THE CENTURION AND THE CHRIST (MARK 15:37-39)
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England’s Queen Elizabeth I once asked a British merchant to undertake a mission for the crown. “But Your Highness,” said the man, “such a long absence will be fatal to my business.” To which the queen replied, “You take care of my business, and I will take care of yours.” When he returned, he found that the queen’s patronage had enlarged his company immeasurably.
There were a lot of caregivers, converts and coworkers at Jesus near and after His death, including Simon of Cyrene, a great company of people and of women who followed, bewailed and lamented him (Luke 23:26-27), the thief on the cross (Luke 23:39-43), Joseph of Arimathaea, Nicodemus (John 19:38-39) and last, but not the least of all, was the centurion (v 39). These supporters stepped up when the disciples stepped away. The centurion’s part and presence were more significant and substantial because he was closest to Jesus before and after He was crucified. The centurion’s work was not over after the crucifixion because Pilate verified with the centurion if Jesus was dead (Mark 15:39, 44-45).
A song says, “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?” What have we done to confess Him? How have you shown your courage as a believer? Why are our lives changed as a result of knowing Him and serving Him?
Hear the Shout
37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. (Mark 15:37)
Author of detective series “Father Brown,” G.K. Chesterton, said, “That a good man may have his back to the wall is no more than we knew already, but that God could have His back to the wall is a boast for all insurgents forever. Christianity is the only religion on earth that has felt that omnipotence made God incomplete. Christianity alone felt that God, to be wholly God, must have been a rebel as well as a king. Alone of all creeds, Christianity has added courage to the virtues of the Creator. For the only courage worth calling courage must necessarily mean that the soul passes a breaking point -- and does not break.”
Jesus, for all the words credited to him, seldom spoke with a “voice” or in a “voice” in the Bible except in death or near death. The four most notable accounts associated with the noun “voice” or “loud voice” in the Bible include “the voice of one crying in the wilderness” (Matt 3:3, John the Baptist), “a voice from heaven” at Jesus’ baptism (Matt 3:17, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased), a voice out of the cloud at Mount of Transfiguration (Matt 17:5, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him) and unclean spirits crying in a “loud voice” twice (Luke 4:33, Luke 8:28). The only exception for Jesus to speak in a “voice” or “loud voice” other than this instance, was the death of Lazarus, when he cried with a “loud voice, Lazarus, come forth” (John 11:43). Even then, it was never on or for himself, but for Lazarus’ sake
In his crucifixion and death, however, his “loud voice” was at full volume, full blast and full vigor. He reserved, required and released his final voice, breath and call on himself to converse with God and to introduce his farewell. Jesus’ “loud voice” was never more prominent, personal and powerful than in his death and departure – not once, but twice. Previously the gospels of Matthew and Mark agreed that Jesus asked in a “loud voice, saying, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46, Mark 15:34)
With that Jesus breathed his last or “gave up the ghost” ((ekpneo), a single verb particular to himself and nobody else in the Bible that has nothing literally to do with “death” (thanathos). The English phrase “gave up the ghost” is different from the Acts account referring to other people such as Ananias and his wife Sapphira (Acts 5:5, 10) or Herod (Acts 12:23) in when they gave up the ghost (ekpsucho), which is literally “to expire (out) their soul.”
In Luke’s account, as in Mark (Mark 15:37, 39), the word “ek-pneo” (gave up the ghost) literally means to expire (out) his air, breath, or spirit, as in the comparable word “pneuma,” for the (Holy) Spirit. In John’s gospel (John 19:30) Jesus “gave up” (paradidomi), yield up or give over (the ghost). Unlike others who died (apothnesko, 111x in NT), or are dead (thnesko, 9x in NT), or whose lives had ended (teleutao, 11x) it was never about death or dying for Jesus,; it was a choice and not a cost, a commitment and not a conflict, a closure and not a coercion.
Heed the Sight
38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. (Mark 15:38)
The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions.
One day, after scavenging for food, the man arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. “God, how could you do this to me!” he cried.
Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. “How did you know I was here?” asked the weary man of his rescuers. “We saw your smoke signal,” they replied.
The verb “torn” can be translated as rent (Matt 27:51, rocks rent), opened (Mark 1:10, heavens opened), divided (Acts 14:4, city was divided), broken (John 21:11, net broken). The split, severance and schism were discernible, downward and dramatic. The word “top” can be translated as the very first (Luke 1:3o), above (John 3:31) or the beginning (Acts 26:5), and the word “bottom” can be translated as under (Matt 2:16), down (Matt 4:6) or beneath (Mark 14:66). The ripping, roaring and rushing effect was ear-piercing, eye-opening and heart-stopping.
