Luke 23:44Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

For there was ‘darkness from the sixth hour to the ninth hour,’ serving as a clear indication to the Jews that those who executed Him were engulfed in spiritual obscurity, for ‘blindness in part had happened to Israel.’ David, in his devotion to God, even pronounces a curse upon them, saying, ‘Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see.’ Indeed, all of creation mourned for its Lord: the sun was obscured, the rocks were shattered, and even the temple donned the attire of mourning, for its ‘veil was torn from top to bottom.’ This is what God reveals to us through the voice of Isaiah: ‘And I will cover the sky with darkness, and I will wrap it with sackcloth.’

Their appearance stirred faith, their procession served as a sign, and by entering the holy city, they indicated that the resurrected would attain everlasting peace in the heavenly Jerusalem. The temple veil is torn, signaling either the division of the two peoples or the end of the synagogue's rites. The old veil is ripped apart so that the new Church may display fresh testimonies of her faith, claiming her rightful inheritance. The veil of the synagogue is lifted, allowing us to perceive the profound mysteries of the faith with clarity. The centurion acknowledges the crucified One as the Son of God. O hearts of the Jews! You are more unyielding than stone. Stones may crack, yet your hearts remain obstinate. The judge condemns you, the executioner believes, the betrayer judges himself to death, the elements fall apart, the earth trembles, the graves are opened, and the entire universe quakes, yet the hardness of the Jews' hearts remains unyielding!

The first quarter, referred to as the first hour, commenced at sunrise, aligned with our understanding of the equinox starting at midnight. The second period, the third hour, began at the third hour of the day, which translates to 9 o'clock at night. The sixth hour started at midnight. The final quarter, the ninth hour, ran from 3 to 6 in the afternoon. Thus, when darkness commenced at the sixth hour, it would correspond to the onset of the first hour in our reckoning. How does this align with the timing of the Savior's crucifixion? St. Mark states that it was the third hour when He was crucified. According to St. John, the judgment leading to Jesus’ execution occurred around the fifth and sixth hours. Reflecting on the events of that Friday morning—from the interrogation before the Sanhedrin to the crucifixion at Golgotha—it is evident that the third hour marks the final moment when the decision to crucify Him was rendered. Therefore, St. John's testimony aligns with Mark's, indicating that the Savior was crucified by the end of the twelfth hour by our standards. Consequently, the darkness commenced following the crucifixion, not more than half an hour later. The tradition from apostolic times also affirms this timeline, where it is stated, “He surrendered to the Jewish cruelty to be mocked until the sixth hour; thereafter, for three hours, He suffered the agony of the nails, culminating His suffering in death,” reflecting the thoughts of St. Ephraim the Syrian.

According to the three Evangelists, the darkness prevailed across the entire earth. The Church Fathers have consistently maintained that this darkness covered the whole world, specifically the hemisphere that was facing the sun. This opinion holds true with the Gospel's intent and is supported by historical evidence. The phrase "the whole earth" signifies the universe. Tertullian of Carthage wrote to the Roman Senate, describing how "the radiant sun was obscured in the middle of the day. Those unfamiliar with the story of Christ interpreted it as an eclipse, unaware of its true cause; they dismissed it. Yet this event is recorded in your archives." St. M. Lukyan similarly spoke before the Nicomedean prefect, asserting that the sun itself served as witness, hiding its light at noonday in response to such wickedness, as noted in historical records. It is apparent that the darkness on the day of the crucifixion was witnessed both in the east and west. Additionally, three non-Christian historians observed the darkness that day, with one, Phlegontes, contemporary of Hadrian, noting that "in the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad, a significant eclipse occurred; at the sixth hour, it was as night, and stars became visible."

