So what exactly did the Centurion see? What was it that made him disagree with the rulers and honour instead the man he put to death?
- Jesus’ response to His horrific treatment at the hands of the Roman soldiers and His own countrymen:
[When he was arrested by a mob], Jesus said to the crowd, ‘Am I leading a rebellion that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.’ Then all [his followers] deserted him and fled. (MATT. 26:55-56, EMPHASIS ADDED)
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Then the governor’s soldiers . . . twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ they said. They spat on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. (27:27-31).
- Jesus’ mercy towards the mob and the soldiers, including the Centurion. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them!” (LUKE 23:34). As they sat down to gamble (MATT. 27:35-36) for His few possessions and watch Him die, Jesus prayed for their forgiveness, not His own escape. That is amazing!
- Creation’s response to the Creator’s death. Witnesses “saw the earthquake and the things that were happening” (Matt. 27:54). They saw the sun go dark, they felt the power of the earth moving under their feet—and they saw these supernatural events suddenly end when Jesus gave loud shout and died.
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This Centurion was understandably shocked by the events that surrounded the death of Christ. He had never seen such things before; he and his troops “were terrified”. The Centurion and his group of battle-hardened soldiers had learned to cope with fear, but now they experienced terror. They had reason to be terrified, because there was nothing ordinary about the events they were experiencing.
- No ordinary execution. The darkness, the earthquake and the shout from Christ convinced the soldiers that this was no ordinary execution. The events terrified them and made them realise they were seeing God die. What a realisation! They had put to death God’s Son!
- No ordinary power. They did not come to this conclusion because of some ‘explanation’. Their conclusion came only from seeing the power of God on display in Jesus’ responses and in nature (the earthquake and dark sky).
- No ordinary confession. The Centurion’s confession tells us something important: Jesus is revealed as our Saviour and God most clearly in His death.
Matthew Henry wrote that we should respond like the Centurion did: “Let us, with an eye of faith, [see] Christ and Him crucified, and be [moved by] that great love with which He loved us.” Why? Because what we see on the cross, as the Centurion did, is the perfect Son of God dying a terrible death for us. The death He died we deserve because we reject and ignore our Creator (which is what ‘sin’ is). When Jesus hung on the cross, He was receiving all God’s anger towards us for how we have lived, so that He might bring us to God. Let us give ourselves willingly to Him.
Source: https://t-tees.com
Category: WHO
