Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up his spirit.
All Commentaries on Matthew 27:50 Go To Matthew 27
John Chrysostom
AD 407
This is what He said, I have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it again, and, I lay it down of myself. John 10:18 So for this cause He cried with the voice, that it might be shown that the act is done by power. Mark at any rate says, that Pilate marvelled if He were already dead: Mark 15:44 and that the centurion for this cause above all believed, because He died with power. Mark 15:39
This cry rent the veil, and opened the tombs, and made the house desolate. And He did this, not as offering insult to the temple (for how should He, who says, Make not my Father's house a house of merchandise), John 2:16 but declaring them to be unworthy even of His abiding there; like as also when He delivered it over to the Babylonians. But not for this only were these things done, but what took place was a prophecy of the coming desolation, and of the change into the greater and higher state; and a sign of His might.
And together with these things He showed Himself also by what followed after these things, by the raising of the dead. For in the instance of Elisha; one on touching a dead body rose again, but now by a voice He raised them, His body continuing up there, on the cross. And besides, those things were a type of this. For that this might be believed, therefore is that all done. And they are not merely raised, but also rocks are rent, and the earth shaken, that they might learn, that He was able to strike themselves blind, and to rend them in pieces. For He that cleft rocks asunder, and darkened the world, much more could have done these things to them, had it been His will. But He would not, but having discharged His wrath upon the elements, them it was His will to save by clemency. But they abated not their madness. Such is envy, such is jealousy, it is not easily stayed. At that time then they were impudent in setting themselves against the actual appearances; and afterwards even against the things themselves, when a seal being put upon Him, and soldiers watching Him, He rose again, and they heard these things from the very guards; they even gave money, in order both to corrupt others, and to steal away the history of the resurrection.
