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Matthew 27:50-52

⁵⁰And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. ⁵¹At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. ⁵²The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.

Luke records this last cry to be, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." John wrote that the last cry was, "It is finished!" We assume that Luke obtained his version from Mary. John was right there at the foot of the cross. Surely Jesus said both expressions. The Greek word translated in John, "It is finished", is one word in Greek. It was stamped on Roman invoices when a bill was paid. We use the phrase, "paid in full." The sin debt of mankind was paid in full. The redemption price for the slaves of sin was paid in full. That was a shout of victory. He had done what He came to do. The just One had taken on the sins of the unjust and died in their place.

The overflow of the power of that moment affected the physical world. The most significant event was the tearing of the veil. Between the court where the priests ministered to God and the innermost court hung a huge curtain in front of the place where God's glory was made manifest. It is estimated to have been three to five inches thick. Once a year a priest was selected to go in and sprinkle the blood of atonement over the mercy seat and ask for forgiveness of the sins of the nation. The tearing of that curtain meant that access to God was open to all. Now all people can come to God, not with the blood of an animal, but with the atoning blood of the Lamb of God who died for them. We have access to God!

Matthew is the only one who mentions tombs opening and holy people rising from the dead. Now that is an overflow of power! The Roman soldier who was witnessing all these miraculous events, and the unique words and ways of the One he helped crucify, could not help but exclaim, "Surely he was the Son of God!" (verse 54). Remember that there is evidence that Matthew was written no later than twenty years after Jesus' death. Witnesses to these events were still living when Matthew began to be circulated. This account is true history.

Consider what great things God has done for you!