Mark 15, verse 33 says that darkness filled the whole land from the sixth hour until the ninth hour. A look at verse 25 says that Jesus was crucified in the third hour. Verse 34 goes further and says that at the ninth hour Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?” After that he cried with a loud voice and gave up the ghost (verse 37).
Crucifixion, being nailed to the cross; first, the spikes are driven through the wrists into the crossbeam. Now, remember that Jesus has already been flogged and made to carry his cross on the way to Golgotha. Second, the legs are bent at the knees so the thighs will be made to carry the weight of the body once the cross is dropped into the hole. Then, spikes were used to keep the feet in place. Last, the cross was lifted up that Jesus was nailed to and it was dropped in the hole. This occurred during the third hour of the day, around 9 a.m.
Three hours later (the sixth hour) darkness covered the whole land until the ninth hour. Three hours of darkness in the middle of the day. This is when Jesus cries to God and asks why He has forsaken him. Jesus, much like the rest of humanity when they cry out, “God, why did this have to happen to me?” reveals to us in that moment just how real his suffering was.
After that Jesus cries out with a loud voice and he dies. The centurion who is most likely the one who nailed Jesus to the cross stops and thinks that this was truly the Son of God. Okay, that’s a start. He acknowledges that. Did he go running off to the disciples and find out what he needed to do to be saved? If he did, there’s no record of it.
Pilate who knew Jesus was innocent executed him anyway. As did Herod, too. Did they have a change of heart? There’s no record of it. Pastor Josh summed it all up when he repeated a conversation that Jesus had with Nicodemus. “…Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.” (John 3:5,6)
Crucifixion, being nailed to the cross; first, the spikes are driven through the wrists into the crossbeam. Now, remember that Jesus has already been flogged and made to carry his cross on the way to Golgotha. Second, the legs are bent at the knees so the thighs will be made to carry the weight of the body once the cross is dropped into the hole. Then, spikes were used to keep the feet in place. Last, the cross was lifted up that Jesus was nailed to and it was dropped in the hole. This occurred during the third hour of the day, around 9 a.m.
Three hours later (the sixth hour) darkness covered the whole land until the ninth hour. Three hours of darkness in the middle of the day. This is when Jesus cries to God and asks why He has forsaken him. Jesus, much like the rest of humanity when they cry out, “God, why did this have to happen to me?” reveals to us in that moment just how real his suffering was.
After that Jesus cries out with a loud voice and he dies. The centurion who is most likely the one who nailed Jesus to the cross stops and thinks that this was truly the Son of God. Okay, that’s a start. He acknowledges that. Did he go running off to the disciples and find out what he needed to do to be saved? If he did, there’s no record of it.
Pilate who knew Jesus was innocent executed him anyway. As did Herod, too. Did they have a change of heart? There’s no record of it. Pastor Josh summed it all up when he repeated a conversation that Jesus had with Nicodemus. “…Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.” (John 3:5,6)
