Matthew 27:45-66

27:45 | Jesus was crucified around 9am, or the third hour (Mark 15:25). Approximately three hours later, a strange darkness covered the land of Judea and lasted for another three hours. Clearly, this was a sign both of diving judgment and mourning. Not only would judgment fall on Israel for rejecting her Messiah, but even a greater judgment fell on her Messiah when Jesus became the divine sacrifice for sin (2 Cor. 5:21).

27:46-47 | As Jesus cried out the tortured words, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani, some who heard Him misunderstood Him (Ps. 22:1). The Aramaic word eloi can easily be mistaken for the prophet Elijah’s name.

27:47-49 | Some observers callously wondered if Elijah would come to help Him, not understanding that if the prophet made such an appearance, fire from heaven would likely accompany him to burn up the enemies of the Lord, just as it had his own adversaries centuries before (2 Kgs. 1:10-12).

27:50 | Jesus remained in control of His destiny: in absolute conformity to His Father’s will, He chose the moment of His baptism, His triumphal entry, even His arrest and crucifixion. And finally He chose the moment when He yielded up His spirit (John 19:30), fulfilling His words: “I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself” (John 10:17-18).

27:51-53 | The temple had been built on a geological fault; even today Muslim shrines built on this site have been damaged by tectonic shocks. Only Matthew mentions the saints who were raised to life. This verse creates a bit of a mystery, for Matthew does not say if they were raised in resurrection bodies like that of Jesus, nor does he report what happened to them after they appeared to people in the city. Matthew likely wants readers to understand that the OT saints are just as dependent upon Jesus’ saving work as they are.

27:54 | Remarkably, even the pagan soldiers who carried out Jesus’ execution ultimately acknowledge Him as the Son of God (Mark 15:39). If these soldiers were stationed in Judea, they might make the connection between “Son of God” and “Messiah.” If their background was purely pagan, their words might have meant no more than, “Something is supernatural about this man!” In either case, they recognized a crucial truth that the religious leaders did not.

27:57-60 | Joseph (from Arimathea), the secret disciple (John 19:38), showed more courage than the Lord’s closest disciples when he asked Pilate for Jesus’ body so He could have a decent burial. Joseph had prepared the tomb for himself. No one knows for sure where this tomb is located, but many think the traditional site at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher may be correct.

27:61 | At least four people saw where Jesus’ body was buried: Joseph and Nicodemus (John 19:39), probably assisted by servants, placed in the corpse in the tomb; and two women, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, looked on. The religious authorities knew the tomb’s location, though Matthew does not state that they saw the body being placed there.

27:62-64 | The resurrection of Jesus vindicates Christ’s word. Even His enemies heard Him say He would rise again in three days. While they did not believe it, they did fear it.