| Home | Our Hope | |
| Bible Study |
|
September 22, 2013 |
| Song of Crucifixion | ||
King David was many things. He was first made known to us as a shepherd boy. Then we saw him as a harpist working for King Saul. Later we saw him as a warrior and on the run from King Saul. After all this we see him as king, although he was anointed as king while a shepherd boy.
Most people also know that King David was a song writer and poet. Many of the chapters in the book of Psalms, which are songs, are his. Even fewer people know that David was also a prophet and that many of his songs are prophecies. Many of them deal with the Messiah, Jesus, who would be David's son 1000 years later.
In this lesson we will look at one of those psalms, one that talks about Jesus suffering on the cross.
The verses below are from the NIV which replaces the personal name of God with 'the Lord'. Unfortunately the verses also contain 'the Lord' which is the proper translation of Hebrew Adonai. This can confuse the reader so I've changed the references to 'the Lord' back to the personal name of God, which is presented as Yahweh.
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?
2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest.
Verse 1 begins with the words that Jesus will speak from the cross 1000 years later as reported in Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34. The only difference is that Jesus spoke them in Aramaic and David recorded them in Hebrew.
In these words Jesus expresses his feeling of abandonment. "Put to death by his foes, very largely deserted by his friends, he may have felt also deserted by God"1 Stripped naked, hanging from a cross, with the adoring crowds gone, most of the disciples gone or watching from a safe distance, and the subject of ridicule, Jesus finds himself very alone. Of course we know he isn't alone.
In addition to being fully God, it's important to understand that Jesus was fully human. We can see his humanity in another thing that he said from the cross - "I thirst" (John 19:28). Also remember that Jesus cried. So it should hardly be surprising that Jesus feels abandoned.
In this moment of feeling abandoned God seems a long way away. Through his life Jesus had been under God's protection. From the time that he was very young people had tried to kill him but God had intervened. Now God does not step in to save him and it seems God isn't listening to his cries.
This really isn't any different from us. We can also feel abandoned at times, even though we know that we are not. And sometimes God can seem a long way away. Jesus is expressing these same feelings. Remember what Hebrews 4:15 says "15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet he did not sin."
3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises.
4 In you our ancestors put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried out and were saved; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
Having felt abandoned Jesus now says that he knows God is still on the throne and in control. The people of Israel have trusted in him before and they have been delivered instead of shamed for trusting in a God who would not help them.
6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
8 "He trusts in Yahweh," they say, "let Yahweh rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him."
Jesus is going back and forth here. First be talked about feeling abandoned (v.1-2), then about God being trustworthy (v.3-5), now he is back to feeling sad for himself. He says that everyone despises and scorns him. Of course that isn't entirely true, some of Jesus' friends are there.
But through this prophecy we see Jesus saying some things that are important. One of God's purposes for giving prophecy is to show his power to mankind. That happens when the prophecy is fulfilled. In this psalm we will see many prophecies that are confirmed in the New Testament. The first part of verse 8 is very similar to Mark's account of the mistreatment of Jesus on the cross in Mark 15:29. The last part is a prophetic reference to God saying that he delights in Jesus as recorded in Matthew 3:17 at his baptism and Mathew 17:5 at the transfiguration.
9 Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you, even at my mother's breast.
10 From birth I was cast on you; from my mother's womb you have been my God.
11 Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
Jesus now digs himself out of that sadness and goes back to the topic of faith and trust. He says I have always trusted in you and he asks God not to be far from him. This refers back to verse 1 when Jesus was saying that God seemed so far away from him.
The process that Jesus is going through is like the process we go through when troubles come upon us. For a while we lament about our situation, then we go back to saying but God is on my side, saying what have I to fear, then we go back to lamenting again, and then back to saying God is my rock.
12 Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13 Roaring lions that tear their prey open their mouths wide against me.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me.
15 My mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.
16 Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet.
17 All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.
Jesus goes through a long description of how he feels and how he perceives the things that are going on around him. He refers to the people around him symbolically using bulls, lions and dogs. His reference to the bulls of Bashan is a reference to the giants of Bashan mentioned in Deuteronomy 3:11-13. In writing this psalm, David would have remembered Goliath, whom he killed. For Jesus, perhaps this is a reference to the Roman soldiers. In any case Jesus feels very small and helpless.
Jesus continues by saying that he is spent, that there is nothing left in him. Every part of his body hurts. He also says he feels almost dead. There is no agreement on what is meant by "heart melting" but probably it follows along with the previous statements. Therefore the meaning would be that his insides feel like there is nothing left.
This was the point of crucifixion. It puts in play a struggle between the human desire to live and the pain that it takes to continue living. This struggle continues on until there is nothing left.
There are three very important prophetic references here. The psalm says "My mouth is dried up." What Jesus actually says on the cross, as reported in John 19:28 is "I thirst". The psalm says "they pierce my hands and feet" and "my bones are on display" which we know is how crucifixion was done. The psalm says "they divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment" which is reported in John 19:23-24 and Matthew 27:35.
19 But you, Lord, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me.
20 Deliver me from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs.
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen.
Jesus again pulls himself out of his feelings of distress. Again he asks God not to be far from him - a reference back to verse 1. He also asks to be saved from this situation. But he knows that he will not be saved. He said himself in John 12:27-28 "it was for this very reason I came to this hour."
Then, remembering his mission, he breaks out in praise.
22 I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you.
23 You who fear Yahweh, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.
25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows.
Jesus makes some interesting statements here. God has not ignored his suffering and cries. His real suffering was for his people that they might be freed from the bondage to sin. As the Son of God, his real desire was to restore his people to God and this is what God is doing. So, selfless once again, Jesus praises God for his present torment and determines to fulfill his vows to be the sacrifice for sin.
Now Jesus is triumphant. He proclaims the great things that will result from his suffering and death.
26 The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek Yahweh will praise him - may your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to Yahweh, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him,
28 for dominion belongs to Yahweh and he rules over the nations.
29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him - those who cannot keep themselves alive.
30 Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord.
31 They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it!
In saying "the poor will eat" Jesus appears to be referring back to his statements in various places that he is the bread of life or water of life. Thus the poor that he is talking about are the spiritually poor. Later he refers to the rich again meaning the spiritually rich.
In saying "may your hearts live forever" he is talking about everlasting spiritual life that will become available through his death to those who seek for God.
Jesus also says how his sacrifice will be remembered. That memory will turn people to God. Future generations will be told about the Lord (v.30). Here is that reference to Lord that I mentioned at the start. A reader, and especially a listener, would easily mistake "the Lord" for "the Lord" and think that Jesus is saying future generations would be told about God. But in fact he is saying that future generations will be told about Jesus and the sacrifice he made and the righteousness of God that he would give up his son. That is the Gospel message.
In saying "all the families of the nations" Jesus is saying how his sacrifice will make salvation available to all the nations. Until that time salvation was only available through the Jews. He also says the nations will accept it and bow down before God.
In saying "those who cannot keep themselves alive" Jesus is saying because of their sin they were powerless against death and doomed to die. But because of his sacrifice death cannot hold them.
The last part of verse 31 has an echo that sounds like Jesus' last words from the cross, "it is done."
1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sayings_of_Jesus_on_the_cross quoting Conner, W.T. The Cross in the New Testament. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1954. ASIN: B0007EIIPI p.34