Note 83 — First Part.

That the Lord lived six hours, yea, more than six hours on the cross, before he gave up the ghost, appears from the account of Mark, chap. 15; for in verse 25 it says: “And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.” That is, according to our reckoning, nine o’clock in the morning. Then, in verse 33, we are told that when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour; which, according to our reckoning, was twelve o’clock noon. Then, in verse 34, we read: “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani, that is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” which, according to our way of reckoning time, is three o’clock in the afternoon. Again in verse 37, we read: “And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost;” which, as it appears, happened after the expiration of the ninth hour, so that the Lord lived on the cross from nine o’clock in the morning until three o’clock in the afternoon, that is, fully six hours, and not before then did he give up the ghost, as has been shown from the account of Mark.