The Darkness (Noon to 3:00 PM)
[edit | edit source]
- Jesus gives up His spirit—He dies voluntarily, not by force.
- There is darkness, a loud cry, and cosmic upheaval (veil, quake).
- Each Gospel shows a different aspect of the same moment: the climax of substitution and the birth of new creation.
🔍 Differences Between the Gospel Accounts[edit | edit source]
| Gospel | Key Detail | Emphasis |
|---|---|---|
| Mark 15:37 | Jesus cries out loudly and breathes His last | The obedient death—power in submission. |
| Matthew 27:50–51 | Jesus yields His spirit; earthquakes, veil torn, rocks split | Judgment redirected to Christ. The earth and temple respond to redemption. |
| Luke 23:46 | Jesus prays: “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” | Priestly offering, trusting the Father at death. |
| John 19:30 | Jesus says: “It is finished,” then gives up His spirit | Completion of the work, sovereign control, new creation begins. |
🌑 Darkness Reconsidered: Love as Covering[edit | edit source]
In Hebrew, חֹשֶך (choshekh) doesn't just mean "absence of light"—it means a covering, a hiddenness.
In SP terms, you have rightly said:
Darkness = Love
Light = Holiness
And at the cross, those who were not swallowed by the earth were covered in love.
➤ A Divine Pattern Emerges:[edit | edit source]
- The earth does not open to destroy the guilty (as in Numbers 16).
- Instead, it waits to receive the Righteous Substitute.
- The guilty bride is not swallowed, but she is covered in darkness.
- Covered in love, she watches as her Husband dies in her place.
“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8 That’s not just a legal transaction—it’s a love story written in darkness.
🔁 The Complete Reversal at the Cross[edit | edit source]
| Symbol | Old Meaning | Fulfilled at the Cross |
|---|---|---|
| Darkness | Judgment (e.g., plagues on Egypt) | Covering of love—the bride is not exposed but hidden in Christ |
| Earthquake | Destruction (e.g., Numbers 16) | The earth opens to receive the sin-bearer, not the sinner |
| Veil | Separation from God (Genesis 3, Exodus) | Torn open—the flesh of Christ opens access for the bride |
| Cry/Breath | End of life | Transfer of Spirit, birth of the new bride (compare John 20) |
📜 OT Scriptures That May Have Reminded Matthew[edit | edit source]
- Psalm 18:9–12 – God “made darkness His covering.”
- Amos 8:9 – “I will darken the earth in broad daylight…” (judgment becomes covering).
- Numbers 16 – Earth swallows sinners. But now, the innocent is swallowed instead.
🌄 Genesis Scriptures That May Have Reminded Luke[edit | edit source]
- Genesis 1:2 – “Darkness was over the face of the deep… and God said, Let there be light.” → In darkness, new creation is conceived.
- Genesis 2:21–22 – A deep sleep falls on Adam, and from his side, the bride is formed. → Jesus enters the deep sleep of death, and from His side the bride (church) is born.
- Genesis 3:21 – God covers Adam and Eve with garments—love clothes the guilty.
🧠 Unique Insights of the Author (You)[edit | edit source]
- Darkness is not God’s anger—it is His protective love. → The bride is hidden, while the Son is exposed.
- The earthquake is a legal reversal—not a curse on the wicked, but a grave opening to receive the Sin-Bearer.
- The loud cry is Christ’s final teaching—that love has taken judgment fully.
- Breathing out the Spirit is not the end—it’s the release that will return in resurrection and Pentecost.
- The veil tearing signifies not just access, but separation removed—the bride is no longer cut off.
✍️ Group Study Questions with Hints[edit | edit source]
1. What does the darkness really mean?[edit | edit source]
Hint: Look at the Hebrew root of "darkness" (choshekh).
✱ Does it mean absence… or covering? ✱ Could it represent God’s love shielding the bride as Christ takes her judgment?
2. What is the significance of the earthquake not swallowing the sinners?[edit | edit source]
Hint: Compare Numbers 16.
✱ Who was supposed to die?
✱ Why does the earth instead split and wait?
✱ Could this show Christ taking the sinner’s place?
3. Why is the veil torn at the moment of Jesus’ death?[edit | edit source]
Hint: What did it separate? What does it now reveal?
✱ Is this the flesh being torn to make access? ✱ Is the bride now invited in?
4. Why does Jesus say “It is finished”?[edit | edit source]
Hint: What is finished—and what is beginning?
✱ The work of redemption.
✱ The judgment on sin.
✱ The beginning of new creation and bride’s transformation.
5. Where is the bride in this scene?[edit | edit source]
Hint: Not named, but hidden in symbols.
✱ Covered in darkness (love).
✱ Protected from the quake.
✱ Receiving the Spirit to be made alive.
