Matthew 27:46 – forsaken or left behind?

Matthew 27:46 – forsaken or left behind?

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On the cross Jesus asked a question:

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
(Matthew 27:46 ESV; also Mark 15:34)

Forsaken here is ἐγκατέλιπες, which is often understood as abandon, desert, leave behind.

Since the Father sent Jesus, the one who went forth was Jesus. That is, Jesus left the Father. However, the Holy Spirit would later descend and remain upon Jesus:

32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” (John 1)

John does not identify he who sent him, but it seems reasonable this was the Father. So the Father sent John to baptize and told him the person upon whom the Holy Spirit descended and remained would baptize with the Holy Spirit.

We are never told when the Holy Spirit departed from Jesus, but it seems reasonable this occurred during His crucifixion perhaps while He was on the cross. This would coincide with, or go a long way to explain Jesus asking, My God, My God, why have you ἐγκατέλιπες Me?

  1. Is ἐγκατέλιπες better understood to mean "forsaken" as in abandon, desert, or leave behind?
  2. Is it unreasonable to understand the Holy Spirit which had remained on Jesus as departing during the crucifixion or while Jesus was on the cross?
  3. Is My God, My God crying out to the Holy Spirit and the Father?

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