“Truly this man was God’s Son!”

In Rome -- remnants of their empire. 

Scripture:

Mark 15:³⁹ Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!”

Observation:

This moment became the pinnacle of Mark’s gospel. His opening statement was, “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” The entire gospel led to this pronouncement by a Roman soldier — a gentile — for all the world to understand that Jesus was the Son of God!

It’s the way in which Jesus dies that confounds this soldier. When Jesus breathed out is last, the soldier was amazed. This wasn’t how people died of crucifixion; it should have been a slow death, usually after the person was unconscious. Jesus stayed awake until the end and then had the strength to cry out at his last breath. Astounded the soldier recognizes that this is no ordinary man and confesses what the jewish religious leaders should have seen all along. 

Roman culture had their own understanding of what it meant to be a “son of god.” Julius Caesar had been deified, or raised to the level of a god. Therefore, it was his adopted son, Augustus, who became known as “so of god.” This wasn’t a title that was given to every emperor, but was unique. The significance of this moment is found in the declaration coming from a Roman soldier. He took the title from the “most revered figure in the Roman imperial court” and transferred it “to a Jew who [had] just been executed.” (ZIBBNCT) This entire gospel then, challenges the imperial cult of the Romans. “Jesus, not Augustus nor any other emperor, is Savior and Lord.” (ZIBBNCT) 

Application:

This declaration may be just as radical today as it was in the first century. While there may be a societal acceptance that allows people to “have their faith,” there is also an attitude of skepticism toward those who would actually believe that Jesus is God’s Son! But to have faith, is to actually believe in something. To understand Easter is to embrace the reality that Jesus truly is the Son of God. When we embrace his identity then something radical begins to happen in our lives. 

We are not to just “practice” religion, but we are to have an intimate relationship with the Son of God. Those are two radically different things and will have a huge impact on the way that we end up living our life. Our confession of Jesus’ identity will change everything. 

Throughout the gospel we see that the enemy is trying to steal away Jesus’ identity. It begins with his temptation in the wilderness when the enemy taunts him, “If you are the Son of God….” Throughout history the enemy was trying to steal the identity of God’s people. He didn’t want the Israelites to live into their identity as God’s chosen people. The enemy isn’t satisfied with trying to steal the identity of the Israelites, or that of Jesus – he’s after us as well. The last thing that he would want us to do is to live into our identity as children of God with all the rights, power and authority that are afforded to us as a result of that identity. So, he comes and whispers to us….

“You don’t need God to sustain you – look what you can accomplish on your own.” The enemy uses the traditional tactics found back in the garden of Eden, tempting us by saying… “if only you sell yourself to me, the seducer…I will make you believe that you can do everything for yourself or out of your own power.” This is the great lie, making us believe that we are self-sufficient and that we have no need to be dependent upon God. Even Jesus realized that if he took things into his own hands, he would lose his identity as God’s son and so he resisted and he persevered until the moment of death on the cross. The centurion can’t help himself — “truly this man was God’s Son.” 

It’s Holy Week. As we journey with Jesus toward the cross during this global pandemic and holy week, all wrapped into one, we must consider if we are ready to declare the words of the centurion. This is serious business and not just a pretty spring holiday. If we embrace the identity of Jesus, it will change us forever! Jesus is the Son of God. 

Prayer:

Lord, today we embrace who you really are — the Son of God. Amen.