Psalm
22, page four
A treasured Psalm
The frequency
and broad use of Psalm 22 in the New Testament shows that the early
Christian community treasured this psalm. Its explicit citation in Mark,
Matthew and John, as well as its evident influence in more subtle ways
in all four Gospel Passion Narratives, clearly indicate that Psalm 22
enjoyed "most-favored" status in Christian theological reflection
on the suffering of Jesus.
The way
Psalm 22 permeates all four Passion Narratives suggests that the community
of Jesus' disciples had an extraordinary affinity for it. Like other
psalms of lament, it begins in the depths of suffering and ends confidently
in the well-founded hope that God will intervene in this time of need.
It contains
the seeds of redemption.
Psalm
22 on the lips of Jesus may seem like a Requiem to our modern ears,
but in fact it was an Ode to Joy for early Christians. It captured the
anguish of their hearts at Calvary, but enabled them to move ahead confidently
to proclaim their belief in the resurrection of Jesus.
beginning
of article
What
do they say about Jesus? •
Variations
on the theme of Psalm 22
New
hope for Jewish-Christian dialog •
Compassion in art
Editor's Note
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questions or comments to the editor
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