"From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Issa cried out in a loud voice:
"ELOI, ELOI, lama sabachthani?!" (This is Aramaic, how beautiful it sounds)
It means "My Lord my Lord, why have you forsaken me??"
What I thought at first, is that it seemed pretty out of character for Issa to say something like that at such a pivotal moment, and that they were his last recorded words! But what many people do not know, is that Issa often quoted from the Talmud. Much of what he preached if not all, came from the untarnished version of the Torah or Talmud that he miraculously knew by heart. If you look into it, you will know that this phrase is the first sentence of King David's (peace be upon him) Psalm #22. If you read the whole Psalm, you will see it is actually a very powerful and positive message about God, and not a message of doubt or despair, but one of hope. Is it possible Issa was just alluding to this Psalm in his last moment on earth? Also, if he said this indeed, then it would been that he believed that Allah was within listening distance of him. Otherwise, if he had been without hope or faith, he would not have even tried to communicate to Him in the first place.
At any rate, I am aware that Muslims do not believe that Issa died on the cross, but I still have some researching to do about whether he was even hung on it at all and if not, then what of his powerful words on the cross? Well, his was just to address this phrase, although it could also just have come from the man who was in Issa's place on the cross crying out for God. But based on what I have learned so far, it does seem to me that it would have made sense for Issa to have said this after all. Below is the complete Psalm so you can see what I mean. At the third verse, you will see how it affirms the power of Allah, which is maybe what Issa was indicating through starting to say this Psalm in his last words before ascending to where Allah sent him, without tasting death. It truly is a lovely and inspirational Psalm:
Psalm 22
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
and by night, but find no rest.
3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4 In you our ancestors trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried, and were saved; in you they trusted, and were not put to shame.
6 But I am a worm, and not human; scorned by others, and despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock at me; they make mouths at me, they shake their heads;
8 “Commit your cause to the Lord; let him deliver—let him rescue the one in whom he delights!”
9 Yet it was you who took me from the womb; you kept me safe from my mother’s breast.
10 On you I was cast from my birth, and since my mother bore me you have been my God.
11 Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
12 Many bulls encircle me, strong bulls of Bã’shan surround me;
13 they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast;
15 my mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.
16 For dogs are all around me; a company of evildoers encircles me. My hands and feet have shriveled;
17 I can count all my bones. They stare and gloat over me;
18 they divide my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.
19 But you, O Lord, do not be far away! O my help, come quickly to my aid!
20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my life from the power of the dog!
21 Save me from the mouth of the lion!
From the horns of the wild oxen, you have rescued me.
22 I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him; stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
24 For he did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted; he did not hide his face from me, but heard when I cried to him.
25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him.
26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord. May your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him.
28 For dominion belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.
29 To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, and I shall live for him.
30 Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord,
31 and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying that he has done it.
1 comment:
I believe that Jesus was referring to Psalms 22 when he was on the cross as well.
If you can please read surah al-Imran 3:42-55 on Isa. Pay special attention to 44 and 45.
Do you recognize the names Isa-Kalimatullah and Isa-Ruhullah?
Do you know of any other prophet who was called the Word of Allah?
In surah4 The Women ayyah 171 says "...speak the truth; the Messiah, Isa son of Maryam is only an apostle of Allah and His Word whcih he communicated to Maryam and a spirit from him.
Another passage is sura 21 The Prophets verse 91. Isa is given the title Ruhullah (Spirit of Allah). Do you know of any other prophet that is given the title Ruhullah?
The Qur'an is right when it says Isa is worthy of regard in this world and in the hereafter. I cannot think of any major religion that fails to give honor and respect to Isa. Isa is a sign and Messiah for the entire world.
3:46 Allah said that Isa would be among the righteous.
Did Isa ever sin?
Did Isa ever marry or have sexual relations with a woman? Did he ever kill anyone? Did He ever accumulate wealth?
3:47 Maryam was shocked by the news that Allah had given. How could she have a baby? No man had ever touched her. But Allah explained to her that He could do anything He wanted. All He has to do is say "Be!" and it is so.
Allah can do anything right? Yes right...
Do you know any other prophet who did not have a father?
See Surah al- Imran 3:59 and surah Ta Ha 20:121.
How many sins did it take for Adam to be removed from Allah's presence and from the garden?
Since we are all sons of Adam and sinners like him, who is powerful enough to save us from our sinful condition?
read surah al Imran 3:28-49
3:48- this ayyah tells us that Allah taught Isa from the Taurat, the Zabur and the Injil. Do you have a copy of the earlier scriptures? 3:49 - Isn't it interesting that this story says Isa created life out of the dust by breathing life into it? How did Allah create man?
Isa was able to do the same thing by breathing life into birds made of dust! Isa had the power to crate life.
Do you know of any other prophet who had the power to reate life?
What is man's greatest enemy? Death right...
Do you know of any other prophet who was given that Isa had?
Now read Surah al-Imran 3:50-55. What did Isa verify and what things that were forbidden did Isa made allowable?
When I read the Taurat and Azbur I found over 3000 prophecies and Isa spoken by the prophets. I found one ayyah that is written over 700 years before the birth of Isa which says: Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14)
In Hebrew Immanuel means God with us.
In ayyah 3:52-53 Isa seeks someone to assist Him in turning unbelievers to faith.
Isn't it interesting that according to the Qur'an those who submitted to Allah's will as disciples of Isa were called Muslims?
3:55- What was Allah's plan? It was Allah's plan to cause Isa to die.
The word is mutawaffika - "to cause to die"
Read ayyah 55 twice. What does the Arabic word, mutawaffika mean?
The word means to die, to cause to die or to kill. Allah goes on to say I will "...cause you to ascend unto me"
Does ayyah 55 say that Allah would cause Isa to die and then raise Him to Himself?
Post a Comment