the soldier that saw the last minutes of Jesus on the cross now the Centurion and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening they were terribly frightened and filled with awe and said truly this was the son of God Matthew 27:54 the Centurion had a front seat to the grandest stage in the universe he was a witness to the Son of God dying this Centurion a commanding officer in the Roman army stood at the foot of the cross as Jesus endured his crucifixion as
Jesus breathed his last breath the world around them changed dramatically in these extraordinary circumstances the centuri Ian a man of power and authority experienced a moment of exceptional Revelation he saw beyond the ordinary and recognized the remarkable nature of the man before him who was this man the man was a centurion and his role especially as a relates to the man who witnessed the last minutes of Jesus Christ offers profound insight into the social and Military structures of ancient Rome and The impactful Narrative of the crucifixion of Christ a centurion was a professional officer in
the Roman army each Centurion commanded a century a unit consisting of about 80 to 100 soldiers they were known for their leadership skills discipline and experience in battle being a centurion was a respected and important job it usually meant the person had to be strict but fair in the context of the crucifixion of Jesus the role of the Centurion becomes especially significant this man overseeing one of the most crucial events was more than just a passive Observer the gospels described the Earth shaking events when Jesus died the sky darkened and the earthquake amidst this the
Centurion is said to have made a profound realization about Jesus truly this was the son of God Matthew 27:54 this statement is remarkable because it comes from a Roman officer an unlikely source for a declaration of faith in Jesus his role at the crucifixion typically a routine execution for a centurion turns into a moment of Spiritual Awakening this highlights a theme often found in biblical narratives the presence of God in unexpected places and people the Centurion a representative of Roman Authority and Pagan beliefs recognizes the Divinity of Jesus this encounter shows how the life and
death of Jesus had a far-reaching impact influencing not just his followers but also those who were Outsiders to his teachings the centurion's realization at the crucifixion serves as a powerful Testament to the transformative power of jesus' message and the universal nature of its appeal where did he realize the truth this all occurred in the ancient land of Jerusalem specifically a place called gol gotha this is where the crucifixion of Jesus Christ took place golgatha often referred to as the place of the skull was an area outside Jerusalem's walls known for being a site of executions
this place which looked harsh and unwelcoming was where the Roman officials would execute people it was here that Jesus was taken to be crucified the atmosphere of gol gotha during jesus' crucifixion was a blend of somberness and Chaos the air was Heavy with a mix of emotions grief from jesus' followers indifference from the Roman soldiers tasked with carrying out the execution and a notable tension among the eyewitnesses the gospels describe the scene with clearer details for instance Luke 23: 27 mentions a great multitude of people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him
when a condemned prisoner was sentenced to death by crucifixion it was common practice for a large number of people to accompany him it was intended to be a public gathering during the process of crucifixion a Roman guard would lead the way with a placard that carried the man's name and the offense and they would cow out the man's name and the crime as they made their way to the location where the crucifixtion would take place the Centurion must have this man under his authority in most cases they did not take the fastest route in order
to ensure that the greatest number of people were able to observe how the Roman Empire dealt with its adversaries it is not surprising for this to change the mind of the Centurion jesus' response still amazes many to this day Daughters of Jerusalem do not weep for me but weep for yourselves and for your children when they witnessed Jesus being handled in such a manner certain women mourned and lamented the message that Jesus conveyed to them with straightforward don't weep for me weep for those those who reject me taking into consideration the words themselves they are
particularly important due to the fact that they compris the last connected discourse of the Savior before he passed as Jesus was hung on the cross alongside two criminals the mood among the crowd was a complex mix of mockery sorrow and confusion some mocked him and people passing by hurled in insults Adam shaking their heads and saying you who are going to destroy the temple and build it in 3 days save yourself come down from the cross if you are the Son of God Matthew 27: 39 they not only derided him as a savior but they
also mocked him as a king and as the Son of God they mocked him in all of these different ways they acted as if Jesus did what they said they would believe him nevertheless the fact that he did not save himself is precisely why he can save others love kept Jesus on the cross not Nails even though there were many terrible occasion throughout jesus' Agony on the cross this is without a doubt one of the lowest points even the thieves who were crucified with him taunted him with the same thing even among the three crucified
