Luke 23:44

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

And {G1161} it was {G2258} about {G5616} the sixth {G1623} hour {G5610}, and {G2532} there was {G1096} a darkness {G4655} over {G1909} all {G3650} the earth {G1093} until {G2193} the ninth {G1766} hour {G5610}.

It was now about noon, and darkness covered the whole Land until three o’clock in the afternoon;

It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour.

And it was now about the sixth hour, and a darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour,

Luke 23:44 describes a supernatural event that occurred during the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. As Jesus hung on the cross at Golgotha, a profound darkness enveloped the land, lasting for three hours.

Context

This verse places us squarely in the midst of the most pivotal event in human history: the crucifixion of Jesus. The "sixth hour" in Jewish reckoning corresponds to approximately noon, and the "ninth hour" to 3 PM. This period of darkness occurred just before Jesus breathed His last, which is recorded shortly after in Luke 23:46. This was no ordinary solar eclipse, as Passover, the time of the crucifixion, occurred during a full moon, making a solar eclipse impossible. This extraordinary darkness is also corroborated by other Gospel accounts, such as Matthew 27:45 and Mark 15:33, indicating a divinely orchestrated phenomenon.

Key Themes

  • Divine Intervention and Cosmic Significance: The darkness signifies that this was not merely a human execution but an event of immense cosmic importance, directly overseen and impacted by God. It underscores the divine nature of Jesus and the gravity of His sacrifice.
  • Judgment and Wrath: In the Old Testament, darkness often symbolizes God's presence in judgment or His wrath against sin (e.g., Exodus 10:21-23, Joel 2:31, Amos 8:9). The darkness at the crucifixion suggests that God's judgment upon sin was being poured out upon His Son, Jesus, who bore the sins of the world.
  • The Weight of Atonement: The three hours of darkness represent the profound spiritual agony and separation Jesus experienced as He became sin for humanity. It was during this period that the full weight of divine wrath for sin was placed upon Him, leading to His cry of abandonment in Matthew 27:46.

Linguistic Insights

The term for "darkness" in Greek is skotos (σκότος) or skotia (σκοτία), which can denote literal darkness but often carries a deeper theological meaning of moral or spiritual obscurity, or a state of divine judgment. The mention of specific hours, the "sixth hour" (noon) and the "ninth hour" (3 PM), refers to the Roman and Jewish method of timekeeping, where the day began at 6 AM. This precise timing emphasizes the historical reality of the event.

Practical Application

The darkness at the crucifixion serves as a powerful reminder of the immense cost of our redemption and the holiness of God. It highlights the severity of sin and the depth of God's love, as He allowed His Son to endure this cosmic manifestation of judgment on our behalf. For believers, it underscores the completeness of Christ's atoning work on the cross, demonstrating that He truly bore the wrath of God against sin. This act paved the way for reconciliation with God, tearing down the veil of separation, as described in Luke 23:45.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Matthew 27:45

    Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.

  • Mark 15:33

    ¶ And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.

  • Mark 15:34

    And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

  • Amos 8:9

    And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day:

  • Acts 2:20

    The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:

  • Matthew 27:52

    And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

  • John 19:14

    And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!

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