When Darkness Struck

All three synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) report that there were three hours of darkness when Jesus was crucified. The three hour period of darkness took place from twelve noon to 3:00 o’clock in the afternoon – when the sun is normally at its brightest.

Luke indicates how dark and unusual this darkness was by the statement, “... and the sun was darkened”. The New International Version captured the Greek sense of Luke’s statement with the words “the sun stopped shining.” In essence, at the brightest time of day, sunlight ceased.

Even before attempting to explain what may have happened, one needs to establish if what the New Testament stated really happened. In order to avoid what scholars term a circular argument, allow me to cite a few non-Christian historians on the authenticity of this sun-darkening event.

In 52 (AD/CE), Thallus, was commenting on this event from Rome, some 1,500 miles away from the site of the crucifixion. He was trying to deny any supernatural association with the sun-darkening. In quoting the writings of Thallus, Julius Africanus was confident Thallus’ reference showed that the facts of Jesus’ death were known and discussed in Rome as early as the middle of the first century.

Phlegon of Tralles, a first-century Greek historian also mentioned the sun-darkening event and attempted to explain it as a natural phenomenon. Phelegon confirmed that the event took place during the reign of Tiberius Caesar, the same period alluded to in the New Testament.

Origen was one of seven ancient writers who cited this same Phlegon, in his defense of Christianity against Celsus. The issue for the first-century non-Christian historian was not if the event happened – it was attempting to explain what really happened.

Non-Christian historians believed the event was caused by an eclipse of the sun. However, early church historians disagreed. It could hardly have been an eclipse of the sun at the time of the Passover. At that time of year the earth is closer to the sun than the moon, thus nullifying the eclipse theory. Furthermore, no eclipse of the sun can last more than 7 ½ minutes in any one place – this sun-darkening incident lasted for three hours.

Some believe the darkness may have been caused by an east wind or sirocco, a scorching wind from the desert. East winds are normally hot, gusty winds laden with sand and dust and occur frequently in May and October. But the synoptic writers never suggested that there were strong winds at the time of the darkness. In addition, such winds never appear at the time of Passover, the period when Jesus was crucified.

Then, could the darkness have been some unnatural phenomenon? Like what? From the information available, it is obvious that there is no explanation for this astronomical event. In addition, the timing of the darkness would certainly suggest that the event had something to do with the crucifixion of Jesus. If not, why would the synoptic writers mention the event if there was no relationship to the main story they were reporting – the crucifixion.  

Interestingly, the darkening of the sun was not unique to the crucifixion of Jesus. In the book of Exodus, the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness will spread over Egypt – darkness that can be felt. So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days” (Exodus 10:21-22).

The Exodus event makes it clear that it is possible for God to interrupt the course of nature as He sees necessary. Whereas the darkening of the skies in Exodus was an act of judgment, one wonders, what did a similar darkening mean when Jesus was crucified?

The synoptic texts are silent on the cause of the darkness, and so should we. However, what is clear was the act of an unnatural intervention at the time of the death of Jesus. Based on similar interventions in Exodus and other places in the Bible, one would not be speculating to conclude that the darkening of the sky was a divine act – an act of God. 

It was not a mere accident of nature nor could it be a normal astronomical event. Rather, it was a clear indication of God’s involvement in the death of Jesus. In other words, the death of Jesus was no mere accident. Neither was it an event that overwhelmed God. The death of Jesus was as intentional as the offering of a sacrifice for sin in the Old Testament.

I believe Paul got it right when he wrote, “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Incredible, darkness appeared when Jesus, the Light of the world died as a sacrifice for sin.