Power for LifeSample

Mark 15 details the pain, disrespectful treatment, shame, and agonizing death of Jesus. This chapter becomes very real and painful as you use your imagination to "see the movie in your mind." In verse 34, Jesus screams, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which we learn from the text means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" In the YouVersion Bible App, you will see a footnote conversation bubble just after this verse. By clicking on the conversation bubble, you will find: 15:34 Psalm 22:1. This helpful footnote lets us know that Jesus was quoting Psalm 22, which we read a few days ago, as a way of expressing the excruciating pain He was going through. In quoting this line from Psalm 22, Jesus was probably referencing the whole Psalm, not just the first line. Does that seem strange? Consider when you quote a line from a movie or T.V. show you like. When quoting that one line, you are often referencing the whole scene and not just that one line. If your audience is also familiar with the scene, they will get much more out of the one-liner than just the quote itself. They will think of the scene as a whole. As you look deeper into Psalm 22, you will find that much of the Psalm describes what Jesus was going through that day. We read lines such as "All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads.", "They pierce my hands and my feet.", "They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garments," "he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one," and "future generations will be told about the Lord." As Jesus quoted the first line of this Psalm, it seems clear that He was referencing the larger story the Psalm tells—a story not only of temporary suffering, but also a larger story of God's faithfulness and victory. Read Psalm 22 today, along with your other readings. Spend time prayerfully considering what this Psalm meant to Jesus while He was on the cross. Reflect using the Notes feature of the YouVersion App. If you are doing this plan with friends, use the Talk It Over feature to share your thoughts with the group.