Truly this was the Son of God!

 

 Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"  Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, "This Man is calling for Elijah!"  Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.  The rest said, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him."  And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.  Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.  So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

 

- Matthew 27:45-54 

 

Yesterday we read that, following His trial before Pilate and assignment to be crucified, as Jesus and the soldiers came out from the Praetorium, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name.  Him they compelled to bear His cross.  And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink.  But when He had tasted it, He would not drink.  Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet:  "They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots." Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there.  And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him:  THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.  Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one of the right and another on the left.  And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, "You who destroy the temple and built it in three days, save Yourself!  If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross."  Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, "He saved others; Himself He cannot save.  If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.  He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.'"  Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing. 

 

  Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.   The sixth hour is noon; the ninth hour is 3:00 in the afternoon.  Regarding this darkness at noon, see Zechariah 14:6-7; Amos 8:9.

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"  Jesus is praying Psalm 22, a psalm which foretold the details of the Crucifixion.  My study Bible says that if this is taken from the rest of the psalm, Jesus' cry of "Why have you forsaken Me?" can be misinterpreted as a cry of despair.  We should understand that since He took on our human nature, Jesus also experiences our alienation from God in His humanity, knowing our suffering and distress; but He does not despair.  He speaks these words in the name of humanity, my study Bible notes, completely identifying with us in our condition, as in His divinity, He is never forsaken by the Father.  

Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, "This Man is calling for Elijah!"  Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.  The rest said, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him."  And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.  The text tells us that Christ yielded up His spirit.  My study Bible comments that Christ's death is voluntary to the very end.  Even on the Cross, it says, Christ's life could not be taken from Him against His will.  He accepts death on the Cross neither to receive the Father's punishment on our behalf, nor to satisfy the Father's need for blood-justice (as if God would demand such things), but by entering death as the divine Son of God, He can destroy the last enemy -- which is death itself (1 Corinthians 15:20-28).  In allying Himself completely to our nature, He transforms human nature for all of us.

 

Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, . . .  The veil of the temple separated the Most Holy Place from the rest of the temple.  My study Bible calls it a symbol of the separation between God and humanity.  Christ's death now opens the way into the presence of God for all people, giving human beings access to that which is the most holy of all:  God.  Additionally my study Bible notes that in many Orthodox churches, there is a curtain between the altar and the nave; it's drawn open during liturgical services in order emphasize that communion with God, which was at one time sealed off from humanity, now available to all who approach in faith.  

 

 . . . and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.  My study Bible says that the completeness of the salvation won by Christ is signified in this resurrection of the saints from the Old Testament.  It says that this is a guarantee of the promise given to Ezekiel that God can and will one day open the graves of all humankind (Ezekiel 37:1-14).   The saints entering the holy city, it notes, is an icon of resurrected humanity entering the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 11:10; 12:22-23; Revelation 21:2-22:5).

So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!"   According to my study Bible, this centurion is a Gentile who realizes that Jesus has dominion over nature, and therefore acknowledges Him as the Son of God.  In tradition he is known as St. Longinos.

The text tells us that, immediately after Jesus yielded up His spirit, then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.  These images sear the mind as those of things popping open, almost like spring -- the tearing of the veil of the temple in two from top to bottom, the earth quaking, the rocks splitting, graves opened and the bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep raised and coming out of the graves, even appearing to many.  Everything splits open to reveal extraordinary things setting forth, pouring out, appearing before people, as if the whole world has suddenly broken open with these extraordinary things exploding out like chicks breaking out of an eggshell they've broken open from within.  Christ's voluntary death lets forth an unprecedented outpouring from the world, splitting the veil in the temple and the rocks, opening the graves, and saints appearing to the people.  It's like an eruption of life that was just waiting to be revealed, which nobody knew was there.  But poetically, perhaps ironically, it is Christ's death which explodes this vivid outpouring of life.  It's as if there were all these things hidden, and all it took was this one event to unleash them for all to see.  This is a strange parallel with the understanding of the season of spring, its name in many languages indicating the "springing forth" of flowers from the ground.  But Christ's death springs forth everything, not just flowers.  It's an indication of things to come, the kinds of truths and meanings that will flow from this event and through the Church, bringing countless things to light and into history in ways that inform every facet of our lives --  most of which is now so woven into our culture we are likely no longer entirely aware and might struggle to name.  This outpouring has to be understood as the effect of the Sower, who will now be "sown" in the ground Himself, and whose Resurrection it all portends.  Jesus has said to Himself, in John's Gospel:  "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain" (John 12:23-24).  Even more powerfully, He asks us to follow Him, for participating in His life, death, and Resurrection, we may also do the same:  "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor" (John 12:25-26).  He sows His life and expands new life for us all.  Whatever we "lose" in following Him, is raised up with many, for the Father will honor such endeavor, and all of the life exploding out in Jerusalem at Christ's death affirms this unmistakable power.  Let us consider what His death and sacrifice give to us; let us live His life He gives us in His Resurrection, and share in what we reap.  For even as the centurion can see, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things

 

 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.  Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.  And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hands I commit My spirit.'"  Having said this, He breathed His last.  So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous Man!"  And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned.  But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things. 

Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man.  He had not consented to their decision and deed.  He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before.  That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near.  And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid.  Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils.  And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment. 

 

- Luke 23:44-56 

 

On Saturday we read that there were also two others, criminals, led with Jesus to be put to death.  And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.  Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."  And they divided His garments and cast lots. And the people stood looking on.  But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God."  The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, and saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself."  And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew:  THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.  Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us."  But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?  And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong."  Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom."  And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." 

 

 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.  In Friday's reading and commentary, we remarked upon what seems like an "upside down" time, a time when evil seems to make a great show.  That there is darkness during the brightest time of the day (the sixth hour corresponds to noon, the ninth hour to 3 p.m.) is another kind of "upside down" sign.  In another sense, we could say that all of these events indicate the disturbance of creation, for the Logos experiences earthly death.  It is almost as if creation itself is mourning in its upside down time, when creatures seek to destroy the Creator.

Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.   My study Bible comments that the veil that separated the Most Holy Place from the rest of the temple was a symbol of the separation between God and human beings.  Christ's death opens the way into the presence of God for all, giving people access to that which is the most holy of all:  God.  In many Orthodox churches, one may see a curtain between the altar and the nave which is drawn open during liturgical services.  This emphasizes that this communion with God, which was at one time sealed off from humanity, is now available to all who approach in faith. 

And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hands I commit My spirit.'"  Having said this, He breathed His last.  My study Bible notes that Jesus does not have His life taken from Him, but will voluntarily commit it to the Father.  His was the first human soul not to be taken to Hades, my study Bible further explains.  Instead it was freely given into the hands of God.  So, therefore, Christ frees all of humanity from the grip of death.  His death reconciles humankind to God, not by satisfying the Father's need for blood-justice as some might teach, but in causing every aspect of our corrupt human nature to be transformed -- for whatever divinity touches is healed.  Christ accepts human nature in order to sanctify human nature.  He accepts our weakness in order to make us strong.  He takes on our sin in order to free us from sin.  He suffers in order to transfigure suffering.  And finally, He enters death in order to destroy it (1 Corinthians 15:20-28).  Jesus' words are from Psalm 31:5, teaching us that He was praying on the Cross.

Having said this, He breathed His last.  So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous Man!"  And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned.  But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.  My study Bible quotes St. Cyril of Alexandria, who reflects on the conversion of the centurion  St. Cyril writes, "Observe that no sooner had Christ endured the Passion on the Cross for our sakes than He began to win many unto knowledge of the truth."  Let us also note that the Gospel gives us these various strata of people in response to Christ.  There is the whole crowd who came together, and seeing what had been done causes them to beat their breasts in anguish and return.  But the acquaintances of Christ are different, and these include the women who followed Him from Galilee.  They stood at a distance, almost seemingly passive, watching these things.  But they are the ones who were already warned by Christ what was to come to Him in Jerusalem.  They are the ones, one feels, who love Him.

Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man.  He had not consented to their decision and deed.  He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before.  That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near.  My study Bible comments that, if the apostles had buried Christ, doubters could claim His body was simply hidden away.  Joseph, as both a council member and a good and just man refutes any possibility that the Lord's body was deceptively hidden by the apostles.  The spiritual significance of a tomb where no one had ever lain before is that Christ died a death unlike any person had ever died.  That is, a death without corruption, and a death leading to victory over the grave itself.  Let us also note that here we are given yet another layer of the people of Jerusalem and who surround the story of Christ.  Joseph of Arimathea as both a rich man (indicated by this grave hewn out of rock where no one had ever lain before) and a council member reminds us that the Gospels do not present human beings as monoliths.  Joseph had not consented to the decision and deed of the rest of the council, although he was a prominent member (Mark 15:43).  In this viewpoint of the Gospels, nothing in our nominal worldly identity prevents us -- or anyone else -- from being a good and just person and one who loves Christ and awaits the kingdom of God -- and even boldly acts that love as does Joseph of Arimathea.

And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid.  Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils.  And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.  Christ's rest in the tomb fulfills the image of His birth in a cave. (See Luke 2:7, where this manger would have been by custom in a cave for the animals).  This understanding reveals the ultimate purpose of Christ's coming.  The faith of the women, while stronger than that of the hiding disciples, was still imperfect in that they prepared for the corruption of Christ's body.  My study Bible adds, regarding the Sabbath:  As God rested from the work of creation on the original Sabbath (Genesis 2:1-3), so now Christ rests from the work of the new creation on the Sabbath.  Therefore, Jesus gives the Sabbath its ultimate meaning and fulfills the Law even in death.  My study Bible quotes a hymn from Matins of Holy Saturday:  "This is the most blessed Sabbath on which Christ sleeps in order to rise on the third day."