men Jesus was put in the lowest position Jesus was forced to endure this ordeal by himself people mocked him in contrast the sight of Jesus suffering deeply moved some we read this was the son of God his use of the verb hence is the only thing that is incorrect Jesus is the son of God even after death there are some individuals who believe that these soldiers who were the executioners of our savior were truly converted by The Miracles that they had witnessed in accordance with what Christ had prayed for them which is stated in Luke
23:34 can you imagine someone praying for you when you are there to execute them the statement made by the Centurion holds significant importance especially in the context of the crucifixion of Jesus coming from a Roman Centurion a figure representing the Pagan Roman Authority the acknowledgement that Jesus was the son of God was extraordinary it represented a recognition of jesus' divine nature some something that even some of jesus' own followers failed to see the centurion's realization came after witnessing the supernatural events surrounding jesus' death the earthquake and other phenomena these events were so powerful and unusual
that they led the Centurion a likely hardened and experienced Soldier to a moment of awe and realization this acknowled knowledgement from a non-jew and representative of the Roman Empire which was often seen as oppressive to the Jewish people emphasized the universal nature of jesus' message and Mission it suggested that Jesus message was not just for the Jews but for all Humanity including Gentiles this incident also points to the Fulfillment of biblical prophecies about the Messiah being recognized Ed and acknowledged by the Nations not just by the Jews this statement from the Centurion in the chaotic
scene of golgatha shows us how deeply jesus' death affected many different people from his closest followers to a Roman soldier was a powerful testimony to jesus' Identity as the Son of God it showed that even someone outside of jesus' followers could see the truth of who he was was especially in the face of miraculous signs the crucifixion a moment of great sorrow and significance becomes a turning point not only in religious history but also in the lives of those like the Centurion Who Bore witness to these last transformative minutes of Jesus what did the Centurion
see the death of Jesus as described in the gospel was accompanied by several extraordinary events that emphasized the significance of the moment these events were both natural and Supernatural marking jesus' death as a moment of great spiritual and Heavenly importance one of the most notable occurrences was a period of Darkness that fell over the land it was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until 3: in the afternoon afternoon for the sun stopped shining Luke 23:45 this Darkness lasting for several hours was an unusual and striking event serving as a dramatic backdrop
to the crucifixion and signifying the gravity of the moment another significant event was an earthquake at that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom the Earth shook the rock split Matthew 27:51 this earthquake was a powerful physical manifestation of the chaos and significance of Jesus death a sign that something extraordinary and world changing had occurred one of the most symbolic events was the tearing of the veil in the temple the veil in the temple Temple separated the holy of holies the most sacred part of the temple where it
was believed God's presence dwelt from the rest of the temple its tearing from top to bottom as Jesus died symbolized the end of the old Covenant and the establishment of a new way to approach God signifying that through jesus' death the barrier between God and Humanity was removed this act indicated that all people could now have direct access to God not just the high priest or select few these phenomena the darkness the earthquake and the tearing of the temple veil were not just random occurrences they were deeply symbolic marking jesus' death as a unique moment
in human history they signified the breaking of old barriers and the ushering in of a new era of relationship between God God and Humanity these events were interpreted by early Christians as signs from God affirming the significance of jesus' sacrifice and the transformative nature of his death the Centurion could have had this tremendous experience as he beheld the seven last words of Jesus here are his seven words the last seven expressions of Jesus Christ on the cross recorded in scripture the first word father forgive them for they do not know what they do Luke 23:34
Jesus of Nazareth looks down from the cross only moments after being crucified between two criminals he sees the soldiers who insulted scourged and tortured him before nailing him on the cross he most likely remembers those who convicted him high priests pilate recognized that they had turned him up because they were envious of him Mark 15:10 for he was aware that the chief priests had handed him over because of Envy does he become enraged no even in the midst of his bodily pain his love triumphs and he begs his father to forgive is there ever a
