From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" That is, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, "This man is calling for Elijah." Matthew 27:45-47

A strange uneasiness settled over those who were lingering around the cross. Around the noon hour on that Friday, the blackest of all darkness had engulfed the land. It was dark as night. An unusual fear had slowly gripped the hearts of those watching the site at Golgotha.

For three long hours, the terror of the darkness had hung, like a sentence of judgment, over the hill of Golgotha. It was now three o’clock in the afternoon. And, by now, most of the disciples had fled the ev…