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how does this cry on the cross connect with other biblical laments and expressions of abandonment?

The passage, plainly, with room to sit with it.

Mark 15:34

At the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is, being interpreted, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

This verse describes Jesus' cry from the cross in the Gospel of Mark. It's near the end of his life, a moment of profound suffering and apparent abandonment, just before his death. Mark's Gospel was likely written for a Roman audience facing persecution, around 65-70 CE.

What does it mean for us today to acknowledge moments of deep pain and perceived abandonment, even when we believe in a present God?

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Read alongside it

  • Psalm 22:1

    This is the psalm Jesus quotes, opening with the same cry of abandonment.

  • Lamentations 3:1-20

    This passage expresses profound personal suffering and a feeling of being forsaken by God.

  • Hebrews 4:15

    This verse speaks of Jesus' ability to empathize with human weaknesses, including suffering and temptation.

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