TRV
Translation
King James Version
And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.
Complete Jewish Bible
When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw the way he gave up his spirit, he said, "This man really was a son of God!"
Berean Standard Bible
When the centurion standing there in front of Jesus saw how He had breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
American Standard Version
And when the centurion, who stood by over against him, saw that he so gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.
World English Bible Messianic
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!”
Geneva Bible (1599)
Nowe when the Centurion, which stoode ouer against him, sawe that he thus crying gaue vp the ghost, he saide, Truely this man was the Sonne of God.
Young's Literal Translation
and the centurion who was standing over-against him, having seen that, having so cried out, he yielded the spirit, said, `Truly this man was Son of God.'
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In the KJVVerse 24,866 of 31,102
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Commentary on Mark 15 verses 33–41
33 ¶ And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
35 And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias.
36 And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down.
37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.
38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.
39 And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.
40 There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;
41 (Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him;) and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem.
Here we have an account of Christ's dying, how his enemies abused him, and God honoured him at his death.
I. There was a thick darkness over the whole land (some think over the whole earth), for three hours, from noon till three of the clock. Now the scripture was fulfilled (Amo 8:9), I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day; and Jer 15:9, Her sun is gone down while it is yet day. The Jews have often demanded of Christ a sign from heaven; and now they had one, but such a one as signified the blinding of their eyes. It was a sign of the darkness that was come, and coming, upon the Jewish church and nation. They were doing their utmost to extinguish the Sun of righteousness, which was now setting, and the rising again of which they would never own; and what then might be expected among them but a worse than Egyptian darkness? This intimated to them, that the things which belonged to their peace, were now hid from their eyes, and that the day of the Lord was at hand, which should be to them a day of darkness and gloominess, Joe 2:1, Joe 2:2. It was the power of darkness that they were now under, the works of darkness that they were now doing; and such as this should their doom justly be, who loved darkness rather than light.
II. Toward the close of this darkness, our Lord Jesus, in the agony of his soul, cried out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Mar 15:34. The darkness signified the present cloud which the human soul of Christ was under, when he was making it an offering for sin. Mr. Fox, in his Acts and Monuments (vol. 3, p. 160), tells of one Dr. Hunter, a martyr in queen Mary's time, who, being fastened to the stake, to be burnt, put up this short prayer, Son of God, shine upon me; and immediately the sun in the firmament shone out of the dark cloud, so full in his face, that he was forced to look another way, which was very comfortable to him. But our Lord Jesus, on the contrary, was denied the light of the sun, when he was in his sufferings, to signifying the withdrawing of the light of God's countenance. And this he complained of more than any thing; he did not complain of his disciples' forsaking him, but of his Father's, 1. Because this wounded his spirit; and that is a thing hard to bear (Pro 18:14); brought the waters into his soul, Psa 69:1-3. 2. Because in this especially he was made sin for us; our iniquities had deserved indignation and wrath upon the soul (Rom 2:8), and therefore, Christ, being made a sacrifice, underwent as much of it as he was capable of; and it could not but bear hard indeed upon him who had lain in the bosom of the Father from eternity, and was always his light. These symptoms of divine wrath, which Christ was under in his sufferings, were like that fire from heaven which had been sent sometimes, in extraordinary cases, to consume the sacrifices (as Lev 9:24; Ch2 7:1; Kg1 18:38); and it was always a token of God's acceptance. The fire that should have fallen upon the sinner, if God had not been pacified, fell upon the sacrifice, as a token that he was so; therefore it now fell upon Christ, and extorted him from this loud and bitter cry. When Paul was to be offered as a sacrifice for the service of saints, he could joy and rejoice (Phi 2:17); but it is another thing to be offered as a sacrifice for the sin of sinners. Now, at the sixth hour, and so to the ninth, the sun was darkened by an extraordinary eclipse; and if it be true, as some astronomers compute, that in the evening of this day on which Christ died there was an eclipse of the moon, that was natural and expected, in which seven digits of the moon were darkened, and it continued from five o'clock till seven, it is remarkable, and yet further significant of the darkness of the time that then was. When the sun shall be darkened, the moon also shall not give her light.
