Luke 23:44-45

This week, we are going to step aside from the parables in Luke's Gospel, and look at the death of Christ to help prepare our minds and hearts for Easter.

We need to be reminded that the crucifixion is not what made Calvary, Calvary. Though many pastors will dramatize and focus on the physical suffering of Christ (which was great and terrible) that was not what made Calvary, Calvary. After all, there had been others who were whipped, others who carried their crosses, and others who had been nailed violently to the tree. While the physical pain that Jesus suffered was tremendous, it was not as severe as many others. The thieves had their legs broken to speed up their death. Not one of Christ's bones were broken. Think about it, people would sometimes hang on the cross, suffering helplessly for days! Jesus hung there for six hours. Jesus had power over his own life and his own death, so he was able to give up his spirit when he got good and ready to….and isn't it strange that he did so as soon as the darkness past?

You see the crucifixion is not what made Calvary, Calvary…the darkness is. It was the darkness that set the crucifixion of Christ apart from the other crucifixions. And why? Because God arrived at Calvary in the darkness. He showed up to unleash judgment; to unleash his wrath. The darkness is the presence of the wrath of God. Calvary is more about the wrath of God, and the judgment of God (the darkness) than it is about anything else.

It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land . There was darkness over the whole land. We’re not talking about a few clouds rolling across in front of the sun. We’re talking about pitch black darkness: darkness that can be felt, and darkness at the 6th hour. This is mid-day, high noon, the sun at its apex in the middle of the sky, blazing brightness, instantaneously it became pitch blackness.

It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Luke tells us that the sun's light failed: literally, its light went out. Some have suggested that this was a natural eclipse. That is not possible since Passover is set by the full moon and you can’t have an eclipse with a full moon. This was a supernatural darkness and they knew that supernatural darkness was associated with divine judgment. It’s been dark for three hours, pitch black. Nobody could see their hand in front of their face. Divine wrath is being poured out! Eternal wrath is being released and the darkness is everywhere. You could say it another way. God brought hell to Jerusalem that day. That is what good Friday is all about: the hell of Calvary, the wrath of God.

Do we understand the wrath of God that arrived that day in this darkness. No we do not, nay we CANNOT. We cannot comprehend the wrath of God, the judgment of God, and the weight of that three hour darkness in Jerusalem, but next time we will attempt to. Until then….