Let’s Give Darkness a Chance

Mark 15:33-39 is the Gospel passage that most scholars, biblicists, and homileticians argue contains the fourth of seven last sayings of Jesus Christ from the cross. “At three o’clock, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”[1] For most, the crux of this passage is found here, where we are blatantly shown the human anguish of a divine being hanging from an old rugged cross. Here we find a son calling out to his absentee father. We encounter a God that has turned Her back on her son. We hear a young adult, brown male cry out for his parent in his last breaths before death. We are reminded of George Floyd, Tyre Nichols, and even Dante Wright. In essence, we hear echoes of cries of a child seeking solace, support, and even relief from an invisible parent. This cry from Jesus makes readers wrestle with the accusation and discomfort of viewing God as not seeing about God’s children. Well, if God would do that to Jesus, how can I expect anything different? And it is in this space that I want to speak from this passage – abandonment, disappointment, unanswered questions, and unmet needs. DARKNESS. 

Darkness: In Theology

There are a few things to note about Jesus in this time of darkness. There is an invitation to give attention to the isolation of Jesus instead of the physical pain of Jesus. This is essential to note because this combats the harmful toxicity that is foundational to suffering theology or atonement theology, where violence and pain are catapulted as a badge of Christian honor, as a virtue necessary for access to blessings. This aids in preventing people from only identifying with the corporeal torture of Jesus as a way to be like more Jesus. This verse allows readers also to view the emotional and mental distress and not just the somatic disturbance that this government-sanctioned execution has caused. Though Jesus knew this was the purpose of his existence in the world, it did not negate the feelings and thoughts he experienced while living out his purpose.

Darkness: Cosmos and Confusion

The genesis of this passage begins with detailing the time and weather conditions for which Jesus spoke this fourth phrase. It notes that it was around noon and that darkness came over the region until about three. Jesus’ pending death caused a cosmic response. It happens at noon, and we see that everything goes dark. Darkness, oftentimes, is not received; it is understood to be the absence of light, joy, stability, peace, health, happiness, success, and overall wellness. And we find Jesus in darkness and the people involved with and surrounding this crucifixion in darkness. In this darkness, where their optical abilities were challenged, it seemed as though the darkness also impacted their perception and comprehension. As Jesus called out, bystanders were confused by his words, thinking he was calling for Elijah.

Darkness: A Way for Liberation

In this darkness was also a way made for freedom. After Jesus cries out in a loud voice and gives up his last breath, we find in verse thirty-eight that the curtain of the temple is torn. The Greek word here used for “torn” is [schizo], meaning to be torn apart is only found in two places in Mark.[2] 

The narrative of the baptism of Jesus tells us that the heavens are torn apart, suggesting an irreplaceable breach that cannot be put back together. And that is exactly the point that it should not be put back together: heavens and the veil divides between humans and divine realms as borders, boundaries, and barriers. And these preventions have been destroyed in the dark. This indicates to us that we now have access. We can get to God for ourselves. It also means that God can come to us. God is now loosed in the world. Jesus was an advocate, not a blocker. Access to God has come because of Jesus, and not the temple as in Hebrew scriptures. The temple system was set up in such a way that it claimed to have given exclusive access to God, and the tearing apart of the veil destroyed the system. This is a tearing that only God can do. Only God can grant a tearing down from the top down. [3] 

Darkness: Revisited

Darkness as despair, misunderstanding confusion is reversed in this passage. The structure of the pericope begins with an impending judgment, a concentric circle, a judgment of darkness, three days of darkness, parallel to Egyptian bondage and concludes with a centurion saying as a Gentile that he has gained clarity on Jesus’ identity, amid the rest of the crowd confused about what was happening and what they thought they had heard. And in this darkness of the sky, health, parental relationship, mental wellness attacks, emotional distresses, ability to complete one’s job, the inability to see one’s loved one, none of this stopped Jesus from being who Jesus was. This is a reminder for the Believer to keep moving in the darkness. Do not lose fervor in a season that may feel difficult or alone; know that God is truly there with you and that questions can be answered. Identity can be made clear. Purpose can be fulfilled. God speaks in the darkness. Darkness does not last always, but even if it did, it is not such a bad thing after all. Give darkness a chance.

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[1] Mark 15:34 NRSVue

[2] Accordance usage; Mark 1 and 15

[3] This is where I invite preachers to explore potential relationships or conversations between this, tearing of the veil from the top down and the building of the temple from the bottom up.

The Rev. Dominique A. Robinson, DMin, a New Jersey native, is a millennial Womanist homiletician and justice advocate. Reared in the Pentecostal tradition, she answered her call to ministry at 13. Dominique earned her Bachelor of Arts in Government from Georgetown University, Master of Divinity concentrating in Biblical Interpretation, and Master of Theology concentrating in Homiletics, both from Candler School of Theology. She earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Columbia Theological Seminary in Gospel and Culture. Her DMIn dissertation, "iHomileticTM: Preaching that Clicks," was/is a groundbreaking research and consulting service to assist faith leaders with developing impactful ministry that employs technology and social media linguistics.

Dominique is a Ph.D. student at Christian Theological Seminary in the world's first African American Preaching and Sacred Rhetoric Ph.D. program. Her areas of study include homiletics, African American preaching, womanist homiletics, millennial womanism, womanist interpretation, and mental health within the African American community. For her dissertation, Dominique’s research will focus on how depression impacts African American biblical interpretation rooted in millennial womanist discourse.

She is the John E. Hines Assistant Professor of Preaching at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas; this is a historical appointment as she is the first African American full-time faculty member of the institution. Dr. Robinson is an ordained itinerant elder in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion Church and a member of the illustrious Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

She is continuously humbled by opportunities to share God's Word and desires to march to the drumbeat of God's heart.