THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW - Chapter 27 - Verse 45

Verse 45. Now from the sixth hour. That is, from our twelve o'clock. The Jews divided their day into twelve hours, beginning to count at sunrise.

There was darkness. This could not have been an eclipse of the sun, for the passover was celebrated at the time of the full moon, when the moon is opposite to the sun. Luke says, Lu 23:45, that "the sun was darkened;" but it was not by an eclipse, but, perhaps, by the vapours and clouds that preceded the earthquake. The only cause of this was the interposing power of God—furnishing testimony to the dignity of the Sufferer, and causing the elements to sympathize with the pains of his dying Son. It was also peculiarly proper to furnish this testimony when the Sun of Righteousness was withdrawing his beams for a time, and the Redeemer of men was expiring. A dark, thick cloud, shutting out the light of day, and clothing every object with the darkness of midnight, was the appropriate drapery with which the world should be clad when the Son of God expired, This darkness was noticed by one at least of the pagan writers. Phlegon, a Roman astronomer, speaking of the fourteenth year of the reign of Tiberius, which is supposed to be that in which our Saviour died, says, that "the greatest eclipse of the sun that was ever known happened then, for the day was so turned into night that the stars appeared."

Over all the land, That is, probably over the whole land of Judea, and perhaps some of the adjacent countries. The extent of the darkness is not known.

The ninth hour. Till about three o'clock in the afternoon, at which time the Saviour is supposed to have died.

{m} "darkness" Am 8:9