This was a Righteous Man - Luke 23:47

Luke the beloved physician wrote Jesus was hanging on the cross when He,“had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into your hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost”, and in chapter twenty-three and verse forty-seven of his book Luke shared the centurion standing nearby said, “certainly this was a righteous man” where we read:

Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying,

Certainly this was a righteous man.

The verse reads, “Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, ...” Luke began with the words, “Now when the centurion” or “at that present time and moment the officer in the Roman army who was captain of one hundred men” “saw what was done” which means “observed, perceived and understood that which was performed, appeared, happened and came into existence”, “he glorified God” or “the centurion praised, extolled and honored the Godhead bodily which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit”, “saying” which means “uttering, declaring and proclaiming” the following words. Luke shared how the “centurion” who was standing near Jesus as He hung on the cross noted everything that was done to Him and He began to “honor and praise” “God” with the following words.

The verse continues, “... Certainly this was a righteous man.” Luke added the word, “Certainly” which means “truly, in reality and indeed” “this was a righteous man” or “this male human being, Jesus, was a virtuous, innocent, faultless and guiltless male human being”. Luke shared how the “centurion” declared Jesus to indeed be an “innocent and faultless” “man”.

When we mediate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the “pagan” “centurion” responded to what happened to Jesus, and he could not restrain himself as he began to “honor and praise” God. He knew Jesus was a “righteous man”, and He seemed to believe who Jesus was. God desires every person to acknowledge, believe in and trust His Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”. Those who do will be forgiven of their sins and inherit everlasting life with God. Those who read these words should note the words of the “centurion” who knew Jesus was innocent as He hung on the cross for the sins of the world.

Next time Luke shares, “all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned”, 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. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".