Witnesses

Matthew 27:45-56

The Death of Jesus

 From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.” At once one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink. But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many. Now when the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were terrified and said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!”

 Many women were also there, looking on from a distance; they had followed Jesus from Galilee and had provided for him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

Many women were there

Women who had followed Jesus

ministering to him.

Some whose sons were travelling with Jesus

Some who had known the power of Jesus' healing

Some who were touched by his teaching

Some whose lives had been transformed 

by their encounter with the Son of God.

Looking on, from a distance,

they supported each other.

They did not require

an earthquake

to be convinced

that this was the Son of God.

Not even resurrection.

But they were rewarded

by being the first to encounter

the Risen Christ.

Many women were there...