Jesus, when He had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the Ghost.
Seven wonders
There were seven wonders which made the death of Christ exceedingly remarkable.
I. Over His head was written an inscription in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” That there should be a distinct recognition of His kingship over the Jewish people has ever been regarded as one of the most remarkable splendours of the Saviour’s death. Typical of His sovereignty over the entire Church, which is but the prelude to His sovereignty over all worlds. Is He King in your heart?
II. The conversion of the thief (Luke 23:1-56.). See here the majesty of Christ as a Saviour, even in His misery as an atonement. What the thief saw about Christ let us all endeavour to see-His almighty power to save. God hath laid help upon One that is mighty. Trust Him only and fully.
III. The total darkness at noon-day made a fitting cavern into which Christ might retire. A picture of Christ’s tremendous power. Your darkness is never so black as His.
IV. The rending of the veil. An eminent type of the departure of God from the symbolical dispensation. It was all over now. Now there was no veil between man and God. The dying Saviour rends away for ever every impediment which shuts us out from the Most High.
V. The earthquake. Here we see Christ’s lordship over the world. The Lord of Providence.
VI. The resurrection of certain of the saints. How I should like to know something about them l They were representative men; they arose as specimens of the way in which all the saints shall in their due time arise.
VII. The confession of the centurion. A picture of Christ’s convincing power. I hope we have felt this convincing power-it lies in the doctrine of the cross. The unrecorded wonder connected with the cross of Christ is that when we hear of it our hearts do not break, and that our dead souls do not rise. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Prodigies attending the Crucifixion
I. The great event of the Saviour’s death
1. That this great event did take place we have abundant testimony-
(1)Profane testimony.
(2) The testimony of the early Christians.
(3) The testimony of the inspired writers.
2. The design of His death.
(1) To atone for the world (2 Corinthians 5:18-19; Hebrews 10:12; John 1:29-36; Hebrews 7:27).
(2) To procure for the guilty, pardon of sin (Hebrews 9:22; Matthew 26:28; Romans 3:25). Withheld from the unforgiving, the unbelieving, the impenitent (Matthew 11:26; John 7:21; John 7:24; Luke 13:2-5).
(3) To procure the Holy Ghost to quicken dead sinners, etc.
(4) To exhibit to the world the amazing love of God.
II. The emblematical and awful prodigies that attended that event. Christ had been charged as an imposter; how important that this testimony should be borne just at this time!
1. The darkness. Dionysius, a heathen, who observed the darkness, declared that it portended something extraordinary, and exclaimed, “Either nature is deploring, or the God of nature suffers.”
2. “The veil of the temple was rent.” Signifies: The abolition of the Jewish economy; that the mysteries of that dispensation were now explained; that the way of access to God was open to all believers.
3. “The earth did quake.” The shaking of the moral world then, since, now, etc.
4. “The rocks rent.” Emblems of the hard hearts that should be broken by Christ’s death.
5. “Graves were opened,” &c, Signifying that the dead in sin should be raised to a life of righteousness; that Christ had won a victory over death; that the saints of the early ages had an interest in the work of Christ; that there shall be a general resurrection of the dead.
III. The clams it has upon us.
1. It claims our attention.
2. Our faith.
3. Our affections.
4. Our zeal. (A. Weston.)
Effects of the death of Christ
I. The circumstances attendant on the Saviour’s death claim our attention and they attest His Divine character. “The earth did quake.” The death of Christ shook the moral world and shakes it still. “The rocks rent.” Emblems of the hard flinty hearts that should be subdued by the power of Christ’s death. “Graves were opened,” as if to denote that the hidden things of darkness should be revealed.
II. The manner in which these striking events should influence us.
1. They should confirm us in the dignity of His character.
2. We should reflect upon the power of His death.
3. We should search for these effects upon ourselves. (Dr. Cope.)
I. The fact of the Saviour’s death.
1. Christ died according to the appointment of the Divine counsels.
2. This design of God was announced in prophecy.
3. The particular manner of our Lord’s death.
II. The signification of those awful prodigies by which his death was attended.
1. Of the whole of them. So many testimonies to the Messiahship of Jesus, and approbations of His work.
1. “The veil of the temple was rent”-
(1) That the ceremonial arrangements of the Jewish economy were about to be abolished;
(2) That the way of access is opened to all believers in God;
(3) That the mysteries peculiar to the Mosaic economy were now displayed and explained.
2. “The earth did quake.”
(1) Another emblem of the destruction of the Jewish system.
(2) How God expressed His wrath at the scenes now transacting.
3. “The graves were opened.”
(1) It showed that Christ achieved a victory over death.
(2) That the saints of the early ages had an interest in the work of the Redeemer.
(3) That there should be a general resurrection of the dead.
III. The influence which the death of Christ and its prodigies ought to possess, over the human mind.
1. Frequent contemplation on His death.
2. Pungent sorrow for the cause which produced His death.
3. Cordial faith in His merits.
4. Grateful thanksgiving to God for the scenes which have been unfolded. (J. Parsons.)
Miracles of Calvary
I. Miracle evinced itself in the great victim of Calvary. In the voluntary surrender of His life. Christ had power over His own life; and, not depending on the operation of nature’s laws, He could dismiss the spirit, or retain it at His pleasure.
II. Miracle as it evinced itself in the circumstances attending the crucifixion.
(1) The miraculous facts, darkness, earthquake, rent veil, graves burst open.
(2) The design of this miraculous interposition.
(a) These miracles constituted a Divine attestation to the Messiah, even in the hour of forsaking and death.
(b) The prodigies of Calvary served to betoken the more dread conflict and terrifying darkness of the Saviour’s soul in the hour of atonement.
(c) In the rending of the veil we are taught that the Mosaic institutions were henceforth to be superseded, the objects which they symbolized being now accomplished.
(d) We see in these miracles the trophies and the earnest of the Redeemer’s triumphs. (John Ely.)
Yielding up the Ghost
It does not appear that the special agonies which the Saviour’s mental sufferings created produced death prematurely; for there does not seem to have been a paroxysm producing convulsion, nor does death appear to have been the effect of mere exhaustion: the calm which succeeded the sufferer’s exclamation under Divine forsakings forbids are former conclusion; the vigour of His dying shout forbids the latter. (John Ely.)
Reasons for these miracles
In respect of-
1. The Sufferer dying.
2. The creatures obeying.
3. The Jews persecuting.
4. The women beholding.
5. The disciples forsaking. (Thos. Adams.)
Divine testimonials to Jesus
I. The dream of Pilate’s wife.
II. The darkness of the sky.
III. The rending of the veil of the temple.
IV. The earthquake at Calvary.
V. The rising of the dead. (N. Lardner.)
The mysterious resurrections
I. The place where this resurrection happened.
II. Who were raised.
III. The time when they were raised.
IV. To whom they appeared.
V. Whether they soon after ascended up to heaven, or died again.
VI. The truth of this history.
VII. The use of this extraordinary event. Reflections:
1. We may perceive a great agreement between the life and the death of Jesus.
2. It cannot but be pleasing to observe the mildness of all the wonderful works performed by Christ and done in His favour.
3. The testimonials given to Jesus should induce us to show Him all honour and reverence.
4. Let these meditations inspire us with courage and resolution in the profession of His name, (N. Lardner.)