaven is shown: / Hear us, holy Jesus.”

Thanks be to God, however, that Jesus is the One. Though the accusations were leveled against Him falsely, He took them on your behalf. Though He did not deserve to die for the sins of the world, yet on your behalf, He gives His life on the cross. Though He in no way should have been forsaken by God, there He is on the cross crying out in your grief and shame.

And He gives you innocence and life in return. By all rights, these are His, for He has earned them being the sinless Man that He is. And by His death in your place and resurrection, He has the right to confer these to you. He shed His blood in your place, and by that shed blood, you are declared not guilty (cf. Hebrews 9:22)—innocent of all your crimes against the Law of God, of all the accusations leveled against Jesus in your stead.

Now, by way of the blood of Christ, you are His people. In fact, by way of Baptism into Jesus’ death and resurrection, you are made sons of God and co-heirs with Jesus of eternal life and given the gift of the Holy Spirit. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1)

Since you are now God’s people in Christ, covered in His righteousness, He promises now never to forsake you.

• “For the LORD will not forsake His people, for His great name's sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people.” (1 Samuel 12:22)
• “And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel.” (1 Kings 6:13)
• “For the LORD loves justice, And does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever...” (Psalm 37:28)

Why does the Father not forsake you as He has the ancestors before? Because, for your sake, He has already forsaken His Son. Now, for Christ’s sake, you are forever in His blessed presence, nevermore to be forsaken, forgiven for all of your sins.