Prodigy rebuking levity. Levity had diabolical revelry while the blessed Lord Jesus meekly suffered injustice the most outrageous, and cruelty the most refined. At its height it was rebuked— I. BY A HORROR OF DARKNESS . 1 . This was preternatural . 2 . It was portentous . II. BY THE RENDING OF THE TEMPLE 'S VEIL . 1 . This also was preternatural . 2 . This too was portentous . III. BY THE PORTENTS FROM THE EARTH . ... read more
Cried ( ἀνεβο ì ησεν , cried out ) with a loud voice. The loud cry at this terrible moment showed that there was still an amount of vitality in that mangled form from which extreme anguish of soul and body forced that pleading utterance. Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say ( that is ) , My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken ( ἐγκατε ì λιπες , didst thou forsake ) me? This is the only one of our Lord's seven sayings from the cross recorded by... read more
Forsaken by God. We cannot fathom the depths of the dark and mysterious experience of our Lord's last mortal agony. We must walk reverently, for here we stand on holy ground. It is only just to acknowledge that the great Sufferer must have had thoughts and feelings which pass beyond our comprehension, and which are too sacred and private for our inspection. Yet what is recorded is written for our instruction. Let us, then, in all reverence, endeavour to see what it means. I. CHRIST AS... read more
The mystery of the forsaking. Keble tenderly sings— "Is it not strange, the darkest hour That ever dawned on sinful earth Should touch the heart with softer power For comfort, than an angel's mirth? That to the cross the mourner's eye should turn, Sooner than where the stars of Christmas burn?" The conflict of Calvary reaches its climax in this text. It brings before us the sublimest moment of our Saviour's life. It is the moment in which our Champion closed with the spiritual... read more
Now from the sixth hour - That is, from our twelve o’clock. The Jews divided their day into twelve hours, beginning to count at sunrise.There was darkness - This could not have been an eclipse of the sun, for the Passover was celebrated at the time of the full moon, when the moon is opposite to the sun. Luke says Luke 23:45 that “the sun was darkened,” but it was not by an eclipse. The only cause of this was the interposing power of God - furnishing testimony to the dignity of the sufferer, and... read more
Eli, Eli ... - This language is not pure Hebrew nor Syriac, but a mixture of both, called commonly “Syro-Chaldaic.” This was probably the language which the Saviour commonly spoke. The words are taken from Psalms 22:1.My God, my God ... - This expression is one denoting intense suffering. It has been difficult to understand in what sense Jesus was “forsaken by God.” It is certain that God approved his work. It is certain that he was innocent. He had done nothing to forfeit the favor of God. As... read more
Matthew 27:45. Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour From mid-day till three in the afternoon with us, (see note on Matthew 20:1,) there was darkness over all the land Or, over all the earth, as the original expression, επι πασαν την γην , is more literally rendered in the Vulgate, and understood by many learned men; “the sun being darkened,” says Grotius, “as Luke informs us, not by the interposition of the moon, which was then full, nor by a cloud spread over the face of... read more
Matthew 27:46. About the ninth hour Just before he expired; Jesus cried with a loud voice Our Lord’s great agony probably continued these three whole hours, at the conclusion of which he thus cried out, while he suffered from God himself, and probably also from the powers of darkness, what was unutterable; Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani These words are quoted from the first verse of the twenty-second Psalm. (where see the note,) but it is to be observed, that they are not the very words of... read more
159. The death (Matthew 27:45-56; Mark 15:33-41; Luke 23:44-49; John 19:25-37)Jesus’ mother, Mary, had followed him to the cross and stayed by him during his ordeal. Among those who comforted her were John and three women: Mary’s sister Salome, who was the wife of Zebedee and the mother of the apostles James and John; another Mary, who was the wife of Clopas and the mother of James and Joses; and another Mary, who came from the town of Magdala in Galilee and was known as Mary Magdalene. These... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 27:45-50
Supernatural darkness. Last words, and death of Jesus. ( Mark 15:33-37 ; Luke 23:44-46 ; John 19:28-30 .) read more