Matthew 27:27-50
Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, KING OF THE JEWS.
Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can't save himself! He's the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He's calling Elijah.”
Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him.”
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
Friday
Friday's chalice brings within no morrow
Women wail along the way of sorrow
Weeping and following him to his destiny
Eloi Eloi lema sabacthani
Shepherd struck-- the sheep have long since scattered
Crow of cock, the rock this hour is shattered
Traitor is crushed by the weight of his silver fee
Eloi Eloi lema sabacthani
Cat of nine tails dragged through tracks of bleeding
Crowned with thorns, his gentle eyes not pleading
Blood on the hands that have uttered this dark decree
Eloi Eloi lema sabacthani
Shot through flesh of sky, these words an arrow
Bone of psalm without its music marrow
Sung not as tenderly as in the Bet David
Eloi Eloi lema sabacthani
Naked, raised, the holy healer broken
Prophets do not heed the words he's spoken
Legions of Heavenly hosts look on peacefully
Eloi Eloi lema sabacthani
Sting of death upon the lance's dagger
Wine of sin that causes saints to stagger
This one refuses to drink as he screams his plea:
Eloi Eloi lema sabacthani
Hope is just a bell rung loud and hollow
God is dead, whom will the faithful follow?
See your deliverer cries from his cursed tree:
Eloi Eloi lema sabacthani
Twisting, turning, tearing tendon, gasping
Slipping, sliding up the wood and grasping
Merciless hours of harrowing agony
Eloi Eloi lema sabacthani
One last cry for him who will not hear it
Wayward son returns his broken spirit
Now it is finished- it's ended in misery
Eloi Eloi lema sabacthani
Dogs beneath the lowered beams are drooling
Wretched beasts know not their savage doing
Still are the lips that once offered to set them free
Eloi Eloi lema sabacthani
Pagan guards stand watch to block the clever
Buried body sealed by stone forever
Deep in Sheol is a drumbeat of victory
Eloi Eloi Eloi Eloi
Lord, Help us never to forget all that you went through for us. We know that you paid our ransom at great cost and that now we are freed to live lives according to your perfect plan. Help us to be obedient to you even as you were obedient to death on a cross. Amen.
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