The Evangelists do not elaborate on the nature of this darkness. St. Luke comments that "the sun was darkened," but this does not clearly explain how it occurred. However, it is essential to acknowledge that this was not a conventional solar eclipse. An eclipse could not occur during the Jewish Passover, which takes place at full moon, as the moon cannot obscure the sun during that phase. St. Cyril of Alexandria posited that this darkness was akin to the one experienced in Egypt during Passover celebrations, arguing that an eclipse could not take place on the 14th day. St. Chrysostom stated that it was not an eclipse but rather a reflection of divine anger and indignation. The Church Fathers held steadfastly to the belief that the darkness of the Passion was an extraordinary phenomenon.

In modern times, some have interpreted this darkness as a standard precursor to an earthquake. However, it is unprecedented for an event signaling an earthquake to extend over the entire world as the darkness did. Typically, prior to an earthquake, dense vapors may rise, but only in the areas directly affected; furthermore, witnessing stars in the daytime is rare and was not reported during earthquakes. Moreover, as will be discussed, the earthquake on that holy day was not of natural origin.

What reaction did this darkness provoke among the people of Jerusalem? Tradition tells us that both Pilate and his wife were perplexed by the extraordinary occurrences of that Passion Day. When Pilate convened the Sanhedrin members, he inquired, "Have you observed what has happened?" They attributed it to a common solar eclipse. Yet, many Jews certainly did not find Caiaphas’ role honorable. It is likely that numerous individuals were profoundly concerned about the ominous relationship between such profound darkness and the condemnation of Jesus Christ. In the prophetic writings, an eclipse of the sun is often presented as a sign of divine wrath against human wickedness; such as in Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and John. How much more, then, could this darkness evoke dread now, considering it was both real and miraculous? One cannot help but recall the recent admonition to the daughters of Jerusalem, a message of profound consequence for a sinful Israel. Glory to Your Passion, O Lord. Amen.

This occurrence could not be attributed to a typical solar eclipse, as such an event happens when the Moon aligns directly between the Earth and the Sun, thereby casting a shadow over the Earth. The death of Jesus occurred on a Friday, the day of the Jewish Passover (John 19:14), which is celebrated on the 14th day of the first spring lunar month during the full moon—an alignment that precludes the Moon from obstructing the Sun. Therefore, the darkness testified to by the Evangelists was an extraordinary event. When considering that this darkness was accompanied by an earthquake, the shattering of tombstones, and the resurrection of many deceased saints, we must acknowledge these signs as a distinct miraculous demonstration of God's will. This phenomenon of darkness and the tremors were witnessed by more than just the Evangelists. The historian Eusebius cites a testimony from Phlegontes, a contemporary of the Emperor Hadrian, stating that in the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad, a remarkable eclipse occurred at midday, transforming day into night and revealing the stars in the sky. Additionally, Phlegontes reported a significant earthquake in Bithynia that devastated much of Nicaea. This account is referenced by both Origen and Tertullian, who wrote to the Roman Senate around 200 CE, noting that the daylight vanished unexpectedly at noon. Those unaware of the prediction concerning Christ's death viewed it as a mere solar eclipse but, upon reflection, attributed its mysterious nature to an omen of misfortune rather than a natural occurrence. Accordingly, given the irrefutable evidence of the darkness and the improbability of its being an ordinary solar eclipse, we should resist explaining it through known natural laws. The adversaries of Christ frequently demanded celestial signs from Him, yet He consistently denied them, knowing that they would refuse to believe, even if someone were to rise from the dead (Luke 16:31). The sudden darkening of the sun, while failing to lead Jesus’ enemies to faith in Him, must have profoundly impacted them. They perceived the eclipse as an unfortunate coincidence corresponding with Christ's crucifixion, believing it signified impending doom. The crowd's response intensified, as mockery gave way to a deep and somber silence. The Veil of the Temple During this same moment in the temple, the veil that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom; the graves were opened, and many righteous dead were raised, appearing in Jerusalem after the resurrection of Jesus. The temple in Jerusalem was divided into two main areas: the Sanctuary, where priests offered incense four times a day, and the Holy of Holies, which was entered solely by the high priest once a year during the Feast of Atonement. The veil that shielded the Holy of Holies contained significant relics, including the Ark of the Covenant, manna, and the rod of Aaron. The Holy of Holies symbolized heaven, the dwelling place of God, which remained inaccessible to humanity. With Christ's death, the tearing of the veil signified that access to God was now granted freely to all who sought Him and adhered to His commandments. Believers in Christ should have understood that this direct access was opened through the teachings, life, and crucifixion of the God-man. Tragically, the Jewish leaders failed to grasp this significance and, promptly, sought to replace the torn veil with a new one. Only the Evangelist Matthew recounts the tearing of the temple veil, having learned about it later, likely from witnesses such as priests or others outside their ranks. Similarly, he discovered afterwards about the resurrection of certain saints and their appearances in Jerusalem. It is believed that their tombs were opened during the earthquake and that they were raised alongside Jesus Christ.

