Day 2 - Monday - Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament - Logos

 Matthew 27:45–66

The rest of Matt. 27 describes Jesus’ death and burial. The preternatural darkness that envelopes Jesus’ crucifixion (Matt. 27:45) reminds the reader of the plagues and apocalyptic portents in texts such as Exod. 10:22; Joel 2:10; Amos 8:9 (esp. with its reference to the sun going down at noon, precisely the “sixth hour” referred to here). The one direct quotation of the OT in this chapter comes in 27:46, on which, see below. The vinegar offered to Jesus in 27:48 alludes to Ps. 69:21b, just as the gall alluded to the first half of this verse. The rending of the temple veil (27:51) refers to one of two temple curtains modeled after the pattern of the tabernacle in Exod. 26:31–35 (for a survey of various early Christian interpretations, see de Jonge 1986). The resurrection of certain “saints” in 27:51–53 is clearly the oddest part of this chapter, but it builds on OT belief in the general resurrection of all people when the Messiah comes (see esp. Dan. 12:2; cf. Ezek. 37:12). Recall also, Zech. 14:4–5 with its great earthquake. What was unexpected was the death and resurrection of the Messiah in advance of the general resurrection and final judgment. Still, perhaps this handful of additional faithful people coming back to life was meant to further guarantee that Jesus’ resurrection did, in fact, function as the “firstfruits” of many more to come (cf. 1 Cor. 15:20–22; see further Senior 1976).

Joseph of Arimathea’s desire to bury Christ’s body quickly (27:57–58) was based on the Mosaic legislation that the corpse of a capital offender hung on a tree should not be left there overnight lest it defiles the land (Deut. 21:22–23). By Jesus’ day, crucifixion—suspending a person from a wooden cross—was deemed equivalent to hanging on a tree, so the same legislation applied. This same Deuteronomic text also explains the scandal of the cross (cf. 1 Cor. 1:18); orthodox Jews would understand the crucifixion as demonstrating that Jesus was cursed by God (but see Gal. 3:13). Probably nothing short of bodily resurrection could have convinced Jewish followers of Jesus that this curse had been overcome! The wealthy Joseph’s burial of Jesus’ body in his own unused tomb provides one final allusion to the fate of Isaiah’s Suffering Servant, who similarly was assigned a place “with the rich” (Isa. 53:9).

esp. especially

OT Old Testament

OT Old Testament

esp. especially

 Blomberg, Craig L. “Matthew.” Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI;  Nottingham, UK: Baker Academic;  Apollos, 2007. 98. Print.