Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 27:50

50 Jesus when he had cryed again with a loud voice yielded up the Ghost.

Mark hath the same, Chap. 15. from v. 33. to v. 38. Luke saith, Ch. 23, 44. That it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the Earth, unto the ninth Hour. And the Sun was darkned, and the Vail of the Temple was Rent in the midst. And when Iesus had cryed with a loud Voice, he said, Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit. And having said thus, he gave up the Ghost. Iohn saith no more, Ch. 19.30. but that—he bowed his Head, and gave up the Ghost. It is said Iohn 19.14. It was about the sixth Hour, when Pilate brought forth Chirst to the Jews, how then could he be Crucified at the third Hour? and the Darkness begin at the sixth. The different ways the Iews, and the Romans had of counting Hours, make us to be at a loss sometimes, as to Circumstances of time to reconcile some Scriptures. But as to the present difficulty, it is said that the Jews as they divided the Night into four Watches, so they also divided the Day into four parts, each part having his Denomination from the succeeding part, by which Name all the intermediate time was called. Thus when the third Hour (which with us is nine of the Clock) was past, they called all the sixth Hour till past twelve. Thus Pilate Condemned Christ in the beginning of the sixth Hour, and the darkness began at the end of it, that is, after twelve, for dividing the day into Quadrants, the Hours had their Denomination from them. Iohn also saith no more, then about the sixth Hour, which is true if it were some small time after. There was darkness over all the Land, till the ninth Hour. That this darkness was caused by the Eclipse of the Sun at that time of the Day is plain enough, but that this was no Eclipse in the ordinary course of Nature is evident, for 1. whereas all Eclipses use to be in the time of the New Moon, this was, when the Moon was at the Full, the fifteenth Day of the Month Nisan: 2. This Eclipse was not seen in one part or in another, but over all the Earth, that was under the same Hemisphear. 3. No Eclipse in a natural Course can last three Hours. So that plainly this was a Miraculous Eclipse, not caused by the Interpo[illegible: 1 letter]ition of the Moon (as other Eclipses) but by the Mighty and Extraordinary Power of God, which made an Heathen Philosopher at a great distance cry out. Either the Divine being now suffereth, or Sympathizeth with one that suffereth, he is said to have seen this Eclipse in Egypt. And about the ninth Hour, that is, about three of the Clock (as we reckon the Hours) Jesus cryed with a loud Voice, Eli, Eli, or Eloi, Eloi, Lamasabacthani. The Words are Hebrew, tho Mark reports them according to the Syriack Corruption of the Dialect. They are Davids Words, Psal. 22. v. 1. David [illegible: 1 letter]as a Type of Christ. He that was the Son of David useth Davids Words, po[illegible: 1 letter]sibly spoken by David in the Person of Christ. Gods forsaking any Person or places, must be understood with reference not to his Essential Presence, for so he filleth all places, and is present with all Persons. But with reference to the Manifestations of his Providence for our good; thus when God witholds his good Providence to us, either with respect to our outward or inward Man, he is said to forsake us. A Total forsaking either of our Bodies, or of our Souls, is not consistent with the being of our outward Man: or the Spiritual being or Life of our inward Man. All forsakings therefore in this Life, are Gradual, and Partial. The forsaking which Christ therefore here complains of, was not the Total withdrawing of Divine favour, and assistance from him (that was impossible) and incompetent with the first Words testifying his relation to God, and assistance in him, but it must be understood with respect to Gods Consolatory Manifestations, and that is testifyed by his other Words, related by Luke. Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit. Which Words having said, he gave up the Ghost (say Matthew, Mark and Luke) Iohn addeth, That he bowed his Head, and yielded up the Ghost. Words added, to confirm what he elsewhere said. That he laid down his Life, none took it from him. His crying twice at this instant, with a loud Voice argued his Spirits not so spent, but he might have lived a few Minutes longer, but he freely laid down his Life. The People saying, he calls for Elias, when he said Eli, Eli, spake them to be Iews, who to this day dream of an Elias to come, and restore all things. That they no better distinguished betwixt Eli and Elias, must be attributed either to the Corruption of their Dialect, he saying Eloi, Eloi (according to the Syriack Corruption of the Term) or their too great distance from him. Their mocking him upon it, was but Consonant to their former behaviour toward him, while he was upon the Cross. Their giving him the Spunge with Vinegar, and Hysope, we before gave an account of.