The Weekend Word

Matthew 27:45-51

The Death of Jesus

⁴⁵ Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour,

• Noon to 3 – Darkness – How much? Just Israel – technically half the world is already dark.
• When the sun is at its highest and the day should be at its brightest – there is darkness.
• Amos 8:9 – “And on that day,” declares the Lord God, “I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.”
• The reason for the darkness? God is done with Israel – Amos 8:2 – And he said, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A basket of summer fruit.” Then the Lord said to me, “The end has come upon my people Israel; I will never again pass by them. ³ The songs of the temple shall become wailings in that day, “declares the Lord God. “So many dead bodies!” “They are thrown everywhere!” “Silence!”
• This is what Paul means to preach Jesus and him crucified. The sky gets dark because Jesus gets damned. Jesus is suffering damnation and condemnation of hell itself
• This is God’s judgment on sin and sinners and they are reduced to one in Jesus. This is why Peter at Pentecost says “this Jesus who you crucified…” not that they put him on the cross – but their / our sin did – their sin caused the crucifixion.
• This is why Good Friday is the most important day in the history of the world. (you can consider Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Resurrection Sunday as one event.)

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.”

• This helps us to understand how far Old Israel has fallen – to the point that they do not even recognize prayer.
• Psalm 22 – My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? ² O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.
• Jesus is calling to the Father and they think he 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.

• This is not to be confused with the wine mixed with gall which Jesus earlier refused to drink. This was to moisten his lips and mouth as he had some great things to still get out – his 7 famous sayings from the cross.

⁴⁹ But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.”

• In Hebrew legend Elijah was celebrated as the helper in times of need – so that is what they think he is doing – calling for help.
• But the crowd does not understand.

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

• Note that he is yielding up his spirit on his own.
• At this point in the Gospel of John Jesus says “It is finished.”
• What is finished?
• The vicarious atonement is finished.
• All righteousness is fulfilled.
• God’s Plan of Salvation has been done.
• Everything after this is the delivery of this salvation.
• Easter is just that – the preaching of ‘it is finished’ for you.
• This is not just a general historical event spoken of like in a lecture. It must be preached ‘for you!’
• A note: Jesus is the fulfillment of every OT sacrifice ever made in faith.
• This is not the blood of bulls and goats and rams – this is the blood of God.

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.

• To the Jews this is an “Oh My!” moment. What did the curtain represent? The way you got to God.
• Didn’t Jesus he was the way to the Father? Didn’t he say he was the door?
• So why was it torn in two? I think for 3 reasons.
• ) To show that God is no longer present in the brick and mortar temple.
• ) God now lives in the dead / the resurrected body of Christ.
• ) Access to the Holy of Holies is through Jesus Christ.
• What was the accusation? Destroy this temple and in 3 days I will raise it up again.
• The foolishness of American Christians who are desperate to rebuild the temple – to go against God is not a promising venture.
• So what are the chances that they already have it prefabricated ready to send over when the Battle of Armageddon begins or the Rapture happens.
• Whatever their timetable is, it is total foolishness. The brick & mortar temple is done – finished!
• Jesus is the temple – his body is God in the flesh vs God in the temple – and there are no more temples to be offered … not even in a memorial sense (a Jewish substitute version of the Lord’s Supper.)
• It is finished and for a Christian group to be involved in helping of encouraging Jews to do so is straight up blasphemy.
• Jesus said in Matt 23:38 “See, your house is left to you desolate.” – Get over it!!.
• You cannot hold on to both temples – I say ‘choose you this day which temple you will have