From the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. —Matthew 27:45 ESV
On the day of Jesus’ crucifixion, from noon to three in the afternoon, “the sun’s light failed” (Luke 23:45). There was darkness over the earth. At Jesus’ birth, a host of angels turned the midnight sky into day. Now at His death, the noonday sky was turned to night.
Throughout Scripture, the darkening of the sun is often a symbol of judgment. The ninth plague on Egypt was darkness over the land for three days (Ex. 10:21–23). In Amos, God said He would “make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight” (8:9 esv). And in Revelation, we see how the final wrath and judgment of God is unleashed on those who refused to believe the gospel and repent (16:10).
When Christ died, the sun was darkened because the cross was a place of judgment. It was appropriate that at that moment when God’s wrath was poured out on His Son for our sins that the sun should fail to shine.
Make it Personal
What does the judgment of the cross mean to you personally?