Mark 15:33
And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
Mark 15:33
“Darkness over the whole land” at the sixth hour signals a cosmic moment in Mark’s gospel. The darkness interrupts the normal order of day to mark the significance of Jesus’ crucifixion, echoing biblical motifs of judgment and divine withdrawal as sins are carried. The timing—sixth hour to ninth hour—sets a precise frame for the narrative, emphasizing that something decisive is occurring in the darkness: the Son bears the consequences of human sin.
Darkness represents the weight of sin and the moment when God’s presence seems hidden from view. Yet in Mark, this darkness is not the end but the backdrop for the fulfillment of Jesus’ atoning work and the subsequent revelation of God’s victory in the resurrection. It also invites readers to trust God in the mystery of suffering.
When you walk through personal “dark hours,” this verse invites faith that God can work through darkness. Practical steps: keep a faithful routine of prayer, Scripture, and trusted fellowship during tough times; remind yourself that God’s timing often reveals His plan more fully after moments of apparent absence; seek ways to serve others who are hurting in your own season of darkness.
Cross-References: Isaiah 50:3; Amos 8:9; Luke 23:44-45; Joel 2:31; 2 Corinthians 4:6