Ancient historians tell us of the wonders which came to pass that day. Tertullian in his Apology for the Christian religion drew the attention of the Romans to these well-known facts recorded in their public archives. (Tacitus, Hist. v. ii., 3.) Josephus (Jewish Wars, B., iv., c. vi. ; 3. vi., v., 4.) the Talmud (Jer. Yoma 43a Yom. 39b.) and Christian writers give testimony to the remarkable events which happened at the death of Christ. Pilate's report to the emperor contains the following:
"And when he had been crucified, there was darkness over the whole earth, the sun having been completely hidden, and the heavens appearing dark, though it was day so that the stars appeared, but had at the same time their brightness darkened, as I suppose your reverence is not ignorant of, because in all the world they lighted lamps from the sixth hour till the evening. And the moon, being like blood, did not shine the whole night, and yet she happened to be at the full. And the stars also, Orion made lament about the Jews on account of the wickedness that had been done by them. And the whole world was shaken by unspeakable miracles, and all creation was like to be swallowed up by the lower regions, so that also the sanctuary of their temple was rent from top to bottom. And again there was thunder and a mighty noise from heaven, so that all our land shook and trembled. And there began to be earthquakes in the hour in which the nails were fixed in Jesus' hands and feet until the evening." (Report of Pontius Pilate sent to Rome to Tiberius Caesar, Second Greek. Form. There is some dispute regarding the authenticity of this Report. We give it and let the reader judge for himself.)
In another report Pilate says; " And at the time he was crucified there was darkness over all the world, the sun being darkened at midday, and the stars appearing, but in them appeared no luster, and the moon as if turned into blood failed in her light And in that terror dead men were seen that had risen, as the Jews themselves testified, and they said they were Abraham, and Isaac and Jacob and the twelve patriarchs, and Job that had died, as they say, three thousand five hundred years before. And there were very many whom I saw appearing in the body, and they were making a lamentation about the Jews, on account of the wickedness that has come to pass through them, and the destruction of the Jews and of their law. Arid the fear of the earthquake remained from the sixth hour of the preparation until the ninth hour." (Report of Pilate to Augustus Caesar. First Greek form.)
