The Calvary Miracles
Miracles attended the birth, life, and death of our Lord. The significance of these miracles: they are signs. Consider those recorded in Matthew 27:-
1. The Supernatural Darkness – a sign of the Divine Passion, Mt 27:45.
This signifies
(a) Jesus’ conflict. See Lk 22:53; Jn 12:31
(b) Jesus’ comfortlessness, Mt 27:46
Remember this, when the dark clouds of despair case a gloom over your soul. Remember that the wrath of God was poured out on Christ – for you. ‘Is this not proof of the Father’s grace, that he should have given over his own Son to the malignity and hate, the ingenuity and power of the prince of darkness and his hosts? “Who delivered up Jesus to die? Not Judas, for money; not Pilate, for fear; not the Jews, for envy; – but the Father, for love!”‘ (Octavius Winslow)
2. The Tearing of the Curtain – a sign of the Divine Presence, Mt 27:51
This signals
(a) the end of sacrifices, Eph 2:15
(b) the end of separation, Heb 4:16; 6:19
3. The Earthquake – a sign of the Divine Power, Mt 27:51-53
This shows
(a) God’s power in creation. The earthquake shows that he is the Maker of the physical world. The physical world involved in the effects of sin, Rom 8:22; 2 Pet 3:13.
(b) God’s power in re-creation. The raising to life of many holy people demonstrates the death of death, and is a foreshadowing of our own resurrection. See Rom 8:31ff.