bigger irony Jesus begs his father to forgive but it is only by his own sacrifice in the cross that mankind can be forgiven the second word truly I say to you today you will be with me in Paradise Luke 23:43 now it is not just the religious leaders or the soldiers that mock Jesus but even one of the criminals indicating The Continuous mockery however the criminal on the right speaks up for Jesus explaining the two criminals are receiving their just due whereas this man has done nothing wrong then turning to Jesus he asks and he
said unto Jesus Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom Luke 23:42 ignoring his own pain Jesus answers in his second word with Mercy living out his own beatitude blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain Mercy the second word is about forgiveness once more but this time it is directed at a CRI criminal this biblical term like the first word is only found in the Gospel of Luke Jesus demonstrates his divinity by opening Paradise to a repentant sinner the third word Jesus said to his mother woman this is your son then he said
to the disciple this is your mother John 19 : 26- 27 Jesus and Mary are reunited what anguish must have filled Mary's heart how she must have felt when she saw her son carrying the cross she then had to witness him being nailed on the cross the loved ones of Jesus are with him in John's gospel there four at the foot of the cross Mary his mother John the disciple whom he loved his mother's Sister Mary the wife of clus and Mary Magdalene he addresses his third word to his mother Mary and John the only
eyewitness of the gospel writers the fourth word my God my God why have you forsaken me Matthew chapter 27:46 and Mark 15:34 this is the only sing which appears in more than one gospel and is a quote from Psalm 22:1 this was the only expression of Jesus in the gospels of Matthew and Mark according to both gospels he screamed out his fourth word in the ninth hour after 3 hours of Darkness in Judea the ninth hour was 3:00 Jesus of Nazareth fulfills the Messianic Prophecy of the Lord's suffering servant Isaiah 53:12 Mark 15:28 Luke 24:46
the distressed tone of this remark stands in stark contrast to jesus' first three words he is estranged from his father the sixth word when Jesus had received the wine he said it is finished and he bowed his head and handed over the spirit John 19:30 John continues in chapter 19: 33-34 but when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead they did not break his legs the sixth word is jesus' acknowledgement that his Agony has ended and his job has been finished Jesus obeys the father and expresses his love for Humanity by
redeeming us via his death on the cross the seventh word Jesus cried out in a loud voice father into your hands I commend my spirit Luke 23:46 the seventh word of Jesus comes from Luke's gospel and is directed to the Father in Heaven just before he dies Jesus recalls Psalm 31 verse 5 into thine hand I commit my spirit thou Hast redeemed me oh Lord God of Truth there is absolutely no way that any other C crucifixion could have gone in this manner this was no ordinary man his last words hold extraordinary significance revealing his
character fulfilling prophecy and impacting those who witnessed his crucifixion in these final words and reactions we see a complex mix of human emotion and Divine Purpose jesus' last moments and words of for insights into his character his compassion fulfillment of his mission and his deep connection to human suffering the varied reactions of those around him reflect the broad spectrum of human response to the Divine ranging from disbelief and indifference to awe and recognition of jesus' true nature a few moments ago the Roman soldiers were gambling on his clothes when the soldiers crucified Jesus they took
his clothes dividing them into four shares one for each of them with the undergarment remaining this garment was seamless so they said to one another let's not tear it let's decide by lot who will get it John 19: 23 through 24 now the Centurion admits that the who was crucified was innocent of the charges levied against him this brings a mix of emotions to most How Could An Innocent Man be slain and said to be innocent of all charges on the same day Jesus followed the will of the Lord he went to the cross for
me he died for all those who want a path to the Father the aftermath of the crucifixion after jesus' death he was taken down from the cross according to the Bible Joseph of arthea who was also a disciple of Jesus asked pilate for jesus' body and his request was granted John 19:38 the absence of further information about the Centurion has led to various interpretations some speculate that he might have become a believer in Christ due to his unique realization at the crucifixion but these ideas don't come from the Bible itself they are based on stories
and interpretations that developed in Christianity later on while the aftermath of Jesus crucifixion is detailed with events like his burial resurrection and appearances the fate of the Centurion who witnessed jesus' last moments and recognized his divine nature remains a mystery if these were not enough to change the life of the Centurion four strange things happened after Jesus died number one there was an earthquake there was a response of creation after Jesus died we read the earth quak and the Rocks were split nature itself was shaken by the death of the son of God number two