 

There is a kind of stoicism one might read in the followers of Christ.  Perhaps we should not understand stoicism as a word referring to a specific philosophy, but a more generalized term to indicate a particular attitude or disposition.  Christ's followers accept.  They are not the ones who are beating their breasts and making an outcry of grief.  They watch even from a distance all the things that happen.  Perhaps they are following Christ's words of warning about what is to come in the future disasters in Jerusalem, or perhaps they are merely responding to Christ's repeated warnings that this was to come for Him.  After all, He has shown them the way, as He could under the particular circumstances of the events in the days just before His Passion.  He would not let them fight for His life; He even healed the ear of the servant of the high priest (see Luke 22:49-53).  See also John 18:36, in which Jesus testifies to Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here."  No, His servants do not make a revolution nor even a stir, but watch from afar.  There is then Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy man about whom we've not heard anything in this Gospel before now.  But Joseph is a good and just man, who does not consent to the decision of the Council, and he acts quite courageously in giving this new and unused rock tomb -- a quite expensive gift -- for Christ's burial.   Finally, there are the women, who pay attention to what it is their business to do.  These are the women of such faith that they have followed Him from Galilee.  Earlier we were told they were supporting His ministry from their own means (Luke 8:1-3).  They also do not spend time wailing and mourning, but like Joseph, they do what is necessary.  They get to work.  They go to this tomb and observe how it is laid out.  Then they return to prepare spices and fragrant oils, so that they may do the proper burial.  But they must, dutiful as they are, rest on the Sabbath.  All of these people who are the ones indicated in the text who love and follow Christ, they make of themselves a pattern that we can recognize.  They accept what has happened and do what is necessary.  But what seems to characterize their behavior is that they examples of truly "good and faithful servants" (see Matthew 25:23).  They remind us of what we are to be doing, of the proper attitude we must take, as we await the Master's return.  These are the ones who do not waste time with passions that can so often take us off track.  They are the faithful and wise servants, alert to what is necessary, doing the things that need to be done.  They are also the ones who are watchful, who do not waste time in unprofitable pursuits, forgetful of what they are to be about (Luke 21:34-36).  They have not lost themselves to the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and to desires for other things (Mark 4:18-19).   It is these few, perhaps, who are keeping everything together for the making of the future Church, providing what is necessary, and doing what they must, and they are all examples of what our lives are supposed to be.  For even in this worst of all circumstances, at a time when the unthinkable has happened, when even the sun is blacked out from its glory in seeming grief of the created universe, these stand back and do what they are able and what they must, and they do not wait for others to tell them what to do.  They know what to do and do what they can.  For these women, especially, who have followed Him from Galilee, this faithful and true behavior will serve to bring the greatest news of the world, for which they will be the first bearers into the world.  

Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour

 

 Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.  And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"  Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, "Look, He is calling for Elijah!"  Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down."  And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last.  Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.  So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, "Truly this Man was the Son of God!"

 

- Mark 15:33–39 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus was brought to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.  Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it.  And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take.  Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him.  And the inscription of His accusation was written above: THE KING OF THE JEWS.With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left.  So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And He was numbered with the transgressors."  And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, "Aha!  You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself, and come down from the cross!"   Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, "He saved others; Himself He cannot save.  Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe."  Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him.

 

Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.  The sixth hour is noon, the ninth hour is about three o'clock in the afternoon.  See Zechariah 14:6-7, Amos 8:9.

 

 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"  Jesus is praying Psalm 22, which foretells even the details of the Crucifixion.  Without the rest of the psalm, Jesus' cry, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" could be misinterpreted to be a cry of despair.  Since Christ took on our nature, my study Bible says, Jesus experiences our alienation from God in His humanity, knowing our suffering and distress, but He does not despair.  He speaks these words in the name of humanity, completely identifying with us in our condition, for in His divinity, He is never forsaken by the Father.  

Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, "Look, He is calling for Elijah!"  Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down."  It's interesting as always to note that the Gospels report people misunderstanding Christ; in this case mis-hearing Him and giving a false interpretation to the words they think He says. 

And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last.   My study Bible notes that Christ's death was voluntary to the very end, for even on the Cross, His life could not be taken from Him against His will.  It explains that Christ accepts death on the Cross neither to receive the Father's punishment on our behalf, nor to satisfy the Father's need for blood-justice (as if God would demand such things), but so that by entering death as the divine Son of God, He can destroy this last enemy, which is death itself (1 Corinthians 15:20-28).   Whatever divinity touches is healed:  Christ accepts human nature in order to sanctify human nature, He accepts our weakness in order to make us strong, He takes on our sin in order to free us from sin, He suffers in order to transfigure suffering, and He enters death in order to destroy death.  He will be the first human soul not to be taken to Hades; instead His soul is freely given into the hands of God -- therefore Christ frees all of humanity from death's grip.  In transforming every aspect of human nature, we are reconciled to God and thus healed.

Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.  My study Bible explains that the veil which separated the Most Holy Place from the rest of the temple was a symbol of the separation between God and man.  It says that Christ's death opens the way into the presence of God for all people, therefore giving access to that which is most holy of all:  God.  In many Orthodox Churches, there is a curtain between the altar and the nave which is drawn open during liturgical services in order to emphasize that this communion with God, which was at one time sealed off from humanity, is now available to all who approach in faith.  

