Mark 15:39 "And when the centurion,
which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost,
he said, Truly this man was the Son of God."
Jesus had just given up the ghost. We see in these words the fulfillment of Jesus saying, "no man taketh my life from me. I lay it down of myself." This centurion was watching closely to make sure these three were really dead before taking them off the crosses. This in itself is proof that Jesus actually died. The centurion would never have released Jesus' body from the cross unless he was certain of death. Jesus died. There is no doubt.
As the centurion watched the three men in their process of dying, he observed the manner in which they died. The one thief wanted Jesus to help him get off the cross. Save yourself and save us. The second thief understood their sentence of death was deserved. He was not wanting deliverance from the cross; rather he wanted deliverance into the very presence of God. Lord, remember me. Then there was Jesus. The centurion surely was watching Jesus as He took His last breath. You can see the full picture when you look at all accounts of the Gospel. Each writer fills in certain portions of the account. Luke tells us that Jesus spoke these words: "Father, into thine hands I commend my spirit." Then Jesus bowed His head and gave up the ghost. John tells us Jesus spoke these words: "It is finished." Each of these aspects of the death of Jesus was being observed by the centurion.
What was his final declaration concerning the death of Jesus? "Truly this man was the Son of God." Jesus had responded to all these matters of hatred and envy against Him with the same grace that He responded to all of life. No doubt, this centurion had observed hundreds of crucifixions; yet, none of them had been like this one. This had been the response from people all through the life of Jesus. There had never been another birth like His. There had never been anyone to open blind eyes. No man spake as this man. He spake with authority. And now, the centurion had never witnessed a death such as this one.
Rightly so, for this death was the atoning death for all the children of God. God chose to send His Son to die for you. God chose the time in history for His Son to come to this earth. God chose the manner in which Jesus would die. The Roman cross was the most humiliating and most pain excruciating manner of death that has ever been devised. The Father subjected His only begotten Son to that death in order that the wrath of God would be satisfied through the death of Jesus. We were the enemies of God; yet, God gave His Son to die for us that we would be brought into the family of God through the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ.
"Truly this man was the Son of God."
Jesus had just given up the ghost. We see in these words the fulfillment of Jesus saying, "no man taketh my life from me. I lay it down of myself." This centurion was watching closely to make sure these three were really dead before taking them off the crosses. This in itself is proof that Jesus actually died. The centurion would never have released Jesus' body from the cross unless he was certain of death. Jesus died. There is no doubt.
As the centurion watched the three men in their process of dying, he observed the manner in which they died. The one thief wanted Jesus to help him get off the cross. Save yourself and save us. The second thief understood their sentence of death was deserved. He was not wanting deliverance from the cross; rather he wanted deliverance into the very presence of God. Lord, remember me. Then there was Jesus. The centurion surely was watching Jesus as He took His last breath. You can see the full picture when you look at all accounts of the Gospel. Each writer fills in certain portions of the account. Luke tells us that Jesus spoke these words: "Father, into thine hands I commend my spirit." Then Jesus bowed His head and gave up the ghost. John tells us Jesus spoke these words: "It is finished." Each of these aspects of the death of Jesus was being observed by the centurion.
What was his final declaration concerning the death of Jesus? "Truly this man was the Son of God." Jesus had responded to all these matters of hatred and envy against Him with the same grace that He responded to all of life. No doubt, this centurion had observed hundreds of crucifixions; yet, none of them had been like this one. This had been the response from people all through the life of Jesus. There had never been another birth like His. There had never been anyone to open blind eyes. No man spake as this man. He spake with authority. And now, the centurion had never witnessed a death such as this one.
Rightly so, for this death was the atoning death for all the children of God. God chose to send His Son to die for you. God chose the time in history for His Son to come to this earth. God chose the manner in which Jesus would die. The Roman cross was the most humiliating and most pain excruciating manner of death that has ever been devised. The Father subjected His only begotten Son to that death in order that the wrath of God would be satisfied through the death of Jesus. We were the enemies of God; yet, God gave His Son to die for us that we would be brought into the family of God through the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ.
"Truly this man was the Son of God."