Truly This Was the Son of God - Matthew 27:54

Matthew the apostle wrote, “Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calls for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent.And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many”, and in chapter twenty-seven and verse fifty-four of his book, Matthew wrote how, “the centurion, and they that were with him” were “saying, Truly this was the Son of God” where we read:

Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

The verse reads, “Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, ...” Matthew began words, “now when” which means “at this time and moment” “the centurion” or “the officer of the Roman army who was captain of one hundred men”, “and they that were with him” which means “and the people who were with the Roman centurion”, “watching Jesus” or “observing Jesus who is the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate”. Matthew began to share how the “Roman centurion” and the people around him “observing” Jesus responded.

The verse continues, “... saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.” Matthew added the words, “saw the earthquake” or “the Roman centurion and the people around him observed and noticed the quaking of the earth, the shaking, commotion and tempest”, “and those things that were done” or “and each of the things which were performed, appeared and were worked”, “they feared greatly” which means “the Roman centurion and the people around him were exceedingly afraid, in awe and alarmed”, “saying” or “uttering, declaring and proclaiming”, “Truly” which means “verily, surely and of a truth” “this was the Son of God” or “this was God's Son”. Matthew shared how the “Roman centurion and the people surrounding him” observed all that was “performed” by Jesus and were so “afraid” they declared Jesus to be “God's Son”.

When we meditate upon Matthew's words in this verse, we see how not only the authorities were affected by the “earthquake” and other events surrounding Jesus' crucifixion, but the people who were “watching” Him were affected as well. This made the “Roman centurion” declare that Jesus was indeed God's Son, and whoever examines all the prophesies and evidence concerning Jesus being the Messiah, shall declare Him to be the “Son of God”. Philippians chapter two and verses nine thru eleven says, “Wherefore God also has highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11). All who are wise shall study these things and yield their lives to Him as their personal “Savior and Lord”.

Next time Matthew wrote how, “many women were there beholding afar off”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.