Why did Jesus cry out to Elijah in Matt 27: 46-49?

Question

Please refrain from religion bashing, thank you!

I think this rephrase is necessary. Why did he refer to the Lord as Elijah?

Answer 1

Jesus did not cry out to Elijah when He was on the cross. Jesus cried out in Greek, "ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?" that is, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?"

And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, "This man is calling for Elijah."

Immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink.

But the rest of them said, "Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him."
As you can see, it is not that Jesus cried out to Elijah, but that some of the people thought He did. It could have been that because Jesus was so beat up and in so much pain that His prayer to the Father was misunderstood.
Now, let's talk about a more important issue. Why did Jesus cry out, My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?" It's because in that awful and mysterious moment God the Father laid your sins and min upon Christ. "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2nd Corinthians 5:21). God the Father poured out His wrath against sin on His beloved Son. Jesus felt the sin, shame, and separation that you and I deserve. This is how much Jesus loves you, that He would die in your place. But we know that God the Father didn't forsake His Son forever. No. On the 3rd day God the Father raised Jesus from the dead. Christ is alive. He is calling you to salvation. Will you answer the call?

Answer 2

Better read that one again. HE is not crying out to Elijah but to His Father saying, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?" The bystanders thought He was calling out to Elijah as they did not understand what He was saying clearly. They were mistaken as you will see if you read the verse before, 46. Jesus was cut off from His Fathers presence as He had the weight of the sin of the whole world on His shoulders and had to experience what we will if we do not accept Him, the utter desolation of being cast out and being lost. Shortly there after He died. He gave up His life so we would not have to go through it ourselves.

Answer 3

He didn't cry out to Elijah, He called out to the Father. The ppl there watching thought He was calling to Elijah, but He wasn't. He called out to God bc at that moment, all our sin was put on Jesus, and God turned His face from Jesus. For the first time in His life, He didn't feel God's presence. That's why He asked God why He'd forsaken Him.

Answer 4

I'm using an NIV translation, verse 47 ...when some of those standing there heard this they said, "He's calling Elijah."
Elijah as I recall, as the expected announcer of the "special one of God" to come, so it would have made sense to the Jews that Elijah would lead the way to "save" Jesus >> IF << Jesus was indeed that "special one of God". It was just one more form of mockery.

But the question still remains why did Jesus cry out "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?"
Here is my layman's (non-pastor) perspective. We Christians believe Jesus was fully man (human not just sexual / male) and fully God. The fully human Jesus would have been in extreme pain, no doubt felt extremely abandon, extremely alone and separated from God.
Remember Jesus had always felt the power of God in/through/around him full time, did he now, not feel that presence, did he feel separated from God.
If we Christians claim - and we do - that Jesus understands our every weakness, every pain, every feeling; then we would expect to see examples in his life. And we do. Jesus wept, felt the loss of friends, felt the joy of renewal, we also see he had compassion and see him practicing that compasion by healing people.
You and I know about pain, death of others, loneyness - maybe even experienced them first hand.
If Jesus didn't have this experience, first hand and in a much more intense way than you or I am ever likely to experience, would we turn to Him when we are feeling abandon, feeling alone, or in pain - likely not.
I think the fact that Jesus cried out gives us permission - maybe even demands of us? - to do the same; that is, cry out to God when we feel abandon, feel defeated, are in pain of any form or because we feel we have lost our connection with God.
If we Christians believe that Jesus suffered, and we do, than maybe we needed to be made witnesses, even if it is by just reading about it, to his suffering so we know whom to turn to when we find in ourselves the need to cry out.

Don't know if that's what you were looking for or not...
Peace be with you

Answer 5

I've often wondered why, as Jesus was dying in agony, he would think to quote Psalm 22:1:

To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring.

I've never figured out the answer, though.

Answer 6

He really cryed out to God using one of the Psalms of David no 21 or 22 bepending of your version of the bible.

Answer 7

He was in alot of pain, and if you remember, he prayed before hand and said, basically, please, I don't want to do this anymore Father, but if it be thy will, I will. And he was praying to God, not Elijah. We only pray to God, as we are commanded.
Also, when he cried out, that was crying out to the Father, and if you read the rest of the account, he died shortly after... so he was delivered!

Answer 8

He didn't didn't - if you read the verse carefully, the by-standers misheard "Eli Eli lama sabach tha ni".

I doubt if the poor soul was talking too clearly at the time.

Answer 9

he was qouting from psalm 22 if you read it you will see it fortells his sufering

Answer 10

He didn't - it meant, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' (foreign languages can be so troublesome...) ;)