Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 27:45

"Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour." — Matthew 27:45 (ASV)

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

From twelve o'clock at noon, according to Roman and Jewish time, until three in the afternoon, there was a thick darkness—whether over all the world, or only over the land of Palestine, we cannot very well say. It was not an eclipse of the sun; it was a miracle specially worked by God. Some have supposed that dense clouds came rolling up, obscuring everything; but, whatever it was, deep darkness came over all the land. Doré has, in his wonderful imagination, given us a sketch of Jerusalem during that darkness.

The inhabitants are all trembling at what they had done; and as Judas goes down the street, they point at him as the man who sold his Master and brought all this evil upon the city. I should think that such darkness at midday must have made them fear that the last day had come, or that some great judgment would overtake them for their wicked slaughter of the innocent Jesus of Nazareth. Even the sun could no longer look upon its Maker surrounded by those who mocked him, so it traveled on in tenfold night, as if in very shame that the great Sun of righteousness should himself be in such awful darkness.

Some have thought that this darkness covered the whole world and so caused even a pagan to exclaim, “Either the world is about to expire, or the God who made the world is in anguish.” This darkness was supernatural; it was not an eclipse.

The sun could no longer look upon its Maker, surrounded by those who mocked Him. It covered its face and traveled on in tenfold night, in very shame that the great Sun of Righteousness should Himself be in such terrible darkness.

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

Some have thought that this darkness covered the whole world, and so caused even a pagan to exclaim, "Either the world is about to expire, or the God who made the world is in anguish." This darkness was supernatural; it was not an eclipse. The sun could no longer look upon his Maker surrounded by those who mocked him.

He covered his face, and traveled on in tenfold night, in profound shame that the great Sun of righteousness should himself be in such terrible darkness.