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Mat, Mark, Luke all mention the darkness associated with the crucifixion of Jesus on the Cross

So does other ancient literature

Thallus wrote his regional history in about AD 52.⁶ Although his original writings have been lost, he is specifically quoted by Julius Africanus, a renowned third century historian. Africanus states, ‘Thallus, in the third book of his histories, explains away the darkness as an eclipse of the sun—unreasonably as it seems to me.’ Apparently, Thallus attempted to ascribe a naturalistic explanation to the darkness during the crucifixion.

Phlegon was a Greek historian who wrote an extensive chronology around AD 137:

“In the fourth year of the 202^nd Olympiad (i.e., AD 33) there was ‘the greatest eclipse of the sun’ and that ‘it became night in the sixth hour of the day [i.e., noon] so that stars even appeared in the heavens. There was a great earthquake in Bithynia, and many things were overturned in Nicaea.’⁷ “

BUT there are other ancient documents discussing the onset of darkness when heroic people die

Senerus, Krishna, Osiris, Prometheus, and even Alexander the Great are apparently accompanied by aphanasia at their deaths.  Should this concern us that there are other people of ancient lore who have had it reported of them that the sun went black at their deaths?

It really doesn’t matter what culture or religion you’re from, the true creation account recounts God speaking light to the chaos of darkness.  Darkness is antithetical to the radiant glory of God.  Dwelling in His light means dwelling in His favor; that is if you can get there since the Apostle Paul says that God dwells in unapproachable light,

When Jesus discusses what judgment will look like for the disobedient, he describes it over and over again as being tossed into “outer darkness.”  When the new heavens and New earth are described in the book of Revelation, we read that we will have no need of a sun any longer, for the Glory of God will light the place up. 

So the fact that all kinds of cultures can concoct stories of light failing when a great leader dies is not a huge problem for me.  I think all of us have wondered what the world would be like if the sun failed, what we might do to try to survive.  We would for sure think, “This is the end of the world, some kind of cosmic, galactic judgment has just been served upon us,” and we would surely despair

So when the Roman Centurion says after Jesus’ death with the darkness and an earthquake, "Truly this was the Son of God!"   What else would you expect him to say in that kind of moment?  You can be a pagan roman get this right! This is an innate knowledge we all have of the kind of signs that God would utilize to demonstrate His activity in the world –  

Interesting point of the story is that there were a host of Jewish people around the cross who definitely came to another conclusion about the darkness and earthquake accompanying the crucifixion of Jesus.  A people thoroughly versed in the Old Testament Scripture, which has in practically every one of the 39 books of the Hebrew Bible a reference to darkness being a judgment of God.

I’m sure these witnesses of the crucifixion and the darkness concluded – “We were right!  God is judging this man!  His life is now receiving a just penalty from God, Praise Adonai!

Hey, Roman Guard says, Son of God.  Jewish observers say, Rightly Condemned!  Who is right?

 [GO TO MATTHEW}

^{MAT 27: 45} Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. ⁴⁶ And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" ⁴⁷ And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, "This man is calling Elijah." ⁴⁸ And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. ⁴⁹ But the others said, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him." ⁵⁰ And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. ⁵¹ And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. ⁵² The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, ⁵³ and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. ⁵⁴ When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

Of the 3 synoptic gospels, this one has the most controversy… so I thought I’d tackle it today…

All 3 Synoptics mention the 6^th hour while John’s gospel does not – the simple explanation is that John, being written later, uses Roman time to designate the time Jesus was on the cross, while the synoptics stick with the Jewish order of the day – I don’t think I’m a fan of that view…

Only Mark records that the Crucifixion began at the 3^rd hour of the day.  Jesus had a trial at 6am; by 9am he was nailed and lifted upon the cross, at Noon, darkness fell upon the earth.

Now it is only conjecture on my part, so don’t claim it as gospel truth, but I believe that Jesus said his first of Seven words in the first 3 hours!

