THREE SIGNS OF THE CRUCIFIXION
Matthew records three miraculous signs that God gave on the day of Jesus’ crucifixion.
Darkness over the land.
The curtain in the Holy
of Holies being torn.
The earthquake and the resurrection of some of the saints of old.
What was God’s purpose in giving these signs?
3 SIGNS
Matt 27:45-54 From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.
See NOTE 1
About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
See NOTE 1
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.” Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
At that moment the curtain of the temple
was torn in two from top to bottom.
The earth shook and the rocks split.
The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
3 SIGNS
See NOTE 2
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified…
See NOTE 1
Surely he was the Son of God!
(1) DARKNESS
& LIGHT
When Jesus takes upon the sin of the world, the land is covered in darkness.
Matt 27:45 From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.
This represents the spiritual darkness that sin causes in the lives of people. The Bible talks of the unsaved as being in darkness, contrasted to God – who is light.
1 John 1:5-6 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.
(1) DARKNESS & LIGHT
Why is sin compared to darkness?
Those in darkness lack direction.
John 12:35 “…Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.”
1 John 2:11 “But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him.”
(1) DARKNESS & LIGHT
Those in darkness live
in ignorance of the true
situation they are in.
“Dating in the Dark”
is a reality show
where 3 single men
and 3 single women
move into a light-
tight house getting
to know each other
in total darkness.
More often than not,
when they finally see their date in the light they change the opinion that they formed of them in the dark.
(1) DARKNESS & LIGHT
Imagine you are in a darkened room. In the room are grotesquely shaped sculptures, sharp objects hanging from the ceiling, piles of dung on the floor, and old furniture to stumble into. In the dark, it is possible to imagine that the room is really ‘O.K.’ But light would reveal an ugly scene indeed; and then there could be no more pretending! Wouldn’t the truth to our ‘eye’ be a better kind of pain than that of stumbling, groping around in such a room? With the light on, everything would be exposed; the room could be navigated without harm; it could be cleaned up; and there might also be things of value and beauty in the room that could be seen and used. If the light comes on, do we welcome the truth or rush to “turn it off”; do we receive it, even though it may hurt? 1
1 acts17-11.com/ light.html
(1) DARKNESS & LIGHT
Those in darkness will stumble over even a small obstacle.
John 11:9-10 Jesus replied, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? A man can walk in the daytime without stumbling because he has the light of this world to see by; but if he walks at night, he stumbles, because there is no light to guide him.”
Job 12:25 They grope in darkness with no light; he makes them stagger like drunkards.
Pr 4:19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
Those in darkness are unable to lead others. Even if they are willing, they are incapable:
Luke 6:39 He also told them this parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?”
(1) DARKNESS & LIGHT
Sin thrives in the darkness.
Job 24:13,15,17 “There are those who rebel against the light, who do not know its ways or stay in its paths... The eye of the adulterer watches for dusk; he thinks, ‘No eye will see me,’ and he keeps his face concealed... For all of them, deep darkness is their morning; they make friends with the terrors of darkness.”
Isa 29:15 Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, “Who sees us? Who will know?”
(1) DARKNESS & LIGHT
Dallas Willard, an American philosopher also known for his writings on Christian spiritual formation, states: “Almost all evil deeds and intents are begun with the thought that they can be hidden by deceit.”
The kingdom of evil is built on lies, secrets, and darkness. It requires the absence of light to survive. Thus, for all it’s fearsome appearance, the kingdom of evil is structurally very weak. Turn on the light, and the cockroaches scramble to go under the refrigerator. 1
1 acts17-11.com/ light.html
(1) DARKNESS & LIGHT
Those in darkness hate the light because they know that it will expose their evil deeds:
John 3:19-20 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
The same light that makes plants grow hardens clay. The light is the same, but the response is completely different.
John 3:21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
(1) DARKNESS & LIGHT
John 1:5 The light shines in the
darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. (NLT)
Because the
people in darkness
hate the light, 2000
years ago they tried
to extinguish that light,
by crucifying Jesus. But
“the darkness can never
extinguish” the true light.