the tombs opened Matthew then records an incident found in none of the other gospels Matthew 27: 52-53 also the tombs were opened and many bodies of the Saints who had fallen asleep were raised and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many while earthquakes can damage tombs since they were carved out of stone the raising of bodies can only be attributed to God's direct action which implies that he is behind the earthquake because of the geological characteristics of Palestine which sits on a major seis MC grip
an earthquake would not be an unusual event but coupled with rocks blitting two open tombs this is another significant testimony to the meaning of jesus' crucifixion another earthquake will soon testify to a further significant Divine event jesus' Resurrection Matthew's unique record of these events emphasizes the victory over death that Jesus sacrifice in the cross accomplishes those who are raised are described literally as those who had fallen asleep a common New Testament idiom or a person who has died but whose Eternal Destiny is secure as with the initial testimony the supernatural raising of the bodies of
these holy ones and their appearances in Jerusalem is striking testimony to Jesus accomplished work on the cross and thereafter his resurrection the expression holy people probably refers to Pious Old Testament figures Heroes and Martyrs from isra 's history selected to Bear miraculous testimony to these events their appearance to people in Jerusalem is a witness to the efficaciousness of jesus' work on the cross and the Declaration of his victory over death in his resurrection this anticipates Paul's teaching on Jesus being the first fruits of the Dead the raising of these holy ones is a foretaste of
the Resurrection to which all believers can look look forward through the death of Jesus A New Day Has Arrived a day when death has been defeated by death and Resurrection to life eternal has been made possible number three the temple veil was cut in two number four there was Darkness all over the land if all those did not convince him he saw something else he saw the creation's response clearly the Centurion was shocked to be witnessed to such a dramatic event during the last hours of Christ especially since he had never previously seen such a
thing this made the impact on him almost immeasurable the Centurion had seen heard and felt all of the events of the crucifixion and death of Christ as a result he and his troops became very frightened even though the Centurion and his group of soldiers had learned to cope with fear they were now experiencing sheer Terror the pulpit commentary relates the tradition that the centurion's name was long ginus and that he became a devoted follower of Jesus preached the gospel and died as a martyr this is just Trad we don't know if this happened but we
do know that the truth has a way of holding on to a person's heart the cross of Jesus has the power to change the individual the Centurion began as a Roman officer overseeing a crucifixion but ended the day acknowledging that Jesus was the son of God God has already taken the initiative in Salvation Christ Christ died for you now it's your move eyewitnesses were able to recognize that this was not a typical death and that the individual in question was not a typical man the statements that Jesus made were accurate that he was the person
that he asserted to be the centurion's ability to recognize the true identity of Jesus and the fact that he did so with the time of his demise is extraordinary despite the fact that Jesus was raised from the grave there were still those who refused to acknowledge Him as the Son of God this Centurion and those who were working with him were able to recognize that truly this was the son of God in conclusion the story of the Roman Centurion who witnessed the last minutes of Jesus serves as a powerful reminder of the profound impact that
witnessing a unique moment can have on an individual's beliefs and perspectives this man a symbol of Roman Authority and power stood at the crossroads of history and Faith ultimately declaring truly this was the son of God Matthew 27:54 his experience challenges us to consider how our encounters with significant life events might transform us it invites us to remain open to moments of Revelation and change reminding us that truth and understanding can emerged from the most unexpected places and people this story is not just a historical recount it's a Timeless narrative about the power of recognition
and the poti potential for transformation in every one of us let us pray dear Lord as we reflect on the story of the Roman Centurion who witnessed the last moments of Jesus we pray for the grace to have Open Hearts and Minds just as a centurion saw the truth in a moment of great turmoil help us to recognize your presence in our lives especially during challenging times guide us to have moments of clarity and understanding that deepen our faith and bring us closer to you may we learn to see beyond our immediate circumstances and find
the deeper meaning and purpose in our experiences bless us with the courage to change our perspectives and beliefs when faced with your truth just as the Centurion did at the foot of the cross amen our question of the day have you ever had a moment like the Roman Centurion where witnessing a significant event completely changed your perspective or beliefs
