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Jesus Dies(A)

45 At ·noon [L the sixth hour] the whole country became dark, and the darkness lasted ·for three hours [L until the ninth hour]. 46 About ·three o’clock [L the ninth hour] Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” This means, “My God, my God, why have you ·abandoned [forsaken] me [Ps. 22:1; C these words are a mixture of Hebrew and Aramaic]?”

47 Some of the people standing there who heard this said, “He is calling Elijah.” [C The prophet Elijah, associated with the end times (Mal. 4:5), was also viewed as a helper in time of need.]

48 ·Quickly [At once] one of them ran and got a sponge and filled it with ·vinegar [or sour wine; C an inexpensive drink used by soldiers and slaves] and tied it to a ·stick [reed] and gave it to Jesus to drink [Ps. 69:21]. 49 But the others said, “·Don’t bother him [Wait; Leave him alone]. We want to see if Elijah will come to save him.”

50 But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice and ·died [L released his spirit].

51 ·Then [T And behold] the curtain in the Temple [C dividing the Most Holy Place from the rest of the Temple] was torn into two pieces, from the top to the bottom [C representing new access to the presence of God, and perhaps God’s judgment against the Temple leadership]. Also, the earth shook and rocks broke apart. 52 The graves opened, and many [L of the bodies] of ·God’s people [the saints] who had ·died [L fallen asleep] were raised from the dead. 53 They came out of the graves after ·Jesus was raised from the dead [L his resurrection] and went into the holy city [C Jerusalem], where they appeared to many people.

54 When the ·army officer [centurion] and ·the soldiers [L those with him] guarding Jesus saw this earthquake and everything else that happened, they were ·very frightened [filled with awe] and said, “He really was the Son of God!”

55 Many women who had followed Jesus from Galilee to ·help [provide support for; minister to] him were standing at a distance from the cross, watching. 56 Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of James and John were ·there [among them].

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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).