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45 Now from the sixth hour (noon) there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour (3:00 p.m.).(A) 46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud [agonized] voice, [a]Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”(B) 47 When some of the bystanders there heard it, they began saying, “This man is calling for [b]Elijah.” 48 Immediately one of them ran, and took a sponge, soaked it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink.(C) 49 But the rest said, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him [from death].” 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud [agonized] voice, and gave up His spirit [voluntarily, sovereignly dismissing and releasing His spirit from His body in submission to His Father’s plan].(D) 51 And [at once] the veil [of the Holy of Holies] of the temple was [c]torn in two from top to bottom; the earth shook and the rocks were split apart.(E) 52 The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints (God’s people) who had fallen asleep [in death] were raised [to life]; 53 and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection, they entered the holy city (Jerusalem) and appeared to many people. 54 Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, they were terribly frightened and filled with awe, and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

55 There were also many women there looking on from a distance, who had accompanied Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him. 56 Among them was [d]Mary Magdalene, and [e]Mary the mother of [f]James and Joseph, and [Salome] the [g]mother of Zebedee’s sons [James and John].

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 27:46 See note John 19:30.
  2. Matthew 27:47 The Jews believed that the prophet Elijah would return before the Messiah appeared.
  3. Matthew 27:51 God tearing the veil of the Holy of Holies is significant in that it symbolizes that God’s presence was now open to all people and not just the High Priest.
  4. Matthew 27:56 Jesus delivered this woman from seven demons (Luke 8:2). She was from the town of Magdala in Galilee.
  5. Matthew 27:56 Perhaps the same Mary identified as the wife of Clopas (Gr Alphaeus). See John 19:25. Believed to be a sister or sister-in-law of Mary the mother of Jesus.
  6. Matthew 27:56 This apostle was known as James the Less or James the Younger (Mark 15:40).
  7. Matthew 27:56 Salome, believed to be a sister of Mary the mother of Jesus (John 19:25).

44 It was now about the sixth hour (noon), and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour (3:00 p.m.),(A) 45 because the sun was [a]obscured; and the veil [of the Holy of Holies] of the temple was [b]torn in two [from top to bottom].(B) 46 And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit!” Having said this, He breathed His last.(C) 47 Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he began praising and honoring God, saying, “Certainly this Man was innocent.” 48 All the crowds who had gathered for this spectacle, when they saw what had happened, began to return [to their homes], beating their breasts [as a sign of mourning or repentance]. 49 And all His acquaintances and the women who had accompanied Him from Galilee were standing at a distance, watching these things.

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 23:45 Lit failing. The language that Luke uses is found elsewhere in Greek literature to describe an eclipse.
  2. Luke 23:45 The tearing of the veil established the institution of a new, direct way of communication between God and mankind. The sacrificial death of Christ nullified the need for priestly intervention between God and man, and abolished the need for animal sacrifice.

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