It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” 48 When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. 49 But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things. (NIV).

Surely a supernatural darkness is inferred here?

The tearing of the temple curtain is also significant. Matthew and Mark add the detail that it was torn ”from top to bottom” (Mt.27:51; Mk.15:38). This too was supernatural, and it shows God’s initiative in opening the way to Himself through the Cross. When Jesus died, the veil in the temple was torn in two and ”the dividing wall of hostility” (Eph.2:14) came down. Through Jesus we can be reconciled to God and to each other.

The process of individuals being impacted continues. This time it is the Centurion. He recognised that Jesus was not the law-breaker He was charged with being. Wouldn’t we like to know how his life story unfolded after this?

In addition to him, those who came for the ‘show’ were profoundly affected by what they witnessed (48).

For us, another Easter has come and gone. But its wonder and mystery remains. It is always there. It never goes away. As someone observed, those of us who believe are ‘an Easter people.’ We don’t have to be able to fully explain how we can be saved through the Cross. Probably no-one can fully explain it all. What matters is that we know its saving significance in our own experience.