I don’t share the character’s view on Christ being uncertain on the cross.
What is often overlooked is that the phrase
“Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” is the opening line of Psalm 22, and would have immediately been recognised by anyone within earshot as a reference to that Psalm - which was itself a vivid and gruesome prophecy of the suffering Messiah.
I believe that our Lord, in His hideous anguish, uttered this saying in fulfilment of the prophecy.
As He stated after His resurrection from the dead -
“These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”
Luke 24:44
If we look at the accounts of Mark and Luke of our Lord’s death we can see where this saying fits into the timeline.
Mark 15: 33-39 reads
” Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, “Look, He is calling for Elijah!” Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down.” And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last. Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, “Truly this Man was the Son of God!”
Luke 23:44:47 reads
“Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ ” Having said this, He breathed His last. So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!””
From these accounts we can see that the Psalm 22 reference preceded the confident and certain statement “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit”.
And when He “cried out with a loud voice” what was it that He said? Neither of these Gospels tells us- but it is there in John.
John 19:28-30 reads
“After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst! Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.”
”It is finished” is one word in Greek - τελέω: teleō and the meaning is “completed, finished, a debt discharged, paid in full” - this is not a statement of uncertainty or doubt but a shout of mission accomplished.
Here’s the Psalm He cited - as you can see it is incredibly accurate and detailed in the portrayal of the crucifixion of our Lord, and ends, not in uncertainty but in triumph and victory.
“To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Deer of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David.
My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me,
And from the words of My groaning? O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; and in the night season, and am not silent. But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel.
Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You delivered them.They cried to You, and were delivered; they trusted in You, and were not ashamed.
But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people. All those who see Me ridicule Me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, “He trusted in the LORD, let Him rescue Him; let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”
But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts. I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother’s womb You have been My God. Be not far from Me, for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
Many bulls have surrounded Me; strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me. They gape at Me with their mouths, like a raging and roaring lion.
I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax;
It has melted within Me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death. For dogs have surrounded Me; the congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.
But You, O LORD, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me! Deliver Me from the sword, My precious life from the power of the dog. Save Me from the lion’s mouth and from the horns of the wild oxen!
You have answered Me. I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
You who fear the LORD, praise Him! For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; nor has He hidden His face from Him; but when He cried to Him, He heard. My praise shall be of You in the great assembly; I will pay My vows before those who fear Him.
The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek Him will praise the LORD. Let your heart live forever! All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You.
For the kingdom is the LORD’s, and He rules over the nations. All the prosperous of the earth shall eat and worship; all those who go down to the dust shall bow before Him, even he who cannot keep himself alive. A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation, they will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, that He has done this.”