ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI e’ lī, e’ lī, lä’ mə sə bák’ thə nī (Aram. אֱלָהִי אֱלָהִי לְמָה שְׁבַקְתַּנִי, transliterated into Gr. [Matt 27:46] as ἠλὶ̀ ἠλὶ̀ λεμὰ̀ σαβαχθανί). The form of the divine name with personal possessive suffix, אֵלִי, is identical with the OT Heb. quotation in Psalm 22:1 from which the phrase is quoted. The verbal form sabachthani, however, is pure Aram. In the parallel quotation (Mark 15:34), the Gr. reads ἐλωῒ̀ ἐλωῒ̀ λαμὰ̀ σαβαχθάνι, wherein the divine name is Aram. in form. In the many texts and VSS of this v., the two gospel readings are often interchanged, and even the Lat. varies widely, some VSS yielding “heloi” and “lammasabani.” This is easily explained when it is recognized that few Gentile Christians knew any Heb., and that a mixed dialect of Heb. and Aram. was common in Pal. throughout the postexilic period. The question of which of these languages Jesus actually spoke has been discussed for centuries. It appears that He followed the custom of the time of speaking in Aram., although listening to and expounding the OT in the Heb. text. (Cf. other clues in the NT, e.g. the use of “Amen” in John [3:3, et al.] and the phrase employed in the raising of Jairus’s daughter, Mark 5:41.)

The statement is of great theological significance in the comprehension of the selfrevelation of Jesus. The meaning of the phrase is abundantly clear, as both evangelists immediately gloss the Aram. transliteration with the meaning, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46; Mark 15:34). The true comprehension of the momentous meaning of the text is involved with the fact that it is quoted from a Messianic Psalm. The rabbinical commentators and the Talmud itself assumed Psalm 22 to be an expression of suffering and a plea for mercy greater than David’s alone. The cry of the dying Messiah in the passion narratives refers to the mystery of Christ’s two natures—the Divine co-eternal Lord-Christ was judging the human Messiah-Jesus upon the cross, and in this hour of agony when redemption was accomplished, the suffering servant cried out to the just and angry covenant God. In view of this moment, many churches have added over the centuries the phrase “he descended into Hell” to the statement regarding Christ’s passion in the Apostles’ Creed. At this point in the narrative of redemption, the insight is far beyond the realm of analysis and only confession is valid.