Luke 23:45

If he had been the son of a foreign god, the sun would not have been eclipsed when the Lord was raised on his cross. The Creator would have spread out a more intense light, because his enemy would have been withdrawn from his sight. …

As soon as the Lord of all had been given up to be crucified, the whole framework of the world bewailed its rightful Master, and the light was darkened at mid-day, (Amos 8:9.) which was a manifest token that the souls of those who crucified Him would suffer darkness.

He who excels all created things, and shares the Father's throne, humbled Himself to emptying, and took the form of a slave, and endured the limits of human nature, that He might fulfil the promise made of God to the forefathers of the Jews: but they were so obdurate and disobedient as even to rise up against their Master. For they made it their business to deliver the Prince of life to death, and crucified the Lord of glory. But when they had affixed to the cross the Lord of all, the sun over their heads withdrew, and the light at midday was wrapped in darkness, as the divine Amos had foretold. For there was "darkness from the sixth hour until the ninth hour:" and this was a plain sign to the Jews, that the minds of those who crucified Him were wrapped in spiritual darkness, for "blindness in part has happened to Israel." And David in his love to God even curses them, saying, "Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see." Yes! creation itself bewailed its Lord: for the sun was darkened, and the rocks were rent, and the very temple assumed the garb of mourners, for its "veil was rent from the top to the bottom." And this is what God signified to us by the voice of Isaiah, saying, "And I will clothe the heaven with darkness, and wrap it around with sackcloth."

(At noon) the veil of. the temple was rent" by the escape of the cherubim, which "left the daughter of Sion as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers.

(de Con. Ev. lib. iii. c. 17.) What is here said of the darkness, the other two Evangelists, Matthew and Mark, confirm, but St. Luke adds the cause whence the darkness arose, saying, And the sun was darkened.

First, therefore, regarding the wondrous disturbance of the world, which preceded the death of Christ, he says: Now it was about the sixth hour. Now it is said in John chapter nineteen that "it was the sixth hour" when Jesus was crucified, and in Mark …

And the "veil" of the temple "is torn." By this the Lord shows that the Holy of Holies will no longer be inaccessible, but will be given over to the Romans, trampled and defiled. Or again, He shows that the veil is torn that separated …

This miracle then took place that it might be made known, that He who had undergone death was the Ruler of the whole creation.

And the veil of the temple was torn in two. This happened as the Lord expired, as Matthew and Mark attest, but Luke relates it in advance. For, wishing to add miracle to miracle, when he had said "The sun was darkened," he immediately considered …

But Luke, wishing to join miracle to miracle, adds, And the veil of the temple was rent in twain. This took place when our Lord expired, as Matthew and Mark bear witness, but Luke related it by anticipation.

It was about the sixth hour, and darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour, and the sun was obscured. The brightest light of the world withdrew its rays so that it might not see the Lord hanging, or that the impious blaspheming …

By this then our Lord showed that the Holy of Holies should be no longer inaccessible, but being given over into the hands of the Romans, should be defiled, and its entrance laid open. Whereby it is signified that the veil which kept us asunder from the holy things which are in heaven, is broken through, namely, enmity and sin.

And the sun was darkened,.... There was an eclipse of it, which was preternatural, it being now full moon, and lasted three hours, and so total, as to darken the whole earth; and now was the prophecy in Amo 8:9 literally fulfilled: and the vail of the temple was rent in the midst. The Persic version renders it, "the gate of the temple"; and so the Syriac version, "the face of the gate of the temple"; See Gill on Mat 27:51.

The sun was darkened - See an examination of the accounts of Phlegon, Thallus, and Dionysius, on Mat 27:45 (note). The veil - was rent - See Mat 27:51.

Let us observe in these verses — the miraculous signs which accompanied our Lord's death on the cross . We are told that there was "a darkness over all the earth" for three hours. "The sun was darkened, and the curtain of the temple was torn in two." It was proper and right that the attention of all around Jerusalem should be arrested in a marked way — when the great sacrifice for sin was being offered, and the Son of God was dying!

Let us observe in these verses — the miraculous signs which accompanied our Lord's death on the cross . We are told that there was "a darkness over all the earth" for three hours. "The sun was darkened, and the curtain of the temple was torn in two." It was proper and right that the attention of all around Jerusalem should be arrested in a marked way — when the great sacrifice for sin was being offered, and the Son of God was dying! There were signs and wonders wrought in the sight of all Israel — when the law was given on Sinai. There were signs and wonders in like manner — when the atoning blood of Christ was shed on Calvary. There was a sign for an unbelieving world. The darkness at mid-day was a miracle which would compel men to think. There was a sign for the Jewish Church and the ministers of the temple. The tearing of the curtain which hung between the holy place and the holy of holies — was a miracle which would strike awe into the heart of every priest and Levite. Signs like these, on special occasions, let us remember — are a part of God's ways in dealing with man. He knows the desperate stupidity and unbelief of human nature. He sees that it is necessary to arouse our attention by miraculous works, when He brings in a new dispensation. He thus compels men to open their eyes — whether they will or not, and to hear His voice for a little season. He has done so frequently in the days that are past. He did so when He gave the law . He did so in the passage before us when He brought in the Gospel . He will do so once more when Christ comes again the second time. He will show a sneering, unbelieving world that He can suspend the laws of nature at His pleasure, and alter the framework of creation as easily as He called the earth into being.