First Pillar: The Meaning of ‘Forsaken’ in Mark 15:34

This chapter forms the first pillar of my argument for a Trinitarian Christology of Christ’s cry of dereliction. The purpose is exegetically to define forsakenness in Christ’s cry of dereliction in Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34. Before this, the crucifixion narratives in the four Gospels are explored with reference to the cry, particularly in the context of the seven words from the cross, the Old Testament background, Psalm 22 and the two natures of Christ. A selection of readings of the crucifixion narratives from the Church Fathers, the Schoolmen and later theologians is analysed and forsakenness is exegetically defined as left undefended.