So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, "Truly this Man was the Son of God!"  According to my study Bible, the centurion, who is a Gentile, realizes that Jesus has dominion over nature, and therefore acknowledges Him as the Son of God.  Tradition knows this soldier as St. Longinos.

What does it mean to be transformed, to be healed by Christ?  My study Bible speaks of this healing by transformation by saying:  Christ accepts human nature in order to sanctify human nature, He accepts our weakness in order to make us strong, He takes on our sin in order to free us from sin, He suffers in order to transfigure suffering, and He enters death in order to destroy death.  We can experience this sanctification through prayer, and throughout our lives, by taking each struggle and each difficulty to Christ, by seeking God's way for our lives and our choices in this way.  After a lengthy period of such experience, I can say that I believe I have been changed through this process -- that is, led through repentance, or "change of mind," which the Greek word for repentance literally means.  My beliefs and patterns of thinking are completely different from what they were decades ago.  And as life has baffled my expectations in numerous ways, and so frequently that I don't often feel I can see the forest for the trees, this prayer life has led me through the puzzling experiences of life, giving me strength to cope with disappointments, and hope for unforeseen difficulties that my own limited experience had not supplied me with knowledge sufficient to address.  In suffering from such setbacks and baffling outcomes, and the disappointments and heartache encountered therein, I was given meaning to suffering through the practice of forgiveness and of seeking God's way to respond to hurtful people and circumstances.  This is transformation indeed, and a way through darkness, through difficult and limited paths and options for response.  Christ has brought me through problems I did not know how to address, and which conventional response -- or giving in to passions like despair or anger or outrage or envy -- would have resulted in an even worse problem for myself, and an inner nature marred by sin on top of sin.  It has been for me a prayer life fully of salvation, and I can put no other solution or responsible suggestion for the source of salvation in all of the above circumstances except the faith and love of Christ (and by extension, the Father and the Spirit, and all the saints, who always accompany Christ).  It is this consistent love which has never failed, has not condemned but helped, shown me the way, taught me how to live in my still-limited fashion, given me knowledge and a small amount of wisdom, and always corrected in an environment which surrounded me with deep love.  There is no getting around it nor escaping this love, this explanation for survival through very difficult circumstances for which, of myself alone, I could not imagine a way through, and that is my testimony.  As for the final enemy, which is death, I certainly cannot say I have experienced that yet (!), but in effect, if we look carefully at our lives, I can say with many others that I have been through crucifixions of a sort, that reminded me I needed to learn some things, and that I needed to change some things about myself or about the circumstances of my life and relationships with others -- and that once again, it was only the way of the Cross that could provide me with that hope and that outcome, and His way and truth and life to follow.  This is my testimony of my experience of salvation, which I consider to be ongoing, for faith is a journey -- but it is our Lord who provides the road (which is the literal meaning of the word for "the way" in Greek -- ὁδὸς/odos).  We are all on a road somewhere, and sometimes we may feel ourselves being crucified, but He has led the way, and asks us to take up our own crosses.  With Him, we may hope in Resurrection in all things and all ways, for this is truly our salvation -- even when we, too, may experience darkness in broad daylight.

 

Certainly this was a righteous Man!

 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.  Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.  And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hands I commit My spirit.'"  Having said this, He breathed His last.  So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous Man!"  And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned.  But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man.  He had not consented to their decision and deed.  He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before.  That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near.  And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid.  Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils.  And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.

 

- Luke 23:44–56

 

On Saturday, we read that there were also two others, criminals, led with Jesus to be put to death.  And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.  Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."  And they divided His garments and cast lots.  And the people stood looking on.  But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God."  The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, and saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself."  And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew:  THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.  Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us."  But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?  And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong."  Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom."  And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

 

 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.  Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.   These are natural indicators of a strange, upside-down, evil time, in which incomprehensible violence is done to what is essentially good.  The sixth hour is noon, a time when the sun is highest and brightest in the sky, and casts no shadows but those immediately under objects, but there is darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour (3:00 PM), throughout what is normally the brightest period of the day.  My study Bible reminds us that the veil that separated the Most Holy Place from the rest of the temple was a symbol of the separation between God and man.  Christ's death opened the way, it says, into the presence of God for all people, and giving access to that which is most holy of all:  God.  In many Orthodox churches, there is a curtain drawn between the altar and the nave which is drawn open during liturgical services, in order to emphasize that communion with God, which was at one time sealed off from humanity, is now available to all who approach in faith.

And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hands I commit My spirit.'"  Having said this, He breathed His last.  My study Bible comments that Jesus does not have His life taken from Him, but He will voluntarily commit it to the Father.  Christ's soul was the first human soul not to be taken to Hades, my study Bible explains.  Instead, it was freely given into the hands of God.  Therefore, Christ frees all of humanity from death's grip.  His death reconciles humankind to God, not by satisfying the Father's need for blood-justice as some might teach, but by causing every aspect of our corrupt human nature to be transformed -- for whatever is touched by divinity is healed.  Christ accepts human nature in order to sanctify human nature; He accepts our weakness in order to make us strong; He takes on our sin in order to free us from sin; He suffers in order to transfigure suffering; and He enters death in order to destroy it (1 Corinthians 15:20-28).  Jesus voluntarily enters death as the divine Son of God, and thereby can destroy the last enemy, which is death itself.

