"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (13)

"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (13)

One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down," he said.(15:36)

A man filled a sponge with wine vinegar and offered it to Jesus. Psalm 69:21 which is the background of this verse says, “They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.” The wine mixed with myrrh mentioned in Mark 15:23 has the effect like a painkiller but the wine vinegar increases one’s thirst rather than quenching it. Contrary to Mark who exactly pointed out that Jesus did not take wine mixed with myrrh, he did not mention about how Jesus was made to drink the wine vinegar. John’s gospel says that Jesus received wine vinegar. (John 19:30)

The people who offered Jesus wine vinegar again said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down.” That was a sheer mockery against Jesus. Such word does not only end with a personal utterance of a certain men standing near the cross. It is an issue rising toward Jesus and the entire early Christian community. According to them Jesus does not have any power to save. Rather he was placed in a helpless position that needs to be saved. Has not such logic ended already? No. Either with good or bad intention this world demands the proof that Jesus is the savior. The world demands the proof of God’s existence. They want to awake God by shaking him whether he is asleep or not? When they do not get a suitable answer they would either denounce Christian faith or condemn it.

We do not need to ignore their opinion unconditionally and should not do that. We have the responsibility for them to explain properly why Jesus whom we believe is the true Messiah. This explanation is not enough in word alone. Committed Christian life of today should be the visible explanation. Our unshakable fervent hope in the glorious return of Jesus should be revealed.