What is the actual TIME of the CRUCIFIXION?

Mark’s account of the timing of Jesus death?

Mk.15:25 “ Now it was the 3^rd hour and they crucified him.”

Matt. 27:45 “ Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land .

Mark in his text tells us the crucifixion began to take place on the 3 ^rd hour. Using the Jewish reckoning of time, which means around 9 AM in the morning. The Jews measured time by breaking the day into 12 hours twice. With an additional 4 watches in each 12 hour period. The new day in Jewish time began at sunset and the morning began at 6 AM.

The 6^th hour would be 12 noon. This would coincide exactly with the other writers who used the Jewish reckoning of time. The trial was early in the morning where few were awake, and the crucifixion took place approximately 9 in the morning lasting until 3 in the afternoon. It was described at noon time as a darkness coming over the land much like what happened in Egypt under Moses, a darkness one could feel eerie from.

This darkness was related to Christ being judged for OUR sin. While he suffered the scorn and ridicule of men, at this time he had the sins placed upon him for the next three hours until he completed his mission.’

Mark 15:33-35 “ Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

Luke 23:44 “Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.”

There are writers who lived in other lands that have described a unusual darkness taking place at this time.

Luke 22:53 at the time of his arrest he said “ But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.” Meaning the Devil and those under his control thought they would bring his mission to an end.

The Bible uses Darkness as symbolic indicative of the world in ignorance and sin. John 1:5  the light shines in the darkness , and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

Jesus as the light of the World came into the darkness of our world. and for a few hours this light was diminished but not overcome as the sin bearer, the lamb of God.

 

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