Matthew 27:45–54

Jesus’ Death

27:45 Now from noon until three,78 darkness came over all the land.79 27:46 At80 about three o’clock Jesus shouted with a loud voice,81 “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”82 27:47 When83 some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.” 27:48 Immediately84 one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine,85 put it on a stick,86 and gave it to him to drink. 27:49 But the rest said, “Leave him alone! Let’s see if Elijah will come to save him.”87 27:50 Then Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit. 27:51 Just then88 the temple curtain89 was torn in two, from top to bottom. The90 earth shook and the rocks were split apart. 27:52 And tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had died91 were raised. 27:53 (They92 came out of the tombs after his resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.) 27:54 Now when the centurion93 and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and what took place, they were extremely terrified and said, “Truly this one was God’s Son!”

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78	tn Grk “from the sixth hour to the ninth hour.”
79	sn This imagery has parallels to the Day of the Lord: Joel 2:10; Amos 8:9; Zeph 1:15.
80	tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
81	tn Grk “with a loud voice, saying.” The participle λέγων (legōn) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
82	sn A quotation from Ps 22:1.
83	tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
84	tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
85	sn Sour wine refers to cheap wine that was called in Latin posca, a cheap vinegar wine diluted heavily with water. It was the drink of slaves and soldiers, and was probably there for the soldiers who had performed the crucifixion.
86	tn Grk “a reed.”
87	tc Early and important mss (א B C L Γ pc) have another sentence at the end of this verse: “And another [soldier] took a spear and pierced him in the side, and water and blood flowed out.” This comment finds such a strong parallel in John 19:34 that it was undoubtedly lifted from the Fourth Gospel by early, well-meaning scribes and inserted into Matt 27:49. Consequently, even though the support for the shorter reading (A D W Θ f1, 13 33 𝔐 lat sy sa bo) is not nearly as impressive, internal considerations on its behalf are compelling.
88	tn Grk “And behold.”
89	tn The referent of this term, καταπέτασμα (katapetasma), is not entirely clear. It could refer to the curtain separating the holy of holies from the holy place (Josephus, J. W. 5.5.5 [5.219]), or it could refer to one at the entrance of the temple court (Josephus, J. W. 5.5.4 [5.212]). Many argue that the inner curtain is meant because another term, κάλυμμα (kalumma), is also used for the outer curtain. Others see a reference to the outer curtain as more likely because of the public nature of this sign. Either way, the symbolism means that access to God has been opened up. It also pictures a judgment that includes the sacrifices.
90	tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
91	tn The verb κοιμάω (koimaō) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for the death of a believer.
92	tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
93	sn See the note on the word centurion in Matt 8:5.

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