Darkness now hangs over the Earth, the hour of His Spirit's departure upon Him (3 p.m.): at His birth light signaling His coming; at His death, darkness symbolizing His departure. He has suffered the many painful humiliating indignities inflicted upon Him by man. Unlike the first Adam when sin came upon him, this Adam now hangs naked in open shame and humility, unable to hide. His words (7 sayings recorded in the Gospels) have been poignant with purpose and power! In them, He:

As His last Earthly possessions are stripped from Him and parted as customary among His executioners, He indeed gives full meaning to Job's earlier condition of undeserved suffering and declaration, "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."

There are but a few remaining at this late and final hour (mid to late evening),those who really care -- those who have not been intimidated by the human instruments of evil. Others will soon awake from their soul's slumber from Satan's drug. They will come at first by the ones, then twos, and as Truth rises Triumphant, they will not be held back; by the hundreds, then thousands, and now finally by the millions, they will flood to the Cross down through the Ages. The Cross does have the power to draw people from their sleep of Sin! ( I Co.15:6, Heb.12:1, 3:14-15)

Jesus' brothers not present, and at this point not believing, Mary's needs are entrusted to that one who loves Him as a brother (John). She will not go away from this Son's pierced side carrying her pain without a strong shoulder to lean on! Jesus loved His mother.

Unlike His refusal of their first customary anesthetic, He will receive this second offer of a soldier's drink (likely a stimulant). He must be able to speak His final audible words. The previous night's lack of sleep, the stressful abuse of His body at the hands of His enemies, the agonizing pain of a cruel slow execution, the hot Judean spring sun burning His exposed flesh before nature covers Him with her darkness, have all taken their toll -- He thirsts! But more than His body's longing for relief, is His soul's thirst for His Father's righteousness and fellowship that He will momentarily exchange the one for the other. Echoes of the Psalmist must certainly be flooding His consciousness! (See Psalms 22, 62, and 69:21 for further insight.)

He, Earth's Jesus, Mary's son, John's friend, is now dead! The vessel for honor has faithfully served its purpose. The Spirit of God takes leave and will do His mysterious work man is incapable of comprehending. (See the Synoptics for the cataclysmic events which occurred at this moment in history: the Veil rent, the Earth's trembling, and the dead raised at His resurrection, walking the streets, being seen by many. What Power the Earth was charged with at Jesus' descent!)

His ravaged body must not defile the Jews' holy day. Unaware of His early death, Pilate's permission is sought to end it before the first star of the Sabbath (6 p.m.). Having broken the legs of the other two to speed death, the painful mallet's blows will not touch this Holy One. His bones will remain unbroken, thus fulfilling Scripture. The disbelieving centurion will make an unauthorized uncommon thrust of his spear to make certain, and the blood that should have normally coagulated at death, runs freely down his sword (most likely upon him) and onto the ground. The Synoptists record this soldier's reaction and testimony to Truth. ( Ps.34:20, Mt.27:54)

Here, I believe, John (not another author) speaks in third person as the eyewitness to this day's events to give irrefutable evidence of the humanity of Jesus and His vicarious death. (Purpose clause again for belief.)

Even in death the Scripture gives testimony that this is the One. No other man has ever lived who so fulfilled Scripture that we might believe! Not Mohammed, nor Buddha, nor any other so put forth for today's man to bow before! Why do people fail to see? Only He remains alive today! No other! Dare believe the Scripture? John's eyewitness? The Executioner's testimony? What more do people need? It is enough! Only believe friend; Your eternal life rests on it.

It is interesting to note that it was a stranger who comes out of the shadows of secrecy to secure the Savior's body for proper burial befitting His life. John, his friend, had gone away with his Lord's mourning mother. He should not be faulted for failing to see to this need, not knowing how, or who would discharge it! His purpose in this hour was commissioned by Christ Himself, and so he obediently turns Mary away from this dreadful scene to seek solace back in the solitude of his Jerusalem home, and later in life, it is believed, in Ephesus of Asia Minor. But God always raises up another to meet the pressing need of the hour; so we see stepping forward Joseph of Arimathaea. There is an application here for us today. No one person can do it all in service for Christ, nor should a leader be faulted for failing to see a work undone! John was blinded by his own mission that another might step forward! It may just be that God is calling the very one who does see the need, and rather than faulting one who doesn't, or calling it to the attention of another, should, as Joseph, set about it themselves. God is quite capable of calling and giving direction when one is willing to listen and follow!

Accordingly, Joseph, having secured permission from Pilate, and being joined enroute back by a Sanhedrin associate, Nicodemus, sees to an honorable placement of Jesus' Earthly tabernacle in his own freshly carved cavern tomb divinely located nearby. The hour was late and He must be buried before the changing of day at 6 p.m., from Friday to Saturday, the Sabbath of Passover, the high day.

He will not be left on the cross for animals to devour, nor be discarded in a common pit in the potter's field as others crucified. If a single sparrow, when it falls, has the Father's eye, we must believe all Heaven is here focused! The Heavenly Father's hand watches over His Son, even in death!