III. Christ's prayer was bantered by them that stood by (Mar 15:35, Mar 15:36); because he cried, Eli, Eli, or (as Mark has it, according to the Syriac dialect) Eloi, Eloi, they said, He calls for Elias, though they knew very well what he said, and what it signified, My God, My God. Thus did they represent him as praying to saints, either because he had abandoned God, or God had abandoned him; and hereby they would make him more and more odious to the people. One of them filled a sponge with vinegar, and reached it up to him upon a reed; "Let him cool his mouth with that, it is a drink good enough for him," Mar 15:36. This was intended for a further affront and abuse to him; and whoever it was that checked him who did it, did but add to the reproach; "Let him alone; he has called for Elias: let us see whether Elias will come take him down; and if not, we may conclude that he also hath abandoned him."
IV. Christ did again cry with a loud voice, and so gave up the ghost, Mar 15:37. He was now commending his soul into his Father's hand; and though God is not moved with any bodily exercise, yet this loud voice signified the great strength and ardency of affection wherewith he did it; to teach us, in every thing wherein we have to do with God, to put forth our utmost vigour, and to perform all the duties of religion, particularly that of self-resignation, with our whole heart and whole soul; and then, though speech fails, that we cannot cry with a loud voice, as Christ did, yet if God be the strength of the heart, that will not fail. Christ was really and truly dead, for he gave up the ghost; his human soul departed to the world of spirits, and left his body a breathless clod of clay.
V. Just at that instant that Christ died upon mount Calvary, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, Mar 15:38. This bespoke a great deal, 1. Of the terror of the unbelieving Jews; for it was a presage of the utter destruction of their church and nation, which followed not long after; it was like the cutting asunder of the staff of beauty (for this veil was exceedingly splendid and glorious, Exo 26:31), and that was done at the same time when they gave for his price thirty pieces of silver (Zac 11:10, Zac 11:12), to break the covenant which he had made with that people. Now it was time to cry, Ichabod, The glory is departed from Israel. Some think that the story which Josephus relates, of the temple door opening of its own accord, with that voice, Let us depart hence, some years before the destruction of Jerusalem, is the same with this; but that is not probable: however, this had the same signification, according to that (Hos 5:14), I will tear, and go away. 2. It bespeaks a great deal of comfort to all believing Christians, for it signifies the consecrating and laying open to us of a new and living way into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.
VI. The centurion who commanded the detachment which had the oversight of the execution was convinced, and confessed that this Jesus was the Son of God, Mar 15:39. One thing that satisfied him, was, that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost: that one who was ready to give up the ghost, should be able to cry out so, was very surprising. Of all the sad spectacles of this kind he never observed the like; and that one who had strength to cry so loud, should yet immediately give up the ghost, this also made him wonder; and he said, to the honour of Christ, and the shame of those that abused him, Truly this man was the Son of God. But what reason had he to say so? I answer, 1. He had reason to say that he suffered unjustly, and had a great deal of wrong done him. Note, He suffered for saying that he was the Son of God; and it was true, he did say so, so that if he suffered unjustly, as it was plain by all the circumstances of his suffering that he did, then what he said was true, and he was indeed the Son of God. 2. He had reason to say that he was a favourite of heaven, and one for whom the almighty power was particularly engaged, seeing how Heaven did him honour at his death, and frowned upon his persecutors. "Surely," thinks he, "this must be some divine person, highly beloved of God." This he expresses by such words as denote his eternal generation as God, and his special designation to the office of Mediator, though he meant not so. Our Lord Jesus, even in the depth of his sufferings and humiliation, was the Son of God, and was declared to be so with power.
VII. There were some of his friends, the good women especially, that attended him (Mar 15:40, Mar 15:41); There were women looking on afar off: the men durst not be seen at all, the mob was so very outrageous; Currenti cede furori - Give way to the raging torrent, they thought, was good counsel now. The women durst not come near, but stood at a distance, overwhelmed with grief. Some of these women are here named. Mary Magdalene was one; she had been his patient, and owed all her comfort to his power and goodness, which rescued her out of the possession of seven devils, in gratitude for which she thought she could never do enough for him. Mary also was there, the mother of James the little, Jacobus parvus, so the word is; probably, he was so called because he was, like Zaccheus, little of stature. This Mary was the wife of Cleophas or Alpheus, sister to the virgin Mary. These women had followed Christ from Galilee, though they were not required to attend the feast, as the males were; but it is probably that they came, in expectation that his temporal kingdom would now shortly be set up, and big with hopes of preferment for themselves, and their relations under him. It is plain that the mother of Zebedee's children was so (Mat 20:21); and now to see him upon a cross, whom they thought to have seen upon a throne, could not but be a great disappointment to them. Note, Those that follow Christ, in expectation of great things in this world by him, and by the profession of his religion, may probably live to see themselves sadly disappointed.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 33–41. Public domain.
