“45 From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 46 And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ that is, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ 47 When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.” 48 At once one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, ‘Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.’ 50 Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed His last” Matthew 27:45-50.
In Matthew’s Gospel, just before the last breath of Jesus on the cross, “Jesus cried with a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me’” Matthew 27:46?” Then this is followed by a curious observation from some of the bystanders who heard Jesus’ final words. Now the crowd was at a significant enough distance that they could not hear Jesus clearly, which is why they probably said, “This man is calling for Elijah.” Additionally, it’s possible that those in the crowd may have been poorly educated and therefore did not have a strong command over the Hebrew. Thus when Jesus said "Eloi" they heard "Eli" which their brains interpreted as "Elias" or “Elijah”. This would be an easy mistake to make.
Consider what the Disciples told Jesus when He asked them who people thought He was: “14 And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist but others Elijah and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets” Matthew 16:14. There were many who thought the long-awaited Messiah would not come until after the return of the Prophet Elijah. On another occasion even the disciples asked Jesus, “10 Why, then, do the scribes say that Elijah must come first (before the Messiah)” Matthew 17:10? This suggests to me that there was a common expectation during Jesus' time that Elijah would return at the coming of the Messiah in reference to the prophesy of Malachi, who prophesied: “5 See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes” Malachi 4:5. The “terrible day” is a reference to the crucifixion of Jesus.
The dominant expectation of the coming of Elijah would encourage the crowd to be influenced also by the strange unearthly darkness that occurred at the time of Jesus’ death, intensifying the feeling of a supernatural manifestation of Elijah’s presence.
However you look at the reference to Elijah, it still speaks to me that the crowd were only yards away from the crucifixion of Jesus, the Messiah, and still they did not know who He was. How often, in my life, have I not recognized Jesus’ presence in my own life. When Jesus is always with me, why have I sometimes not called on Him for help?
Take time in prayer today to consider how very close God is to you. Jesus said it in so many ways, but I love what Jesus said when He promised, “I will not leave you orphaned”
John 14:18. When you pray today, remember that Jesus is right there with you!
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
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