1. To offer forgiveness -- "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). He said that on behalf of the Roman soldiers who crucified Him.

2. To save a repentant criminal-- "Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43).

3. To care for His mother—As he entrust John and Mary to each other

Now HIGH Noon arrives and the darkness falls, very similar to what we read in Amos this morning. 

And because SILENCE is also a sign of Judgment,

Zechariah 2:13 Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD, for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.

Isaiah 47:5 Sit in silence, and go into darkness, (as he judges Babylon)

I believe that Jesus was silent all the way till his cry, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?"  Here Jesus is quoting Psalm 22 at the end of his 3 hour ordeal of judgment of both silence and darkness.  Now the Jews didn’t have chapter divisions like we do.  They knew their Psalms by just quoting the first line of the Psalm.  Similar to how we quote the first line of a hymn,  In a prophetic fulfilling way, Jesus quotes the first line of Psalm 22 in hopes that you would read the whole thing.  And what do we read there?  The descriptions of a man being crucified some 700 years before the practice was ever invented!!

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

¹¹ Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. ¹² Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; ¹³ they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion. ¹⁴ I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; ¹⁵ my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. ¹⁶ For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet- ¹⁷ I can count all my bones- they stare and gloat over me; ¹⁸ they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

Even though this fulfillment of Prophecy is profound, what Jesus was accomplishing upon the cross is far more staggering:  As the sacrificial lamb, he was providing atonement for the sins of God’s people.

Isaiah 53:5 says, "He was wounded for our transgressions." Romans 4:25 says He was "delivered for our offenses." First Corinthians 15:3 says, "Christ died for our sins." First Peter 2:24 says Christ "bore our sins in his own body on the tree." First Peter 3:18 says, "Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust." First John 4:10 says God "sent his Son to be the propitiation [atonement] for our sins." Galatians 3:13 says Christ was "made a curse for us." And 2 Corinthians 5:21 says God "made him, who knew no sin, to be sin for us."

^{MAT 27:47} And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, "This man is calling Elijah." ⁴⁸ And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. ⁴⁹ But the others said, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him."

à The confusion is that Jesus is quoting Psalm 22 not in Hebrew, as they would have it read in their synagogues, but was speaking Aramaic, the language of the Jewish people living in Judea.  Because they were bent on mocking him, they don’t make the connection Psalm 22.

 ⁵⁰ And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. ⁵¹

By the end of the Ninth hour upon the cross, after a time of darkness and silence, signifying that Jesus was the one who was being judged for our sins, He utters 4 final phrases…

And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.

à Highly significant that the curtain in Herod’s temple tore as it did, the 60ft curtain could not be ripped by any individual.  But the only time that someone was permitted to go beyond that curtain was on the DAY of ATONMENT, when the High Priest would sprinkle blood on the Mercy Seat to atone for the sins of Israel.  Well, Jesus symbolically enters the Holy of Holies as our High Priest and provides the final sacrifice that does not only ATONE for sin – but makes EVERYONE who believes a HIGH PRIEST!   All who trust in Christ have been commissioned as priests in the service of God!

⁵² The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, ⁵³ and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

à This passage brings a host of questions with it; I can’t address them all here – but let me give you an overview of why only Matthew includes it.  First of all, let me tell you that I believe this happened.  And Matthew, who is keen on presenting Jesus as the Messiah of the Jewish faith, takes the incidents of these dead saints rising to further bolster the anointed status of Jesus.  The OT pictures the arrival of the Messiah as being the bearer of life:

Ezek 37: "…I will bring you up out of your tombs, and I will lead you into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord."

Isa 26:19 (LXX): "Those in the tombs shall be raised, and those in the land [or on the earth] shall rejoice."

Hosea 6:2 After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.

These resurrections of “saints” are another fulfillment of Jesus fulfilling the anticipated works of the Messiah!

⁵⁴ When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

So who was right?  Son of God or Rightly cursed and condemned?