John 1:4-5,9 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it… The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. (NIV)
(1) DARKNESS & LIGHT
But the secrets of sin are only temporary. You can count on them being exposed by the light (if not in this world, ultimately on Judgement Day)
(1) DARKNESS & LIGHT
Mark 4:22 “For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light.” (NASB)
Eph 5:13 But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them… (NLT)
Job 28:11 [God] ... brings hidden things to light.
(1) DARKNESS & LIGHT
1 Cor 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.
Ps 90:8 You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.
Job 12:22 He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light.
Dan 2:22 He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.
Their deeds of those in darkness are shameful and fruitless:
Eph 5:11-12 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.
Their lives are characterized by hate:
1 John 2:11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness…
(1) DARKNESS & LIGHT
The land being covered in darkness coincides with God turning his back on his Son:
Matt 27:45-46 From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
God turns his back on his Son when he takes upon the sin of the world.
2 Cor 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Because God is light (sinless and holy), the fellowship with Jesus is broken as he takes the sin of the world.
(1) DARKNESS & LIGHT
When Jesus began his ministry we read:
Matt 4:16 “the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”
And Zechariah prayed concerning the coming Messiah:
Luke 1:78-79 “because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
(1) DARKNESS & LIGHT
The darkness lasted until the ninth hour (3 p.m.) when Jesus died. Light was then restored. This is symbolic of how Jesus’ death brought us from darkness into light.
Jesus said:
I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (John 8:12)
I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. (John 12:46)
(1) DARKNESS & LIGHT
When we are saved, we move from the darkness into the light:
Eph 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.
Col 1:13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves
1 Thess 5:5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
(1) DARKNESS & LIGHT
2 Cor 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
Eph 5:8-9 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)
1 Pet 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
(1) DARKNESS & LIGHT
Jesus contrasted the people of this world to the people of the light: “For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.” (Luke 16:8)
The people of this world
The people of the light
(1) DARKNESS & LIGHT
The move from darkness into light is brought about by faith in Jesus:
Acts 26:17-18 “… I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”
(1) DARKNESS & LIGHT
(2) THE
TORN
VEIL
HOLY PLACE
HOLY OF HOLIES
COURT OF THE PRIESTS
COURT OF THE WOMEN
COURT OF THE ISRAELITES
COURT OF THE GENTILES
THE VEIL
The second sign was the tearing of the curtain in the Temple.
The curtain, which Matthew reports as being torn, separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (or Holy of Holies).
Heb 9:3-5 Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant.
So in the temple, behind the curtain was the Holy of Holies, the innermost sanctuary, the resting place for the ark of the covenant. Covering the ark was the mercy seat. The Holy of Holies was filled with the Shekinah glory of God i.e. the visible, tangible presence of God.
THE HOLY OF HOLIES
The curtain in the original tabernacle (that the temple was modelled after) was described as follows;
Ex 25:31-34 “Make a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim worked into it by a skilled craftsman. Hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold and standing on four silver bases. Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the Testimony behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. Put the atonement cover on the ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy Place.”
THE HOLY OF HOLIES
In the Old Covenant only one man, the High Priest, could enter the Holy of Holies (the inner room) and then only once a year:
Heb 9:7 But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year…
On Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) the presiding high priest would take the blood of the bulls, goats, and lambs that had been sacrificed on the altar in the courtyard. He would walk through the Holy Place, where all the priests were allowed, but would go behind the separating curtain and into the Holy of Holies. It was there that he would offered the blood of the substitutionary sacrifice on the Mercy Seat of the ark. This blood was to atone for the sins of all Israel.
(2) THE TORN VEIL
The way into God’s very presence was not open to all under the previous covenant. God had to be accessed by the priests and prophets:
Heb 9:8 The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing.
When Jesus died, this thick curtain which separated all mankind from the presence of the holy God, was torn.
Matt 27:50-51 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
(2) THE TORN VEIL
Early Jewish tradition (the Mishnah) stated that the Temple veil was massive: 40 cubits (18 metres) high, 20 cubits (9 metres) wide and as thick as a man’s hand. 1
1 R. Simeon ben Gamaliel
said, on account of R.
