Psalm 22: A Key to Interpreting the Crucifixion of Jesus

I’ve noted before that Jesus' cry from the cross, “ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?” which is translated, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?” (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34), is a quote from the first line of Psalm 22. I’ve also noted that if you read the entire psalm, particularly verse 24, you readily see that the individual lamenting to God has in no way been actually forsaken – it just appears that way to all outside observers.

Now there are other connections between the Psalm and the crucifixion of Jesus:

“They pierced my hands and my feet” (v. 16 [Matthew 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:33]).

“They divide my garments among them” (v. 18 [Matthew 27:35; Mark 15:24]).

As I was studying Psalm 22 yesterday morning, I was struck by the final five verses:

‘All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD,

And all the families of the nations will worship before You.

For the kingdom is the LORD’S

And He rules over the nations.

All the prosperous of the earth will eat and worship,

All those who go down to the dust will bow before Him,

Even he who cannot keep his soul alive.

Posterity will serve Him;

It will be told of the Lord to the coming generation.

They will come and will declare His righteousness

To a people who will be born, that He has performed it” (vv. 27-31).

After the Psalmist’s lament about his persecution and God’s salvation, the psalm begins to speak about how God is King, how God’s Kingdom, his rule over all the nations of the world, how all people groups of the world will turn to him, and how even those dead in the ground will worship the Lord.

This reminded me of one of the central points of crucifixion narrative: the coronation and enthronement of Jesus over the world.

“Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him. They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ They spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head. After they had mocked Him, they took the scarlet robe off Him and put His own garments back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him” (Matthew 27:27-31; cf. Mark 15:16-20; John 19:1-5).

Intended by the Romans to be a macabre, mocking parody of the charge against Jesus, the soldiers dress him up as a king with robe, staff, and crown. They then put him on the cross and hang a sign above his head, “This is the king of the Jews” (Matthew 27:37; Mark 15:26; Luke 23:38; John 19:19). In the most startling, scandalous, ironic event in human history, Jesus becomes King of the Jews and King of the World by being humiliated and executed on a Roman cross. This is his coronation and enthronement. This is how his kingdom arrives.

Therefore, I submit that the use of Psalm 22 by Jesus, Mark, and Matthew is not simply a way of explaining that, like the Psalmist, Jesus, despite the outward appearances, has not been forsaken by God. In truth, and most importantly, the use of Psalm 22 is identifying Jesus as God and pointing out how the crucifixion scenario established the Kingdom of God, how it will bring all people groups together under allegiance to Jesus, and how it will resurrect believers from the dead. When Jesus explained to the disciples why it was necessary that Christ should suffer (Luke 24:26-27), I strongly suspect that Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 were two of the chief passages he referenced.

This gets into some deep theology, but is evident from the Biblical texts that humility, submission, and suffering are a means of defeating evil, sin, idolatry, and the dark powers. This is a theme that is picked up by Paul, principally in Philippians, Peter in his first letter, and Barnabas in Hebrews. I’m still wrestling for why this is the case (it’s one of the top three theological issues I’ve been thinking about), but it nevertheless seems to be true. I explore this idea in a couple of places in the book I’m writing, specifically in my examination of how to engage fallen powers and generally in my critique of Prosperity Theology.

Regardless, I believe Jesus’ so-called “cry of dereliction,” in quoting from Psalm 22, is actually key to interpreting what is going on with the crucifixion. Jesus is identified both with the lamenter and with God. Despite all outward appearances, God has not rejected or forsaken Jesus. Jesus’ suffering is bringing about the Kingdom of God and Jesus himself as the King. Not only is Jesus the King over Israel but he is the ruler of the world. All the people groups of the world will now begin to pour in with allegiance to him. It will mean resurrection for worshipping humanity.