Augustine points out that the eclipse during Jesus’ death was not a natural occurrence, since Jesus’ death took place at Passover and eclipses normally take place only in the “last quarter of the moon.”
So, why did the Lord rearrange the cycles of the heavens for this purpose? The symbolism on one level is obvious: The Sun/Son is being eclipsed in His death, only to rise on the third morning. But if it was indeed an eclipse, the symbolism deepens. The moon is the light of the night, symbolizing the Old Covenant, the covenant of Passover and new moon festivals. The sun is the light of the day, the dawning day of the New Covenant. For three days between Jesus’ death and resurrection, the Old eclipsed the New, symbolized by the three-hour eclipse (Matthew 27:45) during Jesus’ crucifixion. In the end, darkness could not overcome the light.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Ethics of Rhetoric in Times of War
What we say matters. And the way we say it matters. This is especially true in times…
How the State Failed Noelia Castillo
On March 26, Noelia Castillo, a twenty-five-year-old Spanish woman, was killed by her doctors at her own…
The Mind’s Profane and Sacred Loves
The teachers you have make all the difference in your life. That they happened to come into…
