7 Last Words (was) Re: Regarding "Eli, Eli"

[BarMusProd <BarMusProd...>]

Dear Fred,

In a message dated 10/30/02 1:40:10 PM, xd2fabl (at) us(dot)ibm(dot)com writes:

>And to confuse the subject further, Jesus' famous 
>seven last words from the cross also begin "Eli, Eli" - "Father forgive
>
>them for they know not what they do."  (I guess it's 7 words in the 
>original Aramaic.)

The Seven Last Words were not really his seven last words as you are 
referring to them (a quote from Psalm 22:2), and it's the same number of 
words in Hebrew (Eili, Eili lama azavtani) as in Aramaic (Eli, Eli, lema 
sabachthani). The Gospels also disagree as to what were his actual last 
words--Mark and Matthew use the Psalms quote above; Luke just has him cry 
out; and John has him say: "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit."

But the traditional "seven last words" are actually seven sentences:
1. Father forgive them for they know not what they do.
2. Truly I say unto the, this day shalt Thou be with Me in Paradise.
3. Woman, behold Thy son, and Thou, behold Thy mother.
4. My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me.
5. I thirst.
6. It is finished.
7. Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit.

Best wishes,
Steve

Steve Barnett
Composer/Arranger/Producer
Barnett Music Productions
BarMusProd (at) aol(dot)com 

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