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Pseudo-Jerome (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
The veil of the temple is rent, that is, the heaven is opened.
But the last are now made the first. The Gentile people confesses. The blinded Jew denies, so that their error is worse than the first.
As the female sex through the Virgin Mary is not shut out from salvation, so it is not thrust away from the knowledge of the mystery of the cross, and of the resurrection, through the widow Mary Magdalene, and the others, who were mothers.
Gregory of NazianzusAD 390
ON THE HOLY PASCH, ORATION 45.1
Many indeed are the wondrous happenings of that time: God hanging from a cross, the sun made dark and again flaming out; for it was fitting that creation should mourn with its creator. The temple veil rent, blood and water flowing from his side: the one as from a man, the other as from what was above man; the earth shaken, the rocks shattered because of the rock; the dead risen to bear witness to the final and universal resurrection of the dead. The happenings at the sepulcher and after the sepulcher, who can fittingly recount them? Yet no one of them can be compared to the miracle of my salvation. A few drops of blood renew the whole world, and do for all men what the rennet does for the milk: joining us and binding us together.
Augustine of Hippo (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 430
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
(de Trin. 4, 13) This also he most of all wondered at, that after that voice which He sent forth as a figure of our sin, He immediately gave up His spirit. For the spirit of the Mediator showed that no penalty of sin could have had power to cause the death of His flesh; for it did not leave the flesh unwillingly, but as it willed, for it was joined to the Word of God in the unity of person.
BedeAD 735
On the Gospel of Mark
But the centurion, who stood opposite, seeing that he had expired in such a way, said: Truly this man was the Son of God. The clear cause of the miracle concerning the centurion is explained: seeing that the Lord had expired in this way, that is, having given up his spirit, he said: Truly this man was the Son of God. For no one has the power to give up the spirit, except he who is the creator of souls. And it should be considered that the centurion, before the cross, in the very scandal of the passion, confesses truly the Son of God, and Arius in the Church proclaims a creature. Hence, deservedly, through the centurion, the faith of the Church is designated, which, with the veil of the heavenly mysteries revealed through the death of the Lord, immediately confirms Jesus as both a truly just man, and truly the Son of God, while the Synagogue remains silent.
Bede (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 735
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
(ubi sup.) Now the cause of the centurion's wonder is clear, that seeing that the Lord died in that way, that is, sent forth His spirit, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God. For no one can send forth his own spirit, but He who is the Creator of souls.
(ubi sup.) He means by James the Less, the son of Alphæus, who was also called the brother of our Lord, because he was the son of Mary, our Lord's mother's sister, whom John mentions, saying, Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother and his mother's sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. (John 19:25) And he seems to call her Mary of Cleophas, from her father or some relation. But he was called James the Less, to distinguish him from James the Great, that is, the son of Zebedee, who was called amongst the first of the Apostles by our Lord. Further, it was a Jewish custom, nor was it thought blamable after the manners of an ancient people, that women should furnish to teachers food and clothing out of their substance. Wherefore there follows: Who also when he was in Galilee followed him, and ministered unto him. They ministered unto the Lord of their substance, that He might reap their carnal things whose spiritual things they reaped, and that He might show forth a type for all masters, who ought to be content with food and clothing from their disciples. But let us see what companions He had with Him, for it goes on: And many other women which came up with him into Jerusalem.
Theophylact of Ohrid (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 1107
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Again, God by the rending of the veil implied that the grace of the Holy Spirit goes away and is rent from the temple, so that the Holy of holies might be seen by all;e also that the temple will mourn amongst the Jews, when they shall deplore their calamities, and rend their clothes. This also is a figure of the living temple, that is, the body of Christ, in whose Passion His garment is torn, that is, His flesh. Again, it means another thing; for the flesh is the veil of our temple, that is, of our mind. But the power of the flesh is torn in the Passion of Christ, from the top to the bottom, that is, from Adam even down to the latest man; for also Adam was made whole by the Passion of Christ, and his flesh does not remain under the curse, nor does it deserve corruption, but we all are gifted with incorruption. And when the centurion who stood over against him saw. He who commands a hundred soldiers is called a centurion. But seeing that He died with such power as the Lord, he wondered and confessed.
