Christ Died: Hope in a Hopeless Place

One might ask, how is it possible for the eternal Son to be divided from the Father with whom He is in eternal Unity? We will not find the ontological nature of this division addressed in Scripture, and delving too much into this has led to much error. All we know for sure is that Jesus's words, along with the testimony of the surrounding darkness, point to the absence of God at this significant point of human history. It must suffice for us to accept that while Jesus was forsaken, He was never separated from God.

Our text leaves us with great hope, as darkness is not the final sign. After Christ bows His head and yields up His spirit, tombs are miraculously opened and a pagan man is saved. This points to the fact that, in Christ, not only was atonement made and the wrath of God fully satisfied, but that His sacrifice was accepted and leads to new life – from death come resurrection to those who are in Christ!