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Matthew 27:45-56

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45From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land.

46About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

47When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”

48Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink.

49The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

50And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

51At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split

52and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.

53They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

54When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”

55Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs.

56Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

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1)       What was the phenomenon of darkness coming over the whole land between noon and three in the afternoon?

o   It was a solar eclipse.

 

2)       According to verse 46 what did God the Father do to Jesus while Jesus was hanging on the cross, in addition to laying the sins of the whole world upon him and cursing him for the sins?

o   God the Father forsook Jesus.

 

3)       According to verse 46 what did Jesus cry out in a loud voice about three in the afternoon?

o   My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

 

4)       In accordance with what Jesus cried out in verses 46 and 47 why did those who stood near think that he was calling Elijah, given that ‘God’ and ‘Elijah’ sound similar in the original language?

o   Jesus was near death.

o   They mistook his utterance of

§  The word ‘God’.

§  For the word ‘Elijah’.

 

5)       According to verses 48 and 49 what was the purpose of offering Jesus wine vinegar, given that wine vinegar was refreshing, Jesus was near death and people thought that Elijah might be coming to save him?

o   It was for prolonging Jesus’ consciousness.

o   In case

o   Elijah was coming to save him.

 

6)       According to verse 50 what did Jesus do when he had cried out again in a loud voice?

o   Jesus gave up his spirit.

 

7)       What was the curtain of the temple for?

o   The curtain of the temple separated

§  The Most Holy Place of the temple.

§  Where

§  God’s presence was.

§  From

§  The rest of the temple.

 

8)       What does the curtain of the temple being torn in two from top to bottom upon Jesus’ death symbolize, given that with the curtain torn in two the way into God’s presence was wide open?

o   It symbolizes that the death of Jesus has opened the way for people to come to God.

 

9)       How did the death of Jesus open the way for people to come to God, given that it is their sins that have separated them from God?

o   Jesus opened the way for people to come to God.

o   When

o   He had

§  Died.

§  And paid the penalty for the sins of the whole world.

 

10)   According to verses 51 to 53 what happened when the earth shook and the rocks split?

o   The tombs broke open.

o   The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.

o   They

§  Came  out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection.

§  Went into the holy city.

§  And appeared to many people.

 

11)   According to verse 54 what was the reaction of the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus when they saw the earthquake and all that had happened?

o   They

§  Were terrified.

§  And exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”

 

12)   According to verse 54 who of all humanity were the first to confess that Jesus was the Son of God?

o   The centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus were the first of all humanity to confess that Jesus was the Son of God.

 

13)   In the context of grammatical tense was there some flaw in the confession of Jesus and why?

o   Yes, they should have

§  Used the present tense.

§  And said, “Surely he is the Son of God!”

 

14)   Who was Mary the mother of James and Joseph, given that James and Joseph were Jesus’ siblings?

o   Mary was Jesus’ mother.

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Matthew 27:45-56

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