Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.
The centurion was present at the cross in command of the detachment of soldiers guarding it, and saw what was done there. What he saw included the mysterious darkness enshrouding the earth for three hours and passing away at the very moment Jesus died, the sun veiled, the heaving and shaking earth and mighty earthquake underfoot, the rending of the rocks, the rending of the veil of the temple, the piercing and loud final cry of It is finished spoken in startling power and clearness of voice, and the sudden instant death of Jesus. The strength of that cry and the suddenness of death within six hours was astonishing to Roman officers experienced in such scenes, because death by crucifixion was a slow and lingering exhaustion where the moment of death was hard to determine, those crucified frequently lingered days on the cross, and they had never witnessed a death like this on a cross. Immediately after that cry of victory the centurion glorified God and openly declared on the very day of Jesus death his certainty that Jesus was righteous, his belief that Jesus was the Son of God.
His declaration that Jesus was righteous affirms Jesus innocence as He suffered the penalty of sin in the sinner's place. The same signs and loud cry troubled His enemies and made His murderers tremble; terror seized the executioners and spectators, the mocking and jeering of the chief priests and elders was hushed, and the astonished throng withdrew groping their way in darkness toward the city, smiting their breasts, stumbling and falling in terror lest the quaking earth and rent trembling rocks end their own lives. The wonders forced a confession from many hardened witnesses who had scoffed and jeered; made terribly afraid they declared Him righteous, said in whispers of terror that an innocent person had been murdered, and wondered whether He might indeed be as He asserted the Son of God, proclaiming that it was the Son of God who died.
The conviction begun at His trial and deepened by the darkness over the cross and by His last words became seed that later ripened into a harvest when the disciples boldly proclaimed the gospel after His ascension, when many who had scoffed became afraid and many Jewish priests changed their faith. The centurion knew for a certainty that Jesus was really dead, and his testimony confirms that Jesus had died; his witness to the fearful scenes first reached Pilate in conflicting reports about the strange events while knowledge of the death was purposely kept from him, and then by direct recounting that corroborated Joseph's report when Joseph went boldly to beg the body for burial, which Pilate granted having first learned from Joseph that Jesus was dead. The account surprised Pilate, caused him to believe more firmly that Jesus was innocent and no ordinary man, and left him strangely agitated and keenly regretting his part in condemning Jesus. The centurion stands with the man who bore Jesus cross and the man who died on the cross beside Jesus as three widely different men who openly declared belief in Christ that day.
The centurion was present at the cross in command of the detachment of soldiers guarding it, and saw what was done there.
What he saw included the mysterious darkness enshrouding the earth for three hours and passing away at the very moment Jesus died, the sun veiled, the heaving and shaking earth and mighty earthquake underfoot, the rending of the rocks, the rending of the veil of the temple, the piercing and loud final cry of It is finished spoken in startling power and clearness of voice, and the sudden instant death of Jesus.
The strength of that cry and the suddenness of death within six hours was astonishing to Roman officers experienced in such scenes, because death by crucifixion was a slow and lingering exhaustion where the moment of death was hard to determine, those crucified frequently lingered days on the cross, and they had never witnessed a death like this on a cross.
Immediately after that cry of victory the centurion glorified God and openly declared on the very day of Jesus death his certainty that Jesus was righteous, his belief that Jesus was the Son of God.
His declaration that Jesus was righteous affirms Jesus innocence as He suffered the penalty of sin in the sinner's place.
The same signs and loud cry troubled His enemies and made His murderers tremble; terror seized the executioners and spectators, the mocking and jeering of the chief priests and elders was hushed, and the astonished throng withdrew groping their way in darkness toward the city, smiting their breasts, stumbling and falling in terror lest the quaking earth and rent trembling rocks end their own lives.
The wonders forced a confession from many hardened witnesses who had scoffed and jeered; made terribly afraid they declared Him righteous, said in whispers of terror that an innocent person had been murdered, and wondered whether He might indeed be as He asserted the Son of God, proclaiming that it was the Son of God who died.
The conviction begun at His trial and deepened by the darkness over the cross and by His last words became seed that later ripened into a harvest when the disciples boldly proclaimed the gospel after His ascension, when many who had scoffed became afraid and many Jewish priests changed their faith.
The centurion knew for a certainty that Jesus was really dead, and his testimony confirms that Jesus had died; his witness to the fearful scenes first reached Pilate in conflicting reports about the strange events while knowledge of the death was purposely kept from him, and then by direct recounting that corroborated Joseph's report when Joseph went boldly to beg the body for burial, which Pilate granted having first learned from Joseph that Jesus was dead.
The account surprised Pilate, caused him to believe more firmly that Jesus was innocent and no ordinary man, and left him strangely agitated and keenly regretting his part in condemning Jesus.
The centurion stands with the man who bore Jesus cross and the man who died on the cross beside Jesus as three widely different men who openly declared belief in Christ that day.