The veil is the entrance to the Holy of holies or Holiest of all (Heb 9:3). The veils before the Most Holy Place were 40 cubits (60 feet) long, and 20 (30 feet) wide, of the thickness of the palm of the hand, and wrought in 72 squares, which were joined together. These veils were so heavy, that, in the exaggerated language of the time, it 300 priests were needed to move each. (Alfred Edersheim, “The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah,”)
The miracle was not in the thickness, length or weight of the curtain. James Coffman says, “This is numbered among the Calvary miracles. Briefly, the veil symbolized the flesh of Christ himself, through which a new and living way has been opened for Christians (Hebrews 10:19). It signifies the abolition of the old covenant, the victory over death, the rending of Christ's flesh in his death, and the granting of access of Christians to the presence of God himself.”
Our approach, admittance and assurance into the holy of holies is granted and guaranteed, symbolizing entrance into heaven is unobstructed, unbarred and unrestricted. The death of Jesus overcame, overturned and overpowered man’s selfishness, pride, anger, fears and bitterness to replace it with love, joy, peace, hope and faith. There is now nothing shielding, separating or stopping us from the grace and glory of God. Our relationship with Him is now grounded in faith and not governed by fear, given to the will of God and not the ways of man, growing in His great love and rich mercy. He is not just our Savior and Redeemer, but Priest and Intercessor.
Hasten the Surrender
39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”
Bishop Latimer once preached a sermon before King Henry VIII that greatly offended his royal auditor by its plainness. The King ordered him to preach again the next Sunday and to make public apology for his offense.
The bishop ascended the pulpit and read his text, and thus began his sermon: “Hugh Latimer, dost thou know before whom thou art this day to speak? To the high and mighty Monarch, the King’s most excellent Majesty, who can take away thy life if thou offendest. Therefore take heed that thou speakest not a word that may displease. But then, consider well, Hugh! Dost thou not know from whom thou comest—upon whose message thou art sent? Even by the great and mighty God, who is all-present and beholdeth all thy ways, and who is able to cast thy soul into hell! Therefore take care that thou deliverest thy message faithfully.” And so beginning, he preached over again, but with increased energy, the selfsame sermon he had preached the week before. The fear of God delivered him from the fear of man. (Illustrations of Bible Truths # 523)
The centurion and those with him (Matt 27:54) were very important or pivotal to the Easter narrative. The last breath, gasp or cry of Jesus on earth was set to be a Great Commission transition. The centurion was undeniably a Gentile who witnessed how Jesus died and declared Him to be the Son of God, to correspond with Mark’s very account and attempt from the start (Mark 1:1). Unlike other centurions in the Bible, Mark uses the Greek transliteration “kenturion” from the Latin “centurio,” giving it a more international flavor, with both Greek and Latin feel.
Previously the disciples (John 1:49, Matt 14:33, John 20:31), an angel (Luke 1:35), the gospel writers (Mark 1:1, Luke 3:38, ), John the Baptist (John 1:34) and Martha (John 11:24) testified that Jesus was the Son of God, but none of them was a Gentile. The centurion’s exclamation was similar and no different to that of the disciples (Matt 14:33). His confession and conversion before those with him (Matt 27:54) was in word and deed. Next, when asked by Pilate if Jesus were already dead, the centurion affirmed His death so that Pilate could assuredly hand over the body to Joseph who asked for the body of Jesus.
The centurion, or anyone else, had never seen a dying man spoke in “loud voice” once, let alone twice. The shrill and sound shocked, scared and shook the earth, according to Matthew (Matt 27:51). Matthew also added that they “feared greatly” (Matt 27:54), not unlike the only other instance in the Bible when the disciples who “feared greatly” when they heard a voice from out of the cloud (Matt 17:6). The previous darkness (Mark 15:33) was succeeded by His loud voice (Mark 15:37) to be followed by a great earthquake (Matt 27:51). The flying rocks, fallen skies and frightening darkness were more than enough to turn an atheist into an advocate, a skeptic into a supporter, a blasphemer into a believer, a Gentile into a God-fearer, a doubter into a disciple.
Conclusion: As a song goes:
The greatest thing in all my life is knowing You.
The greatest thing in all my life is knowing You.
I want to know You more; I want to know you more.
The greatest thing in all my life is knowing You.
The greatest thing in all my life is loving You.
The greatest thing in all my life is loving You.
I want to love You more; I want to love you more.
The greatest thing in all my life is loving You.
The greatest thing in all my life is serving You.
The greatest thing in all my life is serving You.
I want to serve You more; I want to serve you more.
The greatest thing in all my life is serving You.
Have you heard His sweet shout and song of love? He is calling you to fear Him, follow Him and fellowship with Him. He has sacrificed His life to save you from sin and condemnation. Have you obeyed His voice, opened your heart to Him and offered your talents to Him?
