567. MAT 27:45-51. THE MIRACLES ACCOMPANYING THE CRUCIFIXION

Mat_27:45-51. The Miracles Accompanying the Crucifixion

"Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, ‘My God, my God. why hast thou forsaken me,’" &c.’97Mat_27:45-51.

The Redeemer had given ample evidence, by his wondrous deeds, of the truth of his Messiahship. His ministry had been one continued scene of miracles. The work which had been given him to do, was now accomplished, and the time of his departure to the Father had arrived. Of his sufferings and death he had often spoken, and now he was expiring in unutterable agonies on the cross; but to his Messiahship a series of miracles bore testimony in his dying hour. These are detailed by the sacred evangelists, and are left us for our instruction, and the confirmation of our faith and hope in him. The evangelist directs our attention,

I. To the supernatural darkness. "Now from the sixth hour to the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land," Mat_27:45. That is, from twelve to three o’clock. It is clear that this was not the result of an eclipse of the sun, for it was at the time of the Jewish passover, when the moon was at full. It is obvious, too, that this darkness was something more than the sky being overcast; it was evidently dense palpable darkness. Here then was the intervention of the finger of God. This darkness,

1. Was the fulfilment of prophecy. Compare Joe_2:30-32; and Act_2:16, &c.

2. It symbolized the darkness of the Jewish people, and the heinousness of their sin in putting to death the Son of God. They had scorned God’s servants, and persecuted his prophets; but they said in reference to the Son, "This is the heir, let us kill him." It was the filling up of the measure of their nation’s iniquity.

3. It seemed to indicate the termination of the Mosaic dispensation. That the day of types and shadows and ceremonies was now ended, and that these were all concluded by the darkness which attended the crucifixion of the Son of God. It was the interval between the times of Moses and the prophets, and those of Christ and the Gospel era.

4. It ratified the divinity of the Messiah’s mission and character. The darkness in Egypt was one of the signs of the divinity of Moses’ commission to Pharaoh. And now in the dense and universal darkness which prevailed, was beheld an astounding confirmation of the Messiahship of Jesus,’97that great prophet’97of whom Moses was but a type. Dr. Young thus describes the scene:

"The sun beheld it’97no, the shocking scene

Drove back his chariot; Midnight veiled his face;

Not such as this, not such as nature makes;

A midnight, nature shuddered to behold;

A midnight new! A dread eclipse

(Without opposing spheres) from her

Creator’s frown!

Sun, didst thou fly thy Maker’s pain? or start

At that enormous load of human guilt,

Which bowed his blessed head, overwhelmed his cross,

Made groan the centre’97burst earth’s marble womb

With pangs, strange pangs! delivered of her dead!

Hell howl’d; and heaven that hour let fall a tear.

Heaven wept, that man might smile!

Heaven bled, that man might never die."

II. There was the rending of the veil of the temple. "And, behold the veil of the temple was rent in twain," &c., Mat_27:51.

There were two veils in the temple. One of them separated the holy place from the outer court. The other separated between the holy place, and the holiest of all. It was doubtless the latter which was now rent from the top to the bottom. This veil was of tapestry of extraordinary dimensions and thickness, and its instantaneous severance was beyond the power of ordinary means. It is likely this took place just at the time that the High Priest was ministering before the Lord.

(1.) This veil typified the body of the Redeemer, which inclosed the divinity’97the fulness of the Godhead. Now that body was expiring, and that which shadowed it forth was now torn, and ceased to possess its typical position. See Col_1:20-22. Heb_9:7-8.

(2.) It indicated also the abrogation of the Jewish ritual. The holiest of all was now no longer concealed. Its ends and purposes being consummated, and a new and better dispensation having been brought in.

(3.) It also was expressive of the removal of the wall of partition which had separated between the Jews and the Gentile nations. An economy was now instituted which was to bless all men, irrespective of nation or language. Jesus was now expiring without the gate, as the great sacrifice for sin,’97the propitiation for the sins of the whole world.

This miracle was wrought in the presence of the highest Jewish authorities, and in the very midst of their sacred place. We now have to contemplate,

III. The earthquake and the rending of the rocks. "And the earth did quake and the rocks were rent." A similar scene occurred at the giving of the law, Exo_19:18. Psa_18:7-13. It seems also that the prophet Haggai had referred to it in one of his sublime predictions, Hag_2:6-21. And the apostle Paul expressly alludes to it, Heb_12:26, Heb_12:27. This was a public attestation of the wicked deed the Jews were perpetrating, and in connection with the rent veil seemed to refer to the establishment of a new dispensation. Did it not also rebuke the stout-hearted obstinacy of the Jews who had rejected, and were now imbruing their hands in the blood of the Messiah, the true Son of God? And was it not also the last, with the exception of his own resurrection, or concluding miracle, which should certify of Christ during his personal mission in our world? It is not certain whether the dead who arose did so now, or at his resurrection: but the latter seems to be the more probable, and therefore they were rather witnesses of his inherent life and immortality, than signs at his death on the cross. How striking and appropriate the exclamation of the astonished centurion, who said, "Truly this was the Son of God." The impression of the whole scene, which was extraordinary and supernatural, wrought conviction on his mind, and led to his pious and reasonable confession.

Learn,

1. That in the death of Jesus, we have a deep and sacred interest. He was apprehended, tried, condemned, and put to an open shame and ignominious death for our sins. While wondering at the astounding phenomenon, never forget that he loved you, and gave himself for you.

2. That continued sin and unbelief is the putting Christ to death again, so far as we can do it. It is pouring contempt on Jesus, and all the striking attestations God gave of his divinity and glory.

3. These should be the results in the whole of us:’97Admiration of the person and character of Christ. Adoring confidence and love. And a decided public confession of him before men.

Autor: JABEZ BURNS