There Was Darkness over the Whole Land

Text: Matthew 27:45
Theme: The Father marked the crucifixion with mighty signs—darkness, the torn veil, the quaking earth, and opened graves—declaring judgment on sin, access to His presence, and the firstfruits of resurrection hope.

Introduction
“Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land” (Matthew 27:45, NKJV). With these words the Gospel writers begin an astonishing series of divine acts at Calvary. Heaven drew the world’s attention to the cross, and Scripture records what those signs mean for faith, worship, and hope. This lesson considers the three hours of darkness, the tearing of the veil, the great earthquake, and the opening of certain graves, so that our hearts may approach God with reverence and confidence through Jesus Christ.

Three Hours of Darkness
The darkness stretched from noon until three in the afternoon and covered “all the land” (Matthew 27:45). Passover occurs at the full moon, which rules out a solar eclipse; eclipses are brief, while this darkness endured three hours. Luke adds that “the sun was darkened” and, in the same breath, reports the tearing of the veil (Luke 23:44–45). The Creator who spoke light into being withheld it in judgment and sign. The psalmist had sung, “He bowed the heavens also, and came down; with darkness under His feet” (Psalm 18:9), and the prophet had warned, “I will make the sun go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in broad daylight” (Amos 8:9). Ancient witnesses even remarked upon a midday withdrawal of light; yet Scripture’s purpose is plain: God compelled a watching world to reckon with the crucifixion of His Son.

The Tearing of the Veil
When Jesus cried out and yielded up His spirit, “the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:50–51a). That moment coincided with the preparations for the evening sacrifice, and the word “behold” signals awe. The veil that guarded the Most Holy Place—entered by the high priest once a year on the Day of Atonement—stood as a continual reminder of man’s distance from the Holy One. Its rending signified that through the death of Christ the way into God’s presence stands open. Our hope now “enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus” (Hebrews 6:19–20). Therefore believers “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,” consciences cleansed and bodies washed (Hebrews 10:22), enjoying “boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him” (Ephesians 3:11–12). The cross fulfilled and superseded the priestly system: Christ’s once-for-all offering put away sin (Hebrews 9:24–28; 9:26b), and those redeemed in Him are now “a royal priesthood” to proclaim His praises (1 Peter 2:9). The purpose of the veil had reached its end.

The Earthquake
“The earth quaked, and the rocks were split” (Matthew 27:51b). The violence of that shaking announced a covenantal turning point. When the Lord descended upon Sinai to give the Law, “the whole mountain quaked greatly” (Exodus 19:18). At Calvary, heaven signaled that the era of types and shadows was passing and that a kingdom “which cannot be shaken” was at hand. The Hebrew writer exhorts hearers to receive the word from heaven, for the divine promise says, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven,” indicating the removal of things that can be shaken so that what is unshakable may remain (Hebrews 12:25–28). The cross and its tremors declare the stability of Christ’s reign and summon worship “with reverence and godly fear.”

The Opening of Certain Graves
“Many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many” (Matthew 27:52–53). The evangelist is careful: graves of the saints opened, and their appearing followed the Lord’s own resurrection. These holy ones served as a sign and comfort—that death’s dominion was being broken and that Jesus is “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20). Their rising pointed forward to the general resurrection and testified in Jerusalem that the crucified Jesus is the living Christ.

Conclusion
The Father wrote the meaning of the cross across sky, sanctuary, soil, and sepulchres: judgment on sin, access to His presence, the unshakable kingdom, and resurrection hope. Through the crucified and risen Lord we “come boldly to the throne of grace” to receive mercy and help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16). Let hearts approach with faith, gratitude, and steadfast obedience.

There Was Darkness over the Whole Land Sermon Outline:

Text: Matthew 27:45
Theme: At Calvary the Father marked the crucifixion with four signs—midday darkness, the torn veil, the quaking earth, and opened graves—declaring judgment on sin, open access to His presence, the shaking away of the old order, and the firstfruits of resurrection hope.

I. Introduction: Setting the Scene

• Read Matthew 27:45; parallel: Luke 23:44–45.

• Explain Jewish timekeeping: sixth hour ≈ noon; ninth hour ≈ 3 p.m. (Mark 15:33).

• Passover context: full moon season frames the event’s public visibility.

• Aim of the lesson: observe the signs, understand their meaning, and respond in faith (Hebrews 4:16).

II. Three Hours of Darkness (Matthew 27:45; Luke 23:44–45; Psalm 18:9; Amos 8:9)

• Duration and scope

  • Noon to 3 p.m.; “over all the land” (Matthew 27:45; Luke 23:44).

  • Luke notes “the sun was darkened” (Luke 23:45).

• Why this was no natural eclipse

  • Passover at full moon precludes a solar eclipse.

  • Solar eclipses last minutes, not three hours.

• Prophetic anticipation

  • The Lord bows the heavens; darkness under His feet (Psalm 18:9).

  • Promise to darken the earth at noon (Amos 8:9).

• Theological significance

  • A sign of divine judgment and solemn witness to the cross.

  • Heaven calls a watching world to reckon with the crucifixion of the Son.

III. The Tearing of the Veil (Matthew 27:50–51a; Hebrews 6:19–20; Hebrews 10:19–22; Ephesians 3:11–12; Hebrews 9:24–28; 1 Peter 2:9)

• Moment and manner

  • Immediately after Jesus “yielded up His spirit” the veil was torn “from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:50–51a).