The whole creation, as expressed in church hymns, "trembled in great fear" upon seeing the Lord suspended on the cross, while the sun concealed its rays, becoming darkened before all other beings. An extraordinary darkness enveloped the heavens during a midday hour, extending far beyond the borders of Palestine, lasting from the sixth hour to the ninth, that is, from twelve to three in the afternoon when adjusted to our modern timekeeping.

It is essential to note that six hours must be added when recalibrating time to our contemporary standard; thus, what we regard as six o'clock in the morning corresponds to noon in this reckoning. Among ancient peoples, a solar eclipse was often seen as a dire omen of impending calamity, and to the Jews, this phenomenon was especially significant because it frequently symbolized divine retribution in prophetic literature (Is. 13:10; 24:23; 50:3; Ezek. 32:7; Joel 3:15; Am. 8:9; Micah 3:6). The remarkable timing of this darkness coinciding with the Lord’s crucifixion, its abrupt onset, and duration, particularly ending at the moment of Christ's passing, clearly indicated that an extraordinary, unprecedented event was unfolding at Golgotha. There, in this mystical shadow, the earthly existence of the God-Man concluded, a life that commenced amidst the deep night in the manger of Bethlehem. There, the forces of darkness (Luke 22:53) assembled around the Lord's cross, and human iniquity perpetrated the act that resulted in the death of God. There, covertly, the atoning sacrifice was made to uphold the divine truth for the sins of humanity, while nature itself awaited the restoration of fallen mankind (Rom. 8:21). Those present instinctively looked upon the Crucified Savior, and as recorded by the holy Evangelists (Matt. 27:54; Luke 23:47, 48), the remarkable occurrences surrounding the crucifixion profoundly impacted both the soldiers and the crowds at Golgotha. An extraordinary darkness, serving as a visible sign of God's wrath against sinful humanity, covered the land. During this gloom, the Redeemer endured three additional hours of unparalleled suffering, both physical and spiritual.

The sole Mediator between God and humanity, who offered Himself as redemption for all (1 Tim. 2:5, 6), became a curse for us (Gal. 3:13) and accepted, in His deepest humility, the penalty due to us. He sought "to vanquish passion with passion, abolish death through death, overcome adversities with the same, and, for this purpose, He embraced the human experience of suffering, remaining unchanged in His divine essence while taking on our weaknesses and afflictions (apart from sin)" (St. Theodotus of Ancyra). The Mediator of the New Covenant (Heb. 9:15), pouring out His blood upon the altar of the cross for the forgiveness of our sins and presenting Himself as a sacrifice (v. 28), experienced suffering that far surpassed human capability: through His cross, weighed down by its immeasurable burden, our Redeemer, without assistance or solace from earth or heaven, achieved the greatest mystery of our salvation, concealed from ages past (Col. 1:26), and did so through Him alone, appearing before God on our behalf—not with the blood of animals, but with His own precious blood, securing eternal redemption (Heb. 9:12, 24).