Mark 15:39 - When the centurion, who stood by opposite him, saw that he cried out like this and breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
Select Bible Verse
Filter Categories
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
What does "Mark 15:39" mean?
Mark 15:39, "When the centurion, who stood by opposite him, saw that he cried out like this and breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”" is a pivotal verse in the Gospel of Mark, and its meaning is layered and significant. Here's a breakdown of what it communicates:
The Centurion's Position: The centurion was a Roman officer, a figure of authority representing the occupying power. He was not Jewish and would have been unfamiliar with Jewish expectations about the Messiah. He was "opposite" Jesus, meaning he was close enough to observe Jesus's suffering and death intimately.
"He cried out like this and breathed his last": The centurion witnessed Jesus's final moments, including a loud cry (referring back to Jesus' cry in verse 34, the "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" from Psalm 22). This cry, combined with the way Jesus died, profoundly impacted the centurion. It was not merely the fact of death, but the manner of death – the unexpected, powerful, and perhaps even noble way Jesus expired – that struck him.
"Truly this man was the Son of God!": This is the heart of the verse. The centurion's declaration is significant for several reasons:
Recognition: The centurion, a Gentile, recognizes Jesus's true identity. This is a powerful statement because the religious authorities (Jewish leaders) had rejected Jesus as the Messiah, and even Jesus's own disciples struggled to fully grasp his identity during his ministry.
Paradox: It's unexpected that a Roman soldier would be the one to proclaim Jesus as the "Son of God." It highlights the irony that those who were supposed to recognize him (the religious elite) failed to do so, while someone from the outside saw the truth.
Possible Interpretations of "Son of God": The term "Son of God" could have different meanings:
Roman context: In the Roman world, "Son of God" could refer to a powerful or divine figure, a hero or demigod. The centurion might have been using the term in this more general sense to acknowledge Jesus's extraordinary character and the supernatural events surrounding his death (like the earthquake and the tearing of the temple veil mentioned earlier in Mark).
Jewish context: The phrase would have carried meaning in the context of Jewish thought, conveying the divine nature of the Messiah. Even though the centurion was a Roman, the Jewish context of the event would have been evident and possibly have prompted him to conclude that Jesus was a person of great religious importance.
Turning Point: The centurion's statement foreshadows the inclusion of Gentiles (non-Jewish people) in the Christian faith. It's a glimpse into the universal scope of salvation offered through Jesus.
Mark's Theological Emphasis: Mark's Gospel emphasizes the suffering and death of Jesus as central to his identity. The centurion's recognition comes after witnessing Jesus's suffering and death, suggesting that it was precisely through his sacrifice that his divine sonship was revealed.
In summary, Mark 15:39 highlights the following:
The unexpected recognition of Jesus' true identity by a Gentile.
The power of Jesus's death to reveal his divine nature.
The potential for salvation to extend beyond the Jewish people.
The importance of recognizing Jesus's identity through his suffering.
The verse is a powerful affirmation of Jesus's identity and a significant turning point in the narrative of the Gospel of Mark. It speaks to the universality of Christ's message and the transformative power of witnessing his sacrifice.
Mark 15:39 - When the centurion, who stood by opposite him, saw that he cried out like this and breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
What does "Mark 15:39" mean?
Mark 15:39, "When the centurion, who stood by opposite him, saw that he cried out like this and breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”" is a pivotal verse in the Gospel of Mark, and its meaning is layered and significant. Here's a breakdown of what it communicates:
The Centurion's Position: The centurion was a Roman officer, a figure of authority representing the occupying power. He was not Jewish and would have been unfamiliar with Jewish expectations about the Messiah. He was "opposite" Jesus, meaning he was close enough to observe Jesus's suffering and death intimately.
"He cried out like this and breathed his last": The centurion witnessed Jesus's final moments, including a loud cry (referring back to Jesus' cry in verse 34, the "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" from Psalm 22). This cry, combined with the way Jesus died, profoundly impacted the centurion. It was not merely the fact of death, but the manner of death – the unexpected, powerful, and perhaps even noble way Jesus expired – that struck him.
"Truly this man was the Son of God!": This is the heart of the verse. The centurion's declaration is significant for several reasons:
Recognition: The centurion, a Gentile, recognizes Jesus's true identity. This is a powerful statement because the religious authorities (Jewish leaders) had rejected Jesus as the Messiah, and even Jesus's own disciples struggled to fully grasp his identity during his ministry.
Paradox: It's unexpected that a Roman soldier would be the one to proclaim Jesus as the "Son of God." It highlights the irony that those who were supposed to recognize him (the religious elite) failed to do so, while someone from the outside saw the truth.
Possible Interpretations of "Son of God": The term "Son of God" could have different meanings:
Roman context: In the Roman world, "Son of God" could refer to a powerful or divine figure, a hero or demigod. The centurion might have been using the term in this more general sense to acknowledge Jesus's extraordinary character and the supernatural events surrounding his death (like the earthquake and the tearing of the temple veil mentioned earlier in Mark).
Jewish context: The phrase would have carried meaning in the context of Jewish thought, conveying the divine nature of the Messiah. Even though the centurion was a Roman, the Jewish context of the event would have been evident and possibly have prompted him to conclude that Jesus was a person of great religious importance.
Turning Point: The centurion's statement foreshadows the inclusion of Gentiles (non-Jewish people) in the Christian faith. It's a glimpse into the universal scope of salvation offered through Jesus.
Mark's Theological Emphasis: Mark's Gospel emphasizes the suffering and death of Jesus as central to his identity. The centurion's recognition comes after witnessing Jesus's suffering and death, suggesting that it was precisely through his sacrifice that his divine sonship was revealed.
In summary, Mark 15:39 highlights the following:
The unexpected recognition of Jesus' true identity by a Gentile.
The power of Jesus's death to reveal his divine nature.
The potential for salvation to extend beyond the Jewish people.
The importance of recognizing Jesus's identity through his suffering.
The verse is a powerful affirmation of Jesus's identity and a significant turning point in the narrative of the Gospel of Mark. It speaks to the universality of Christ's message and the transformative power of witnessing his sacrifice.