  • Time aligned with preparations for the evening sacrifice; “Behold” signals awe.

• What the veil signified

  • Separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy; entered yearly by the high priest.

  • Described as massive and humanly untearable, underscoring divine action.

• Meanings of the tearing

  • Access: our hope enters “behind the veil”; Jesus is our forerunner and High Priest (Hebrews 6:19–20).

  • Assurance: we “draw near” with cleansed conscience and full assurance (Hebrews 10:19–22).

  • Boldness: “access with confidence through faith in Him” (Ephesians 3:11–12).

  • Fulfillment: Christ’s once-for-all offering puts away sin; no recurring sacrifices (Hebrews 9:24–28, esp. 9:26b).

  • Priesthood redefined: Christians are “a royal priesthood” to proclaim His praises (1 Peter 2:9).

• Pastoral application

  • Worship with reverence and confidence; live as a priestly people with cleansed hearts.

IV. The Earthquake (Matthew 27:51b; Exodus 19:18; Hebrews 12:25–28)

• Description

  • “The earth quaked, and the rocks were split” (Matthew 27:51b).

  • A violent, targeted sign that announced Heaven’s verdict at the cross.

• Sinai recalled

  • The mountain quaked greatly when the Law was given (Exodus 19:18).

• Covenant transition

  • “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven” signals the removal of the shakable and the abiding of the kingdom (Hebrews 12:25–28).

• Pastoral application

  • Receive the unshakable kingdom with gratitude; serve with reverence and godly fear (Hebrews 12:28).

V. The Opening of Certain Graves (Matthew 27:52–53; 1 Corinthians 15:20)

• Sequence and scope

  • Tombs of “many saints” opened at Jesus’ death; those saints “after His resurrection” entered Jerusalem and appeared to many (Matthew 27:52–53).

• Purpose of the sign

  • Testimony in the holy city that death’s hold is breaking.

  • Christ as “firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” anchors the church’s hope (1 Corinthians 15:20).

• Pastoral application

  • Comfort one another with resurrection hope; live in holiness as heirs of life.

VI. Integrated Meaning of the Four Signs

• Darkness: the moral weight of sin and Heaven’s witness to the cross (Matthew 27:45; Amos 8:9).

• Torn veil: open access to God through the crucified High Priest (Matthew 27:51a; Hebrews 6:19–20; 10:19–22).

• Earthquake: the end of the shadow system and the arrival of the unshakable kingdom (Matthew 27:51b; Hebrews 12:25–28).

• Opened graves: firstfruits of resurrection and public testimony to Christ’s victory (Matthew 27:52–53; 1 Corinthians 15:20).

VII. Conclusion and Preparation for Invitation (Hebrews 4:16)

• Summation

  • The Father inscribed the meaning of Calvary across sky, sanctuary, soil, and sepulchres.

  • Through Jesus we “come boldly to the throne of grace” for mercy and help (Hebrews 4:16).

• Transition to response

  • Urge hearers to draw near in faith, anchor life in the unshakable kingdom, and hold fast the hope of resurrection.

Call to Action
Consider the signs of Calvary and respond in faith. Draw near to God with assurance through Jesus, confessing sin and embracing the access His blood provides. Anchor your life in the unshakable kingdom, practice reverent worship, and hold fast the hope of resurrection. If you have not obeyed the gospel, turn to Christ today in repentance, confession, and baptism, walking in newness of life.

Key Takeaways

• Calvary’s darkness fulfilled prophetic expectation and summoned the world’s attention (Matthew 27:45; Luke 23:44–45; Psalm 18:9; Amos 8:9).

• The torn veil proclaims free access to God through Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice (Matthew 27:50–51a; Hebrews 6:19–20; Hebrews 9:24–28; Hebrews 10:22; Ephesians 3:11–12).

• The earthquake signaled a covenantal change and the arrival of what cannot be shaken (Matthew 27:51b; Exodus 19:18; Hebrews 12:25–28).

• Opened graves bore witness to Jesus as firstfruits of the resurrection and pledge our future hope (Matthew 27:52–53; 1 Corinthians 15:20).

• Because of Christ’s work, believers approach the throne of grace with confidence and reverence (Hebrews 4:16).

Scripture Reference List

• Matthew 27:45 — Darkness from the sixth to the ninth hour.

• Luke 23:44–45 — Darkness described; veil torn.

• Psalm 18:9 — The Lord descends with darkness under His feet.

• Amos 8:9 — The sun darkened at noon by divine act.

• Matthew 27:50–51a — Jesus yields His spirit; the temple veil torn from top to bottom.

• Hebrews 6:19–20 — Hope enters behind the veil; Jesus our forerunner and High Priest.

• Hebrews 10:22 — Exhortation to draw near with full assurance of faith.

• Ephesians 3:11–12 — Boldness and access through faith in Christ.

• Hebrews 9:24–28 (esp. 9:26b) — Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice puts away sin.

• 1 Peter 2:9 — Christians as a royal priesthood.

• Matthew 27:51b — The earth quakes; rocks split.

• Exodus 19:18 — Sinai quakes at the giving of the Law.

• Hebrews 12:25–28 — Divine shaking removes the shakable; the kingdom remains.

• Matthew 27:52–53 — Saints raised and seen after Jesus’ resurrection.

• 1 Corinthians 15:20 — Christ the firstfruits of those asleep.

• Hebrews 4:16 — Bold approach to the throne of grace for mercy and help.

Prepared by Bobby Stafford of the church of Christ at Granby, MO