![]() ![]() It is interesting to note that this Roman Centurion was the first person recorded as recognising Jesus’ divinity after He had died. (Source: The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.)Įssentially then, the torn curtain & the exclamation of this pagan Roman Centurion point to the same thing: that here was Jesus who had just died on the cross, & that he was indeed the Son of God. This Gentile’s confession also exemplifies the truth of the torn curtain.’ This confession by a Gentile Roman officer contrasts with the mocking response of those mentioned in 15:29-32, 35-36. ![]() ‘The centurion’s confession is the climax of Mark’s revelation of Jesus’ identity (cf. There such a marked contrast between other people’s utterances & Jesus’ speech, that, coupled with the darkening skies, this man concluded that Jesus was indeed divine. But it seems that Jesus’ cries & the manner of his death was unique, & “spoke” deeply into this Centurion’s heart. Undoubtedly this man had heard all sorts of confessions, pleadings, utterings & ravings from the various people he had seen crucified. Perhaps it was the confident way that Jesus committed his soul to his Father in heaven, & the way he addressed God as his Father, whilst agonised upon the cross, which so affected the Roman Centurion. However, Mark regarded the declaration in its distinctive Christian sense the centurion unwittingly said more than he knew.’ Consequently some interpreters translate the phrase with an indefinite article, “a son of God” (niv marg.). Because of his pagan background he probably viewed Jesus as an extraordinary “divine man” much like the Roman emperor who was acclaimed “son of God” (cf. ‘The Roman officer probably did not use the phrase “the Son of God” in its distinctive Christian sense, as a reference to Jesus’ deity (cf. The Bible Knowledge Commentary makes an interesting point about what the Centurion said: ![]() From the text we know that something caught the Centurion’s attention: something different, surprising, or amazing, about the way Jesus died upon the cross, such that he exclaimed, “Truly, this was the Son of God!” Mirroring his own expression (awe, shock, surprise, curiosity, recognition?) I have two of the 4-man execution or crucifixion squad in the scene, with similar expressions on their faces. I wanted to focus attention on the facial expression of the Centurion, so have made his face & upper body quite dominant in the scene. Note, I have made Jesus’ skin tones paler, since his body has died in this scene. I have used the skin, hair, uniform, shading & highlight tones & hues established in the previous “Simon of Cyrene” illustration for the figures in this scene, to maintain a unified colour throughout the sequence. The colour variations in the stone walls of Jerusalem in the background are taken from previous scenes I’ve drawn in this story sequence. This scene forms part of the Easter series, from Mark’s Gospel. Notice we can see one of the other crucified men behind the Centurion’s head in this scene. ![]() Two of the four man Roman crucifixion squad. The sun, overhead & to the right illuminates this scene.Ī Roman Centurion, who was a leader of 100 Roman soldiers. Mark 15:33 informs us that Jesus died, ‘at the ninth hour’, which in Hebrew time keeping is 3 o’clock in the afternoon. 39 When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw how he had died, he exclaimed, “Truly, this was the Son of God!” ![]()
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