Knowing The Word in Matthew 27:45-54

The Death of Jesus

45 Now from the sixth hour [our noon] there was darkness [a mark of God’s displeasure] over all the land until the ninth hour [3:00, when the lambs are killed]. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out [only used here in the NT is strong verb indicating powerful emotion in a plea to God] with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” [See Psalm 22. Jesus is totally alienated. This is the only time in the Synoptic Gospels that Jesus does not address God without calling him “Father.” He is now experiencing the cup that he has willingly accepted from the Father’s hand.] 47 And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” [They misunderstand the Aramaic “Eli” for the Hebrew “Elijah.”] 48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine [Psalm 69:21], and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” [This drink was common for laborers and soldiers, and so the kind act of the soldier produced mocking from the crowd right as Jesus dies.] 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit [an act of his own will, giving up his “human” spirit].

51 And behold, the curtain of the temple [in the holy of holies] was torn in two [a symbol of the opening of access to God through the death of Jesus], from top to bottom. [Another way of looking at this is that God is desecrating his temple, foreshadowing the judgment events of AD 70.] And the earth shook [the explanation of why the tombs were opened and also a frequent OT symbol of God’s mighty acts in judgment], and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection [meaning two days later for these OT saints with Jesus’ resurrection being the firstfruit] they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 When the centurion and those who were with him [a balancing group of Gentiles to the Jewish mockers], keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” [An unbelievable confession from Gentiles, which expresses the power of the cross and Jesus’ willing death. They also restore the title “Son of God” to its rightful place.]