Simeon, the son of the
Sagan, the thickness of
the veil is an hand’s
breadth, and it is woven of seventy two threads, and every thread has twenty four threads in it: it is forty cubits long, and twenty broad, and is made of eighty two myriads; (which is either the number of the threads in it, or the sum of the golden pence it cost. Source: Mishnah. Shekalim, c. 8. sect. 5. Shernot Rabba, sect. 50. fol. 144. 2. Bernidbar Rabba, sect. 4. fol. 183. 2.
Q: Who tore this massive curtain?
A: God did – Matthew records that it was torn “from top to bottom”. At a height of 18 metres no man could have done that. Also it was far too thick for a man to tear (multi-threaded material the width of a man’s hand).
God was showing that the way into the Holy of Holies was now opened – and that the lost relationship with God was restored. Our relationship with God was broken by sin which led to Adam and Eve being driven from God’s presence. Jesus as our mediator restored our relationship with God.
Rom 5:10 For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son…
(2) THE TORN VEIL
The sacrifices in the Old Covenant were just annual reminders of sin, because they couldn’t bring about forgiveness of sin:
Heb 10:3-4
But those
sacrifices are
an annual
reminder of
sins, because
it is impossible
for the blood
of bulls and
goats to take
away sins.
(2) THE TORN VEIL
Because we have forgiveness of sin, the tearing of the curtain which led into the area where the blood from the sin sacrifice was offered for atonement – is symbolic of the fact that there is no longer a need for sacrifice.
Heb 10:15-18 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin.
(2) THE TORN VEIL
The tearing of the curtain was symbolic of the tearing of Jesus’ body on the cross which opened the way into God’s presence.
Heb 10:19-22 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
(2) THE TORN VEIL
Unlike the Old Covenant all people now have free access into the Father’s presence.
We have “confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus” (Heb 10:19) because our sins which alienated us from a righteous God have been removed.
Our covenant has “a new and living way” which allows us to “draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith” (Heb 10:19-22).
(2) THE TORN VEIL
SO GOD IS IN EFFECT SAYING, “THE DOOR IS NOW OPEN. COME ON IN AND MEET ME.”
(3) RESURRECTION
The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
See NOTE 2
(3) RESURRECTION
The last sign to accompany Jesus’ death was an earthquake, the splitting of rocks and the resurrection of some of the Old Testament saints.
Just before God introduces the Old Covenant (the Law) to Moses on Mount Sinai, the mountain shook:
Exodus 19:18,20 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently… The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain.
(3) RESURRECTION
Now as God introduces the New Covenant (Grace) once again the earth is shaken. The splitting of the rocks and the resultant opening of tombs was a preview of the final resurrection, which would be guaranteed by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead three days later.
We also see that the saints were raised. But while the earthquake happened at the time of Jesus’ death, verse 53 indicates that the saints were only seen after Jesus’ resurrection. Although the tombs were broken open at the time of the crucifixion, they could not come out of the graves until after Jesus’ resurrection. Why? Because Jesus is the firstfruit of the resurrection:
1 Cor 15:20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
(3) RESURRECTION
And so Jesus’ resurrection and the resurrection of these saints are a sign from God that through Jesus’ atonement work on the cross, we too have the hope of the resurrection and eternal life.
John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 John 5:11-12 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
(3) RESURRECTION
See NOTE 1
THE RESPONSE
Matt 27:54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”
The Centurion experienced the supernatural darkness and now the shaking of the earth when Christ dies. His response is to declare Jesus to be the Son of God. Mark indicates that it was also because of the manner in which Jesus died:
Mark 15:39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”
THE RESPONSE
What is your response to
Jesus’ death and God’s signs.
Will you leave the darkness
and enter the light that
came through Jesus death?
Will you enter through
the torn curtain and
have fellowship with God?
Will you become God’s child and
so have the hope of the
resurrection and eternal life?
Will you, like the centurion, declare
Jesus to be the Son of God?
THE RESPONSE
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Scripture quotations taken from the NASB:
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