Luke 23 45

Luke 23:45 kjv

And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

Luke 23:45 nkjv

Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.

Luke 23:45 niv

for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.

Luke 23:45 esv

while the sun's light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.

Luke 23:45 nlt

The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle.

Luke 23 verses

Luke 23 45 Meaning

Luke 23:45 describes two supernatural phenomena coinciding with the death of Jesus: the darkening of the sun and the tearing of the temple veil. These events signify the profound cosmic and redemptive implications of Christ's sacrifice, indicating divine judgment, the inauguration of a new covenant, and the opening of direct access to God through Jesus' atoning work.

Luke 23 45 Context

Luke 23 details Jesus' trial, crucifixion, and death. Following the cosmic darkness that enveloped the land (Lk 23:44), Jesus utters His final words and breathes His last. Immediately concurrent with His death, two profound signs manifest: the sun's complete darkening and the supernatural rending of the temple veil. The temple veil was the magnificent curtain separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, or Holy of Holies, the sacred innermost sanctuary where the Ark of the Covenant once resided, and where God's presence was believed to dwell (in Solomon's Temple). Access to the Most Holy Place was exclusively reserved for the High Priest, and only once a year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). For the Jewish audience, the tearing of this veil would have been an unmistakable sign of profound divine intervention, directly challenging the existing sacrificial system and its ceremonial restrictions.

Luke 23 45 Word analysis

• and the sun was darkened (καὶ ἐσκοτίσθη ὁ ἥλιος - kai eskotisthē ho hēlios):

  • καὶ (kai): "and"; marks a chronological and causal connection.
  • ἐσκοτίσθη (eskotisthē): "was darkened"; aorist passive indicative. This emphasizes a completed action and implies it was divinely performed. It was not an eclipse (as it was Passover, during a full moon), but a miraculous, supernatural dimming, suggesting God's sorrow, judgment, or an overwhelming display of divine power. This cosmic event has eschatological undertones, often associated with the Day of the Lord (Amos 8:9, Joel 2:31).
  • ὁ ἥλιος (ho hēlios): "the sun"; indicates the celestial body. Its darkening symbolizes the world's spiritual darkness, divine wrath against sin, or a universal mourning at the Creator's death.
  • Significance: God directly intervenes in creation at the moment of His Son's death, highlighting the universal impact of the crucifixion. It signifies a profound shift, signaling an end to the old order.

• and the veil of the temple was torn in two (καὶ ἐσχίσθη τὸ καταπέτασμα τοῦ ναοῦ μέσον - kai eschisthē to katapetasma tou naou meson):

  • καὶ ἐσχίσθη (kai eschisthē): "and was torn"; aorist passive indicative. Again, the passive voice implies a divine agency, an act not done by human hands. Matthew and Mark specify "from top to bottom," reinforcing its supernatural origin, demonstrating God's own doing, rather than human vandalism.
  • τὸ καταπέτασμα (to katapetasma): "the veil"; refers specifically to the thick, inner curtain in the Temple, dividing the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (Heb 9:3). It represented the barrier between a sinful humanity and the holy presence of God. This curtain was of immense size and thickness, making human tearing impossible.
  • τοῦ ναοῦ (tou naou): "of the temple"; specifically referring to the naos, the inner sanctuary or holy building itself, where God's presence resided, not the larger hieron (the entire temple complex, courts, etc.). This clarifies that it was the veil of the Holy of Holies.
  • μέσον (meson): "in the midst" or "in two"; indicating that it was split right through the middle, making complete separation.

• Word-Groups Analysis:

  • "and the sun was darkened": This phrase immediately establishes a supernatural cosmic sign. It points to God's hand in orchestrating the events, confirming the divine significance of Jesus' death as a climactic, universal event, fulfilling ancient prophecies of darkness associated with God's intervention and judgment.
  • "and the veil of the temple was torn in two in the midst": This phrase focuses on the spiritual significance within Judaism. The rending of the veil from top to bottom signifies that the old covenant, with its limited access to God through the High Priest, was now nullified. Christ's atoning sacrifice had opened a direct, immediate, and free access for all believers into the presence of God (Heb 10:19-20). The physical barrier was removed because the spiritual barrier (sin) had been dealt with by Jesus. This was a direct polemic against the existing priestly system, declaring its rituals as fulfilled and superseded by the Person and work of Christ.

Luke 23 45 Bonus section

The thickness of the Temple veil, reported by some Jewish sources, was such that it was almost impossible for a human to tear it from top to bottom. Josephus, the Jewish historian, mentioned it was four inches thick and required seventy-two priests to handle it, reinforcing the supernatural nature of its tearing. This miraculous tearing not only symbolized the spiritual access gained through Christ but also announced the end of the sacrificial system. The temple structure itself would soon be destroyed (as prophesied by Jesus, Lk 21:6), making the animal sacrifices impossible. The torn veil, therefore, was a concrete, tangible sign that God's new covenant was being established, a covenant written not on stone tablets, nor guarded by a physical barrier, but secured by the very blood and body of His Son.

Luke 23 45 Commentary

Luke 23:45 is a pivotal verse highlighting the divine ratification and profound implications of Jesus' death. The darkening of the sun is a cosmic announcement, declaring the solemnity and magnitude of the event to the entire world, signaling divine grief, wrath against sin, or even the withdrawal of God's presence as Christ, the Light of the world, suffers in darkness for humanity. More critically, the rending of the temple veil from top to bottom is a definitive theological statement. This event, visible only to those in or near the temple, powerfully symbolized the end of the old covenant system based on laws, sacrifices, and ritualistic separation. With the torn veil, the sacred, once-restricted space of the Most Holy Place was opened, signifying that Christ's finished work had cleared the path for direct, unhindered access to God for all people—Jew and Gentile—by His shed blood. This was the moment the old was made new; the era of type and shadow gave way to the reality in Christ. The once-yearly priestly mediation was replaced by the continuous, perfect mediation of Jesus, our great High Priest, making every believer a priest with direct communion with the Father.