Despair, but also hope
Sir: Paul Johnson need not be so terrified by what he finds written in Matthew xxvii 46 (And another thing, 1 December). Jesus' reported last words on the cross are quoted from Psalm 22. Yes, these words do reflect despair, but the reader will note that, as the Psalmist continues, there is a sense of hope and redemption. As a scholar of the Hebrew Bible, it is not improbable that Jesus was merely quoting a text appropriate to his situation, though presumably was overcome before being able to quote more (see E.P. Sanders, The Historical Figure of Jesus). An alternative view would be that Matthew's gospel is littered with references to the Hebrew Bible, the author wishing as he did to present Jesus as the fulfilment of its prophecies relating to 'The Messiah', and that this is simply the author placing words in his subject's mouth. A.N. Wilson's excellent biography of Jesus (1993) is also worth consulting for a grounded assessment of the life and motivations of the 'Jesus of history' (rather than the 'Christ of faith').
Michael Stone Blandford Forum, Dorset
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