Mat 27:45-54 | TNotes | STEP | 27:45 Darkness symbolizes the judgment of God or, more specifically, the arrival of the day of the Lord (see Amos 5:18 , 20 ; 8:9-10 ; also Jer 4:27-28 ; 13:16 ; 15:9 ).

27:45 ^a Darkness symbolizes the judgment of God or, more specifically, the arrival of the day of the Lord (see Amos 5:18 ^b, 20 ^c; 8:9-10 ^d; also Jer 4:27-28 ^e; 13:16 ^f; 15:9 ^g).
27:46 ^h Eli, Eli: This cry means My God, my God, but the similarity in sound accounts for the people’s confusion (27:47 ⁱ).

• My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Jesus was experiencing God’s wrath for the sins of humanity.
27:47 ^j It was widely believed that Elijah would return before the day of the Lord (11:14-15 ^k; 17:10-13 ^l; Mal 4:5 ^m).
27:48 ⁿ The sour wine was vinegar. The drink was probably designed to mock Jesus (cp. Ps 69:21 ^o with Matt 27:34 ^p) by pretending to help assuage his thirst. Others have suggested that it was given as an act of genuine kindness.
27:50 ^q Each of the four Gospels highlights different aspects of Jesus’ last moments.

• released his spirit: This emphasizes the sovereignty of Jesus in that he released himself to death (see also John 19:30 ^r).

• shouted out again (see Matt 27:46 ^s): This cry was Jesus’ final prayer (see Luke 23:46 ^t).
27:51 ^u The significance of the splitting of the curtain in the Temple is that the wall dividing people from God has been torn down by the death of Jesus Christ (see also Eph 2:11-22 ^v; Heb 6:19 ^w; 9:1–10:25 ^x).

• The earth shook, rocks split apart: These are portents of the arrival of judgment (see Exod 19:18 ^y; Judg 5:4 ^z; Ps 18:7 ^aa; Joel 3:14-17 ^ab; Amos 8:8-10 ^ac). Josephus records the appearance about AD 30 of a star resembling a sword and a spontaneous opening of the gates of the Temple (Josephus, War 6.5.3-4).
Summary for Matt 27:52-53: 27:52-53 ^ad tombs opened: Jesus’ climactic death inaugurated the Kingdom of God by breaking the powers of death and establishing the final resurrection (see Isa 26:19 ^ae; Dan 12:2 ^af; 1 Cor 15:1-58 ^ag; Col 1:18 ^ah; Heb 2:14-15 ^ai).

• These godly ones either did not enter the city until after Jesus’ resurrection or they were not raised until then, with Jesus as the firstfruits (see 1 Cor 15:20 ^aj, 23 ^ak; Col 1:18 ^al). If that is the case, Matthew has included this episode to form a more powerful commentary on the impact of Jesus’ death.
27:54 ^am The Roman officer and the other soldiers were Gentiles.

• the Son of God: This may be an unqualified affirmation that Jesus is the unique Son of God (see 14:33 ^an; 16:16 ^ao) or possibly a more general affirmation of Jesus’ innocence (see Luke 23:47 ^ap). They are responding to the earthquake and all that had happened as evidence of divine interest in this occasion.