{From the sixth hour} (apo hekt(8873) h(9372)as). Curiously
enough McNeile takes this to mean the trial before Pilate ( Joh
18:14 ). But clearly John uses Roman time, writing at the close
of the century when Jewish time was no longer in vogue. It was
six o'clock in the morning Roman time when the trial occurred
before Pilate. The crucifixion began at the third hour ( Mr
15:25 ) Jewish time or nine A.M. The darkness began at noon, the
sixth hour Jewish time and lasted till 3 P.M. Roman time, the
ninth hour Jewish time ( Mr 15:33  Mt 27:45  Lu 23:44 ). The
dense darkness for three hours could not be an eclipse of the sun
and Luke ( Lu 23:45 ) does not so say, only "the sun's light
failing." Darkness sometimes precedes earthquakes and one came at
this time or dense masses of clouds may have obscured the sun's
light. One need not be disturbed if nature showed its sympathy
with the tragedy of the dying of the Creator on the Cross ( Ro
8:22 ), groaning and travailing until now.