Question 1

What does it mean that there was darkness over all the earth?

Accepted Answer

The darkness began around the sixth hour, which is about noon, and lasted until the ninth hour, or about three in the afternoon. At the very time when the sun should have been brightest, the land grew dark. This was not normal. It showed that something very serious was happening as Jesus was dying. It was a visible sign that God was involved in this moment, and that the death of Jesus was not an accident but part of His plan. The darkness also hints at God’s judgment against sin being dealt with at the cross.

Question 2

Why was the veil of the temple torn in two when Jesus died?

Accepted Answer

The veil in the temple was a heavy curtain that separated the most holy place from the rest of the temple. When Jesus died, this veil was torn in the middle. This was a sign from God. It showed that the old way of worship, with ceremonies and barriers, was coming to an end. The tearing of the veil meant that, through Jesus’ death, the way to God was now open. People no longer needed to be kept at a distance, because Jesus had given His life as a full and perfect offering for sin.

Question 3

What does Jesus mean by ‘Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit’?

Accepted Answer

When Jesus says, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit,” He is praying as He dies. He is taking words from an old prayer in Scripture and making them His own. He is giving His human soul into the care of His Father. This shows that He dies willingly and trusts His Father even in death. It also shows that His soul does not die with His body, but goes to be with God. In Him, believers can face death by entrusting their souls into the same loving hands, knowing that God will receive and keep them.

Question 4

What is the meaning of the centurion saying, ‘Certainly this was a righteous man’?

Accepted Answer

The centurion was a Roman officer in charge of the soldiers at the cross. He saw the darkness, the way Jesus cried out, and how He died. These signs deeply affected him. He began to glorify God and said, “Certainly this was a righteous man.” By this, he was admitting that Jesus was innocent and had been wronged. In other accounts he also calls Jesus the Son of God. His words show that even a Gentile soldier could see that God was at work, and that Jesus was not a criminal but a righteous sufferer whom God was honouring.

Question 5

Why did the crowd beat their chests after watching Jesus die?

Accepted Answer

The people had gathered to watch the crucifixion, some likely out of curiosity, others in hostility. But when they saw the darkness, felt the earth shake, and watched how Jesus died, they were shaken in their hearts. Smoting their breasts was a sign of sorrow and guilt. It shows that, for a time at least, their consciences were troubled. Many of them may have earlier shouted for Jesus to be crucified, but now they felt the weight of what had been done. Still, the text hints that they went home and the feeling may not have lasted, which is a warning not to ignore such heart-pricks.

Question 6

Why did Jesus’ friends and the women stand afar off instead of close to the cross?

Accepted Answer

Jesus’ acquaintances and the women who had followed Him from Galilee were there, but they stood at a distance. Part of this was likely fear. To be seen as close friends of a condemned man could put them in danger too. Their standing afar off was another part of Jesus’ suffering, as even His friends could not fully stand with Him. Yet they stayed as near as they dared and kept watching. They loved Him and could not walk away, even though they did not yet understand what His death would lead to. Their quiet presence shows faithful love in a hard and confusing moment.

Question 7

What does this passage teach about Jesus’ control over His own death?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows that Jesus did not die by force, like someone whose life was simply taken from Him. After He cried out with a loud voice and prayed, He “gave up the ghost.” This means He willingly released His spirit. He chose the moment to hand His life over to the Father as an offering for sin. The signs around His death, like the darkness and the torn veil, underline that He was not just a victim. He remained in control, trusting His Father, and giving Himself freely for those He came to save.

Question 8

How does Jesus’ last prayer help Christians think about their own death?

Accepted Answer

Jesus’ last words, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit,” give a pattern for believers. In life, we are called to entrust our souls to God for guidance and keeping. In death, we can do the same, trusting that our souls go to the God who gave them. This passage shows that the soul lives on after the body dies, and that God receives the souls of those who belong to Him. For Christians, this brings comfort. We do not have to cling to life in fear, but can face death with a settled trust, following the example of Jesus in committing ourselves to the Father.

Question 9

What does this passage show about God’s presence and access to Him?

Accepted Answer

Two things stand out. First, the darkness shows that God is very present in judgment and in dealing with sin at the cross. Second, the tearing of the temple veil shows that through Jesus’ death the barrier between God and people is removed. Before, only certain priests could go behind the veil into the most holy place. Now, that veil is split from top to bottom, showing that God Himself opened the way. This teaches that anyone who comes to God through Jesus has direct access, and does not need temple rituals or other go-betweens to approach Him.

Question 10

Why is this passage important for understanding Jesus’ suffering and glory?

Accepted Answer

In this short scene we see both the depth of Jesus’ suffering and the beginning of His honour. He suffers real pain, feels forsaken, and dies with His friends standing far away. Yet at the same time, heaven and earth respond to His death: the sun is darkened, the veil is torn, and even a Roman soldier praises God and speaks well of Him. Jesus dies trusting His Father and offering His spirit. So we see that His death is not empty tragedy. It is the moment where He finishes His work, bears sin, and opens the way to God, all while resting in His Father’s hands.

Luke 23:44

And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

The Death of Jesus

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Luke 23:44

And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

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The Death of Jesus

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