Matthew 27:45-56 - Jesus Dies On The Cross

⁴⁵ Now from noon until three o'clock in the afternoon there was darkness over all the land. ⁴⁶ Then about three in the afternoon Jesus called out in a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama, sabachthani? [Note: These words were spoken in the commonly used Aramaic language], which mean, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

⁴⁷ And when some of those standing there heard this, they said, "This man is calling for Elijah."

⁴⁸ And immediately one of them ran and got a sponge, soaked it in sour wine and, attaching it to a stick, [lifted it up] and offered Jesus a drink. ⁴⁹ But the rest of them said, "Let him alone; let us see if Elijah [really] comes to save him."

⁵⁰ Then Jesus called out again with a loud voice and [finally] gave up His spirit [to God. See Luke 23:46]. ⁵¹ Just then the Temple curtain was torn in two from top to bottom, the ground shook, and rocks were split open. ⁵² Graves opened up and the bodies of many dead saints [i.e., God's holy people] were raised up [from the dead]. ⁵³ They came out of their graves after Jesus' resurrection and entered the holy city [i.e., Jerusalem] where they appeared to many people.

⁵⁴ Now when the military man in charge, and those with him who were watching Jesus, saw [and felt] the earthquake and the [other] things that happened, they became extremely fearful, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God."

⁵⁵ And many women, who had followed Jesus from Galilee and had ministered to His needs, were watching [all this] from a distance. ⁵⁶ Among them were Mary from Magdala; Mary, the mother of James and Joseph [i.e., probably the wife of Clopas. See John 19:25]; and the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee [i.e., Salome. Mark 15:40].

³³ And when it became noon there was darkness over the entire land until three o'clock in the afternoon. ³⁴ Then at three o'clock Jesus shouted in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama, sabachthani?" [Note: These words were in the commonly spoken Aramaic language], which being interpreted, means "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

³⁵ And when some of those standing there heard this, they said, "Look, he is calling for Elijah." ³⁶ Then one of the soldiers ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a stick and gave it to Him to drink, saying, "Let him alone; let us see if Elijah comes to take him down [from the cross]."

³⁷ Then Jesus spoke in a loud voice and gave up His spirit [to God. See Luke 23:46]. ³⁸ Then the Temple curtain was torn in two from top to bottom. ³⁹ And when the military officer in charge of one hundred men, who was standing in front of Jesus, saw Him die like that, he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God."

⁴⁰ And there were also some women watching all this from a distance. Among them were Mary from Magdala; Mary the mother of the younger James and [his brother] Joseph [i.e., probably the wife of Clopas. See John 19:25]; and Salome [i.e., the mother of James and John and wife of Zebedee. See Matt. 27:56]. ⁴¹ These women had ministered to Jesus' needs when they followed Him from Galilee. Others watching were many women who had come up to Jerusalem with Him.

⁴⁴ Now when it was about twelve o'clock noon, darkness came over all the land until three o'clock in the afternoon, for ⁴⁵ the sun's light failed to shine. Then the Temple curtain became torn down the middle. ⁴⁶ Jesus called out in a loud voice, "Father, I commit my spirit into your hands." And after He said this, He gave up His spirit [i.e., to God in death].

⁴⁷ And when the military officer in charge of one hundred men saw what had happened, he honored God [by] saying, "Certainly this man had [always] done what was right." ⁴⁸ And after the crowds that had gathered to witness this sight saw what had happened they left, beating their chests [i.e., as an expression of anguish over witnessing Jesus' death]. ⁴⁹ And all of those who knew Him, as well as the women who had followed Him from Galilee [See Matt. 27:55-56], watched all this from a distance.

²⁸ Now Jesus knew that everything had been completed [i.e., relating to His crucifixion], so then He said, in order to fulfill Scripture [Psa. 69:21], "I am thirsty." ²⁹ A bottle full of sour wine was sitting nearby so someone put a sponge full of the wine on a hyssop plant stalk and lifted it up to Jesus' mouth.

³⁰ After drinking some of the sour wine, Jesus said, "It is completed," [i.e., His work of dying for the sins of mankind] and gave up His spirit [i.e., to God. See Luke 23:46].

³¹ Now it was the Day of Preparation [Note: This was the day before the Passover Festival began, and fell on a Friday that year], and the Jews did not permit bodies to remain on a cross over the Sabbath day. (Besides, that Sabbath day was a special day [i.e., since it was both the Passover and the regular weekly Sabbath, as well]). So, they asked Pilate to have Jesus' and the criminals' legs broken [i.e., to speed up their deaths] and then have their bodies taken away. ³² So, the soldiers went and broke the legs of the first [criminal] and then of the other man crucified with Jesus. ³³ But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. ³⁴ However, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. ³⁵ And the person who saw this happen is giving a true testimony about it. He knows it is true [and is giving it] so that you will believe [it, also]. ³⁶ For these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled [Ex. 12:46], "Not a [single] bone of his will be broken." ³⁷ And another Scripture says [Zech. 12:10], "People will look at him whom they [had] pierced."