Jesus’ Non-Greek Sayings as Semitic Expressions: A Linguistic and Theological Study of Eli, Eli / Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani

One of the most poignant moments in the Passion narratives is Jesus’ cry from the Cross, preserved in transliterated Semitic phrases within the Greek New Testament. These utterances provide a rare and direct glimpse into Jesus’ linguistic and cultural context, linking the historical Jesus to the Semitic milieu of first-century Judea. This paper examines the theological and linguistic significance of Jesus’ use of a non-Greek, Semitic language at the climactic moment of his suffering. It argues that these expressions function both as a declaration of lament and as an intentional evocation of Jewish Scripture, particularly highlighting Jesus’ identification with the suffering righteous. Additionally, this study contributes to scholarly discussions on the multilingual environment of first-century Palestine, the retention of Semitic words in the Greek Gospels, and the Christological dimensions embedded in Jesus’ final words.