Verse 39
The centurion (Gr. kentyrion, a transliteration of the Latin centurio that only Mark used) was the soldier in charge of Jesus’ crucifixion (cf. Mark 15:44). Elsewhere in the New Testament the customary Greek word hekatontarchos ("centurion") appears. Mark’s word choice here is another indication that he wrote for Romans. This centurion spoke more truly than he probably knew. He evidently meant that Jesus was a righteous man (Luke 23:47). Still his words spoken as he stood directly in front of Jesus as He died were literally true. His statement constitutes the climax of Mark’s demonstration that Jesus was God’s divine Son (cf. Mark 1:1; Mark 8:29-30). The torn veil was a Jewish testimony to Jesus’ identity, and the centurion’s confession was a Gentile testimony to the same thing. Taken together they provide a double witness that Jesus was the Son of God.
"Here Judaism and the Gentile world, each in its own way, acknowledges Jesus’ sovereign dignity." [Note: Ibid., p. 488.]
Be the first to react on this!
