Difference between "Qumran Sectarian Manuscripts" and

The multiple connections between the circumstances of the speaker of Ps. 22 and the Markan Jesus are clearly evident throughout Mark's [passion-resurrection narrative]. Why, then, did he choose this verse to place on the lips of Jesus, a verse that has caused so much speculation and debate due to its surface meaning apart from the remainder of the psalm? As I have noted in the introductory chapter, the suggestion that this citation from Ps. 22.2 indicates simply that Jesus died in accordance with the will of God of as a fulfilment of scripture fails to answer the question. There are many psalms and other passages in the scriptures that would function in this manner quite nicely, and, I might add, would result in far less controversy! With regard to the presence of the opening verse of the psalm, I have presented an argument...pointing to evidence that Mark's implied readers "would have recognized in this citation an indication that the whole psalm is in view and its relevance for the interpretation of Jesus' crucifixion.
What is it about Ps. 22 that suggested itself as an appropriate scriptural reference for understanding the Markan Jesus' death? What do all of these allusions and the citation to Ps. 22 in Mark's [passion-resurrection narrative] indicate? Arguing from the belief that in the first century CE, many of the Psalms of the Righteous Sufferer, and especially this psalm, were regarded as having eschatological emphases, Marcus believes this to be the main purpose of its inclusion in this narrative. In a similar argument, Gese advocates an eschatological reading of the narrative, based on the vindication of the Righteous Sufferer recounted at the end of the psalm, which hints at the promise of resurrection for God's people (Ps. 22.29). Although eschatology has an important bearing on our understanding of the passion and resurrection of Jesus, it does not appear to be the primary emphasis in Mark's narrative. Rather, I believe that the ultimate purpose of Mark's use of this psalm is to contribute in the identification of Jesus as the ultimate Righteous Sufferer. By putting on the lips of Jesus the first verse of Ps. 22, Mark, in essence, is saying to his readers, 'Look at the sufferings of Jesus and the beginning indications of God's vindication of his son. Does he not remind you of a righteous sufferer? That is because Jesus is the true Righteous Sufferer, and because of this, his actions and the subsequent actions of God have universal implications!' In other words, one can expect eschatological implications resulting from the death of Jesus because of his identity as the only truly Righteous Sufferer. As Mays has so aptly put it, 'The experiences of the one who prays in the psalm become part of the scenario of the passion. So, the gospels draw a connection not only between the prayers of Jesus and the psalm, but as well between the person of Jesus and the person portrayed in the self-description of the psalm' (italics mine). In addition, so that the readers do not miss the connection, Mark include various allusion throughout the narrative, some involving the suffering of the Righteous Sufferer, others alluding to the vindication that he will ultimately receive as God uses his sufferings to inaugurate his kingdom.
Other scholars concur with my conclusions that Ps. 22 in Mark's narrative functions to identify the two Righteous Sufferers of the texts — the psalmist and Jesus. Burchard sees the allusion to Ps. 22.19 in Mark 15.24 as the identification of Jesus as a Righteous Sufferer like the psalmist. This is apparent in their clothing being divided up among their enemies as a signal of their impending death. Stolz lists several affinities between the Markan account of Jesus' crucifixion and the plight and vindication of the psalmist, which include the absence of any companions, the mixture of elements of sorrow and praise/distress and thanksgiving in each of their stories, and the presence of the apocalyptic element in both of the anticipation of the dominion of God (indicated in the Markan account by the tearing of the veil).
Besides the connections between the figure of Ps. 22 and the Markan Jesus in the shared circumstances of each - evident both explicitly and implicitly in the gospel narrative - the connection is also evident in the other independent strands of evidence we have examined and discussed. Specifically, in Mark's other uses of the scriptures we have located a precedent for interpreting the allusion or citation in light of its original context, which stretches beyond the portion to which he has alluded or cited. In our examination of the socio-cultural milieu of Mark's gospel, we have evidence in the Qumran community that Psalms of the Righteous Sufferer in general, and Ps. 22 in particular, were appropriated in such a way as to highlight the identification of the Teacher of Righteousness with the suffering psalmist. Lastly, and most importantly, we have seen in Mark's own narrative his portrayal of Jesus as a Righteous Sufferer who will suffer and die and will experience vindication, just as the psalmist of Ps. 22 suffers but is vindicated by God.