 

So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous Man!"  And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned.  But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.  My study Bible cites the commentary of St. Cyril of Alexandria regarding the conversion of the centurion.  St. Cyril writes:  "Observe that no sooner had Christ endured the Passion on the Cross for our sakes than He began to win many unto knowledge of the truth."  Let us all note the faithfulness of His acquaintances, and specifically of the women mentioned who followed Him from Galilee.

Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man.  He had not consented to their decision and deed.  He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before.   My study Bible remarks that if the apostles had buried Christ, doubters could claim His body was simply hidden away.  But Joseph, being both a council member, and a good and just man, refutes any possibility that Christ's body was deceptively hidden by the apostles.  It notes that the spiritual significance of a tomb where no one had ever lain before is that Christ died a death unlike any person who had ever died:  a death without corruption, and one leading to victory over the grave itself. 

 

That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near.  And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid.  Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils.  And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.  My study Bible says that Christ's rest in the tomb fulfills the image of His birth in a cave (Luke 2:7), and also reveals the ultimate purpose of His coming.  The faith of the women, while stronger than that of the hiding disciples, is still imperfect in the sense that they prepared for the corruption of Christ's body.  Regarding the Sabbath:  My study Bible writes that, as God rested from the work of creation on the original Sabbath (Genesis 2:1-3), so now Christ rests from the work of the new creation on the Sabbath.  Therefore Christ gives the Sabbath its ultimate meaning, and fulfills the Law even in death.  An Orthodox hymn for Holy Saturday Matins declares, "This is the most blessed Sabbath on which Christ sleeps in order to rise on the third day."

Often we think of Christ on the Cross, alone, surrounded by enemies and those who hate Him, mock Him, even spit on Him (Matthew 26:67-38, 27:30).  But the text tells us that there are those who did not desert Him, there are those who mourn, even those who come to faith, such as the centurion who declares, "Certainly this was a righteous Man!"  The text tells us that the whole crowd came together and saw what had been done, and beat their breasts in a sign of grief, even repentance at the sinfulness of what has just taken place.  St. Cyril of Alexandria suggests that we make careful note that immediately after Christ endured His Passion, He began already to win many to the knowledge of the truth.  He suggests that those who beat their chests could not dare do anything more openly against their rulers, and reminds us that Christ said, "When I have been lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men to myself" (John 7:32).  And then there are those who are Jesus' acquaintances, and the women who've followed Him from Galilee, who watch from a distance.  St. Ephrem the Syrian writes that this is in fulfillment of Scripture:  "My neighbors stood far off" (Psalm 38:11).  But it is these women from Galilee who will come to the tomb to tend to His body.  Finally, we also read of the heroic bravery of Joseph of Arimathea.  This is a wealthy man, for such a tomb would have been extremely costly.  Moreover, he was notably a council member, whom the text tells us was a good and just man, also awaiting the kingdom of God.  It is so very important that we understand that there is no black and white underscoring of groups of people in this story.  The ultimate blame for the evil that has happened goes to spiritual forces of evil, to Satan, who works through the passions (such as envy and greed) of human beings, through our weaknesses, through our temptations.  But although the leaders have instigated this horrific death, we cannot say of the entire council that it is evil, as notably Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus are believers and faithful to Christ; here Joseph takes great courage to go openly to Pilate and ask for Christ's body, placing His body in a tomb never before used by anyone.  Some in the crowd beat their breasts in grief, just as the women of Jerusalem who wept while Christ was being led to the place of crucifixion.  There is nothing in the story of the Gospels that condemns one group or another -- however we want to name those groups -- as all bad, for each person has their own choice to make, and the Gospel gives us individuals of every stripe who boldly love Christ, including even the centurion at the Cross who declares Him to be a righteous Man, and will himself become known as a saint of the Church.  It is most important that we understand these things that are given to us in the Gospels, because any lesser observation is wrong, and the foundation of terrible error.  There is a quotation about good and evil found in The Gulag Archipelago, by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn:  "Gradually, it was disclosed to me that the line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either — but right through every human heart — and through all human hearts."   Jesus speaks throughout the Gospels of the reality of the human heart:  our weaknesses and temptations, the passions we jealously guard, and our willingness to let these things go in order to live holy lives.  These individuals and every exception to every group tell us of the importance that we understand this struggle in the heart as our real calling, our true spiritual battle.  When we misplace that focus, all manner of error and tragedy can happen.  Although the religious leadership of the Jews would persecute the early Christians (and the man who would become St. Paul chief among persecutors), let us recall that every follower of Christ in the Gospels (with the possible exception of the centurion) was a Jew.  This is what we are taught and what we hold to our hearts, as we also grow in our faith --  as will the apostles, the early Church, and all the women in the text who've remained loyal to Him since the beginning in Galilee. 

