Learn more about Eloi Lama Sabechthani

Introduction to Eloi, Lama Sabachthani

“Eloi, lama sabachthani” is one of the most poignant and mysterious utterances recorded in the New Testament. Spoken by Jesus Christ during His crucifixion, this phrase is a transliteration of Aramaic and means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” This cry is found in both the Gospels of Matthew and Mark and is a direct quotation from Psalm 22:1, linking the crucifixion to Old Testament prophecy and expressing the profound agony and isolation Jesus experienced on the cross.

Eloi, Lama Sabachthani Pronunciation

The phrase is typically pronounced as EH-loy LAH-mah sah-bahk-THAH-nee, with the emphasis on the first syllable of each word.

Eloi, Lama Sabachthani in the Bible

This phrase appears in two key Gospel passages:

• Mark 15:34: “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which is, being interpreted, ‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’” This is the most literal preservation of the Aramaic original.
• Matthew 27:46: “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ that is to say, ‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’” Matthew’s version uses “Eli,” a Hebrew variant, rather than “Eloi.”
• Psalm 22:1: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?” Jesus’ quotation of this Psalm links His suffering to the lament of the righteous sufferer and underscores His identification with humanity’s pain.

The Gospel writers preserve Jesus’ words in Aramaic (the vernacular language of many Jews in first-century Palestine), possibly to highlight the emotional intensity and prophetic fulfillment of His cry. It is one of the “Seven Last Words” of Jesus from the cross and stands out for its expression of deep anguish.

Related Themes and Meanings to Eloi, Lama Sabachthani

• Divine Abandonment: The phrase suggests a moment of perceived separation between Jesus and the Father, emphasizing the weight of sin and the cost of atonement.
• Fulfillment of Scripture: By quoting Psalm 22, Jesus ties His suffering directly to prophecy, affirming that His crucifixion was foreordained.
• Suffering Servant: This cry echoes themes from Isaiah 53 and other messianic texts about a suffering redeemer.
• Human Emotion of Christ: The phrase highlights the full humanity of Jesus, who experienced despair and isolation like any human being.

Trivia and Interesting Facts about Eloi, Lama Sabachthani

• This is the only time in the Gospels that Jesus addresses God not as “Father,” but as “My God,” signaling the distance He felt in that moment.
• Some bystanders misunderstood the cry, thinking Jesus was calling for Elijah (Mark 15:35-36), possibly due to the phonetic similarity between “Eloi” and “Eliyahu” (Hebrew for Elijah).
• Psalm 22, which begins with this phrase, ends in triumph and vindication, suggesting that even in despair, Jesus foresaw the eventual victory of God’s plan.
• The preservation of Jesus’ words in Aramaic indicates the gravity of this moment; it’s one of the few places in the Gospels where His exact spoken words are recorded rather than paraphrased or translated.
• The cry occurred at the ninth hour (around 3:00 PM), a traditional time of prayer and sacrifice in the Jewish temple, deepening its theological significance.

Conclusion

“Eloi, lama sabachthani” is a phrase of immense theological depth and emotional resonance. It encapsulates the mystery of the cross—God incarnate experiencing the desolation of sin and the weight of divine justice. It reminds readers not only of Jesus’ humanity but also of the deep Scriptural roots of His mission. The phrase stands as a testament to the profound suffering endured for the sake of redemption and invites believers to reflect on the cost and significance of the crucifixion.