2. THE SUN WAS DARKENED



Text 1: Luke 23:32-34

32Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

  • Compare the way Jesus suffered to the way suffering is depicted in action movies (also in The Da Vinci Code)
  • What do you think Jesus would have said to Silas in The Da Vinci Code, who tried to promote his cause by murdrering people?


    Text 2: Matthew 27:45-56 45From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. 46About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama 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 stick, 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 and the rocks split. 52The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they 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 Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.

    Background information: The darkness at Jesus´death couldn´t have been a solar eclipse; the Jewish Easter is at full moon when the sun´s disc cannot be covered by the moon.
    When Jesus died, Mary had been her follower for about three years.

    The women on Golgotha, verses 55-56

  • Do you think Mary had anticipated Jesus´ fate or whether it came as a total shock to her?
  • Why did the Galilean women watch Jesus die from a distance instead of going close to him?
  • The Gospel of John says that Mary mother of Jesus was standing at the foot of the cross. Why would she stand there and not further away with the other women?
  • Think about reasons why Jesus´ male followers - apart from John - didn´t come to watch their master die.
  • How do men react when someone close to them is suffering and there´s nothing they can do about it? What about women?

    Mary sees Jesus die, verses 45-50

  • What, if anything, was Mary disappointed at on Good Friday?
  • Look at verses 45-49 through Mary´s eyes. What do you think caused her most pain in that situation?
  • Mary had herself felt that God had forsaken her when she was possessed by evil spirits. How did she feel when she heard Jesus cry out in verse 46?
  • Speaking was very difficult for someone hanging on the cross for his lungs would be pressed. Think about what made Jesus cry out in a loud voice when he died. (If he cried out of fear, what was he afraid of?)
  • What shows that Mary´s love for Jesus didn´t die when Jesus died?

    The testimony of the Roman officer, verses 51-54

  • What things indicate that this was not a death of an ordinary human being?
  • What made the gruff professional soldiers so scared? What were they afraid of? (54)?
  • What was so special about Jesus´ suffering and death that it elicited the recognition expressed by the Roman officer in verse 54?
  • Do you think Mary believed that day that Jesus was the Son of God? Give reasons to your answers.
  • What might you have thought about Jesus´ death if you had been standing at the foot of the cross?
  • If you were told that Jesus suffered the torture and death to give you eternal life, what would you think of such a statement?

    Questions related to The Da Vinci Code:

  • Compare the Mary in The Da Vinci Code to the Mary in this Gospel text.
  • What are the most impressive things in the picture the text gives us of Jesus?
  • In his novel, Dan Brown portays Jesus as a mere human being. What does this Gospel text say about the matter?


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