Truly this was the Son of God!

 Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"  Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, "This Man is calling for Elijah!"  Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.  The rest said, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him."  And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.  So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, thy feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

- Matthew 27:45-54

 In our current readings, it is Holy Week, and Jesus has been convicted of blasphemy by the Council.  He has been denied three times by Peter, and Judas has committed suicide.  He has appeared before Pilate, and been rejected by the crowds.  He's been scourged, mocked and spat on by the Roman soldiers, and taken for crucifixion.  Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name.  Him they compelled to bear His cross.  And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink.  But when He had tasted it, He would not drink.  Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet:  "They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots."  Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there.  And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him:  THIS IS JESUS - THE KING OF THE JEWS.  Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.  And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, "You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself!  If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross."  Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, "He saved others; Himself He cannot save.  If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.  He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.'"

 Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"  Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, "This Man is calling for Elijah!"  Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.  The rest said, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him."  And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.    From the sixth hour until the ninth hour is approximately from noon to three o'clock in the afternoon.  This darkness in the brightest times of the day reflects prophecies found in Jeremiah and Amos.   When Jesus asks, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" He is beginning to pray Psalm 22, which prophesied even details of the Crucifixion.  Without knowledge of the psalm, this could be taken for a cry of despair.  He took on our nature, explains my study bible, and so experiences in His humanity our alienation from God -- He fully knows our suffering and distress.  But there is not despair here.  These words can be spoken in the name of humanity, completely identifying with us in our condition.  But in His divinity, He's never forsaken by the Father.  In fact, the words seem to be a signal that He knows the time to go to the Father has arrived.    The text tells us He's yielded up His spirit.  This is a voluntary death.  My study bible says that even on the Cross, His life could not be taken from Him against His will.  He accepts death on the Cross not to receive punishment instead of us, nor to satisfy a need for blood-justice (God does not need nor demand such).  Rather, by entering human death as divine Son of God, He destroys the last enemy, which is death itself  (1 Corinthians 15:20-28). 

Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.   So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, thy feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!"   The veil of the temple separated the Most Holy Place from the rest of the temple.  It was a symbol of the separation between God and man.  Christ's death opens the way into the presence of God for all.  Through Him, we have access to the most holy of all: God Himself.  In many Orthodox churches, there is a curtain between the altar and the nave which is drawn open during the liturgical services;  this emphasizes that communion with God, at one time sealed off from humanity, is now available to all who approach in faith.  My study bible says that the completeness of the salvation won by Christ is seen in the resurrection of the saints from the Old Testament.  It is a guarantee of the promise given to Ezekiel that God can and will open the graves of all mankind (Ezekiel 37:1-14).  This image in Jerusalem is an icon of the resurrection of all humanity entering the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 11:10, 12:22-23; Revelation 21:2-22:5).   The centurion is a Gentile who recognizes that Jesus has dominion over nature through witnessing these events, calling Him the Son of God.  By tradition, the Church knows him as St. Longinos. 

It's, to say the least, a strange time described here.  Christ is killed on a cross, mocked  and ridiculed and reviled by everyone, even the robbers crucified with Him.  It is an absolute bottoming out of all one could wish for in life, not just 'the end of the road,' so to speak, but one of complete humiliation.  This is a total self-emptying.  But here, at the time of His death, with His remarkable prayer of prophesy in Psalm 22, we have an image of heaven and earth turned upside down:  there is first darkness from noon to three, and after He gives up His spirit, the saints walk as if alive again on earth and we have an icon - like a superlain image - of the heavenly Jerusalem in the time of eternity.  Here at the Crucifixion, the human Jesus' entire community joins in His humiliation.  But it is first a Gentile soldier who recognizes His divinity.  Just after His death, the crisis is past and a sudden clarity is here.  The events of resurrection are stirred, and His death happens voluntarily, even as He prays the Psalm that prophesies what is happening and ends with praise and confidence in God and God's kingdom for all posterity.  It seems to me that we would do well to remember that these events may go unnoticed by the world at the time they occur.  Crucifixions were not one-time events at this time in Jerusalem.  Surely many knew of Jesus, but the violence and upheavals of this time period characterize its history.  Those who mocked Jesus or sought to have Him put to death do not immediately understand the effects of what they do.  And that is somehow what life is like:  the holy isn't something that screams out at everyone.  It doesn't "prove" itself with effects that are available or understood by all.  Those whose hearts and minds are not open to it will rarely perceive or receive it.  And even that perception is a great mystery; the depths of the heart work in strange ways that are not really known to us or up to us.  All of this is to say that tremendous and world-shattering realities may be hidden and contained in the most mundane of times and circumstances, and their effects and truths realized only much, much later and perhaps by those who can understand them.  In our lives, the one way to take this lesson to heart is to know His words to the disciples before being betrayed and taken away, and that is to "watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation."   These words have the effect of telling us, perhaps warning us, that it's always going to be our job to be aware and alert (the word for "watch" in Greek is also about wakefulness, being roused from sleep).   Coupled with prayer, it's an admonition that we're always to know what we're about, where we are spiritually, where we stand with God.  Events we're going to encounter or be surrounded by in life may ask us for all kinds of things -- and if we're not aware of where we are and who we are, we may be blind to what we enter into and blind to their temptations for us.  As such, Jesus calls us always to a consciousness of the spiritual realities of our lives, not to be asleep, not to be just drifting along with 'the world,' but to make the effort to know what we're about, and to serve in our ways as disciples.  These events may go unnoticed by all kinds of people and unknown by humanity everywhere.   But to watch and pray is to be reminded that we're here for a purpose, that our lives are not meaningless, that this great drama of Passion, Crucifixion and death is one played out for us -- and that His very life is something in which we, too, participate via our own existence as His followers and disciples.  That participation is what we do when we watch and pray, when we follow His commands (such as participation in the Eucharist, for example).  We commune in His life; we live our lives with Him.   Let us be aware that we need His life, and live as if every single moment were important.

