Who Has Believed Our Message?

It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining…Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things. (Luke 23:44–49, NIV 1984).

My Musings – A few interesting tidbits here. “Those who knew Him, including the women…stood at a distance.” Yet the other “people who had gathered to witness,” were presumably much closer. Presumably. Why else make a distinction about those who “stood at a distance?”

It was not “a” centurion. It was “the” centurion. A commander of 80-100. Probably not all of them were present, but those who were, “came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.'” (Luke 23:36–37, NIV 1984). This contrasts with their commander. Who Mark, in his Gospel, tells us “when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, ‘Surely this man was the Son of God!'” (Mark 15:39, NIV 1984).

My Advice – “”Saw how He died.” The centurion, a hardened soldier was likely unaware of the Old Testament prophecies that described “how He died.” Yet for Him, seeing was believing. What about us? “Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (Isaiah 53:1, NIV 1984). For those who do, Jesus tells us “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29, NIV 1984). Be blessed.