Truly this Man was the Son of God!

 Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.  And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"  Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, "Look, He is calling for Elijah!"  Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down."  And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last.  Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.  So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, "Truly this Man was the Son of God!" 

- Mark 15:33-39

Yesterday we read that Jesus was brought to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.  Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it.  And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take.  Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him.  And the inscription of His accusation was written above:  THE KING OF THE JEWS.  With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left.  So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And He was numbered with the transgressors."  And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, "Aha!  You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself, and come down from the cross!"  Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes said, "He saved others, Himself He cannot save.  Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe."  Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him.

  Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.   My study bible tells us:  "When the Creator suffers, the creation suffers with Him.  The lights of heaven hide themselves and are darkened until the ninth hour as God hangs suspended upon a Cross."    The sixth hour to the ninth hour corresponds to noon to 3:00 P.M.

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"  A note in my study bible says that "in His humanity, Christ is really forsaken:  in, and with, and for us, who are forsaken and abandoned.  Eloi is an Aramaic form which means 'my God.'"  These words are the beginning of Psalm 22; Jesus is praying.  Reading the entire psalm is an important way to look at and understand the Crucifixion, and Jesus' place as Messiah:  as both human being and Son of God.

 Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, "Look, He is calling for Elijah!"  Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down."   My study bible tells us that many believed Elijah would come to rescue the pious.

And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last.   My study bible says, "The Greek verb for breathed His last or 'expired' connotes a voluntary death.  Jesus' death is that of the suffering Messiah, whose cry is not a defeat but a sign of the separation between the soul and the body, a turning point towards the triumph over death, the trampling down of death by death."

Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.   A note says, "The dividing wall of hostility separating man from God is symbolically represented by the veil of the temple, which was torn in two by the death of Jesus."

So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, "Truly this Man was the Son of God!"   We may well wonder why the centurion was so moved at Jesus' death, but if we look at the language in the Greek referred to in the earlier note on verse 37, in which Jesus "breathed His last" we see an affirmative act.  As my study bible noted, the Greek verb for breathed His last denotes an affirmative action, a voluntary breathing out or exhaling, as if this were His choosing of His time to separate soul and body, allowing the soul to depart.  Even the Greek for the phrase that He cried out denotes His control:  the text reads that Jesus permitted or "let go" a loud cry, indicating a voluntary act and a remarkable kind of self-control or mastery.  We note His praying of Psalm 22 on the Cross and come to see the something of the astonishing witness or testimony of the centurion.  Jesus has never lost His faith, despite being forsaken.  I can't help but focus on the testimony of the centurion and what must have passed in that remarkable time.  We remember the mocking of Jesus by the Roman garrison after His scourging.  We know how Jesus has been treated by the Roman soldiers.  And yet, after witnessing this Man's crucifixion and suffering and mocking on the Cross and His death, the centurion cannot help but exclaim, "Truly this Man was the Son of God!"  We can't stand in the shoes of the centurion, but his testimony is essential for us to understand the presence and authority of Jesus, even in this place, and how He stood out -- even in His darkest hours -- to those who had great experience of such suffering, and yet no understanding of the Jewish spiritual tradition, which taught of the coming of the Messiah.  According to early Church tradition, the name of this centurion was Longinus, who became known as a saint.  Tradition also tells us that he was the centurion who pierced Jesus' side with a spear, and stood as well guarding the tomb as one of the soldiers sent by Pilate to do so.  His words here served as testimony for the Church, and Longinus, by tradition, became a martyr in His native land of Cappadocia and is considered a saint.  One story about him says that the water and blood from Jesus' side healed Longinus' eye infection, and there are miracles regarding healing of sight tied to this saint.  I can't help but put together the sacrifice of Christ, the blood shed that tells us of His covenant with us, even the water turned to wine that we drink as commemoration per His instructions.  All of these tells us something about that saint called Longinus, the one who came to see at the Cross, whose life was thoroughly changed -- like "new wine" -- through his own experience of Jesus.   We must see Longinus' declaration that "truly this Man was the Son of God!" as a powerful act of testimony, one that was quite dangerous to make, particularly for a person in his position as one in authority.  We must admire his courage for doing so, particularly as he stands at the foot of the cross of the Man crucified for declaring Himself to be Son of God.  That he would become a saint and a martyr tells us something powerful about Jesus, that no matter what the circumstance, those who will understand with faith will be touched by His love, His Spirit, His power.  Wherever we find ourselves, let us remember St. Longinus, and that Christ is with us, no matter what we think we see around ourselves in the world.  Let us remember this testimony to Christ, most especially because it comes at this moment of Jesus' death, from one of those to whom it was said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

Truly this was the Son of God!

Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, "This Man is calling for Elijah!" Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink. The rest said, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him." And Jesus cried out yet again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

- Matthew 27:45-54

In yesterday's reading, we first read of Simon of Cyrene who was compelled to help Jesus carry His cross. They came to Golgotha, the Place of a Skull, and gave Jesus sour wine mixed with gall, which He refused to drink after tasting it. They crucified Him, and cast lots for His clothing, which fulfilled the prophecy: "They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots." The accusation was placed above Him: THIS IS JESUS - THE KING OF THE JEWS. He was crucified between two robbers. People came near the cross, mocking Him: "You who destroy the temple and built it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross." Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, "He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.'" Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.

Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. My study bible quotes from the Old Testament: "It shall come to pass in that day that there will be no light; the lights will diminish. It shall be one day which is known to the LORD -- neither day or night. But at evening time it shall happen that it will be light" (Zech. 14:6-7; see also Amos 8:9). The sixth hour is noon; the ninth is three o'clock in the afternoon.

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" My study bible says here: "Jesus repeats a passage from Psalm 22, which corresponds exactly to the Crucifixion. Taken by itself, without any consideration of what follows, His cry of My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? could be interpreted as an expression of despair. Since He appropriated our nature, Jesus experiences true separation from God in His humanity, knowing suffering and distress, and yet He does not despair. He speaks these words in the name of humanity, to put an end to the alienation of man from God. For as God He is never forsaken by the Father. With this cry humanity is accepted and saved." I believe it's important to take the whole Psalm in context; it's worthwhile reading to understand the frame of reference from which Jesus prays.

Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, "This Man is calling for Elijah!" Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink. The rest said, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him." And Jesus cried out yet again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. Again there is more mockery from the cross, and something more which we've already seen repeated at His trial: the confusion of Jesus' words. His words are interpreted according their own understanding, their malicious thinking. We need the full picture to understand what is happening here; and yet there will be those who did not know, but do understand. My study bible notes that "Yielded up His spirit shows His death was a voluntary separation of the soul from the body, yet both remain in a binding relationship with His divine nature."

Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. My study bible has some important notes on this passage. It says, "The veil or curtain that separated the Most Holy Place from the rest of the temple was a symbol of the separation between God and man. Christ's death opens the way into the presence of God for all people. Because His flesh, the true veil (Heb. 10:20), is dishonored, the figurative veil of the temple is torn in two. The rocks were split, because He is the 'spiritual Rock' (1 Cor. 10:4)." It adds: "The completeness and scope of the salvation won by Christ are signified in the resurrection of the saints, the righteous of the Old Testament. Considering this, no one ever need wonder whether the Old Testament saints are also saved. The holy city where the saints appeared is an icon of the heavenly Jerusalem (Heb. 11:10; 12:22-23; 13:14; Rev. 3:12; 21:2-22:5)."

So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!" Again, it's worth quoting from my study bible: "The centurion, a Gentile, realizes Jesus has dominion over nature, and therefore acknowledges He is the Son of God -- something the Jews were unwilling to do. Tradition knows this soldier as St. Longinos."

In today's reading we have the odd contrast of those who do know -- that is, the ones who mock Jesus suggesting He's calling for Elijah, with those who don't know (the centurion and his soldiers). The ones who mock Jesus don't realize He's praying Psalm 22, and yet they know of the prophecy that Elijah would return. But life here is upside down and inside out, as we noted in yesterday's reading. The ones who know don't know, they proclaim Jesus blasphemer while they blaspheme and fail to recognize what is there, even the words from the Psalm. And yet, and yet, those who don't know recognize what is happening. It's a testament once again to the natural understanding born in human beings, waiting to receive the Christ, the Logos. The ones who crucified Him, knowing not what they do, now recognize something genuine about Him. In some sense, we see here reflected the idea of coming to God as a little child, with eyes open and ready to receive. It's not what they know: the Scriptures and the prophecies, but how they use what they know, the inner desires that reject the One who is sent. Jesus has preached over and over again against hypocrisy, a twisting of the inner life, being one thing on the outside and another within. Here, we see a twisting of what has been given by God. Without a purity of heart, all the Scriptures in the world, and all the knowledge we can retain, are only going to dig us in deeper, to reflect the inner life we don't "clean up." Jesus has said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Let us remember Jesus' words from the Beatitudes, and apply it to today's scene. Our Creator is on a Cross, He has been persecuted, mocked, blasphemed, tortured, and killed as a criminal. But what do we see here? How can we see what is truly here?