And so the order is inverted, for the Jew kills, and the Gentile confesses; the disciples fly, and the women remain. For there follows: There were also women looking on afar off, amongst whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome.
Glossa Ordinaria (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 1274
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
After the Evangelist has related the Passion and the death of Christ, he now goes on to mention those things which followed after the death of our Lord. Wherefore it is said: And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Mark 15:39 captures the profound confession of a Roman centurion at the foot of the cross, who, witnessing the manner of Jesus' death—His final, powerful cry and voluntary surrender of His spirit—declares Him to be "Truly this man was the Son of God." This unexpected affirmation from a Gentile military officer stands as a climactic revelation of Jesus' divine identity at the very moment of His apparent defeat and foreshadows the universal reach of the Gospel.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Mark employs several powerful literary devices in this verse. There is profound Irony in that the first clear, public confession of Jesus' divine Sonship comes not from a disciple, a religious leader, or a Jew, but from a pagan Roman soldier—the very representative of the empire that executed Jesus. This highlights the unexpected ways in which God's truth is revealed. The scene also serves as a Dramatic Climax to Mark's narrative, where the identity of Jesus, often shrouded in the messianic secret, is finally unveiled at the moment of His greatest humiliation and apparent weakness. The centurion's confession also carries Symbolism, as a Gentile acknowledging Jesus' divine nature foreshadows the universal scope of the Gospel and the inclusion of all nations into God's kingdom.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The centurion's confession in Mark 15:39 is a theological linchpin, confirming Jesus' divine identity at the cross, the very epicenter of God's redemptive plan. It demonstrates that the power of God, far from being negated by the crucifixion, is paradoxically revealed through it. The extraordinary manner of Jesus' death—His final, powerful cry and the voluntary surrender of His spirit—was not merely a physical expiration but a sovereign act that unveiled His true nature to an unexpected witness. This confession, coming from a Gentile, powerfully underscores the universal reach of God's salvation, breaking down the barriers between Jew and Gentile and signaling that the new covenant in Christ is for all humanity. It is a testament to the fact that even in the darkest hour, God's truth shines brightest, capable of transforming the hardest of hearts.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The centurion's confession in Mark 15:39 serves as a profound challenge and invitation for contemporary believers. It reminds us that authentic faith can emerge from the most unexpected places and circumstances, often in response to the raw, unadorned truth of Christ's suffering and sacrifice. His declaration, prompted by observing Jesus' unique death, compels us to look beyond superficial appearances and to truly grasp the depth of who Jesus is—not just a historical figure, but the very Son of God. This passage calls us to consider our own response to the cross: do we, like the centurion, perceive the divine glory in Christ's ultimate act of love, or do we remain hardened? It encourages us to allow the reality of Christ's sacrifice to penetrate our hearts, transforming our understanding of God, ourselves, and the world. Furthermore, it reminds us that God can use anyone, regardless of their background or previous beliefs, to bear witness to His truth, prompting us to share the Gospel with boldness and compassion, trusting in the Spirit's power to open eyes and hearts.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is the centurion's confession so significant in Mark's Gospel?
Answer: The centurion's confession is highly significant for several reasons. First, it marks the first explicit human declaration of Jesus' divine Sonship after His death in Mark's Gospel, serving as a dramatic climax to the narrative. Throughout Mark, Jesus' identity as the Son of God is often presented as a "messianic secret," with demons silenced and disciples misunderstanding. For this truth to be unveiled by a pagan Roman soldier, a representative of the Gentile world and the very empire that executed Jesus, is profoundly ironic and powerful. It underscores that Jesus' divine identity is undeniable even in His apparent weakness and defeat on the cross, and it foreshadows the universal scope of the Gospel, extending salvation beyond Israel to all nations, as seen in passages like Acts 10.
What does "gave up the ghost" imply about Jesus' death?
Answer: The phrase "gave up the ghost" (Greek: ekpnéō') literally means "breathed out" or "expired." However, in the context of Mark 15:39 and other Gospel accounts, it carries a deeper theological implication. Coupled with Jesus' "loud cry" just before His death (Mark 15:37), it suggests that Jesus' death was not a forced expiration due to physical exhaustion or a prolonged struggle, but rather a voluntary surrender of His life. This aligns with Jesus' own words in John 10:18, where He states, "No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again." This highlights Jesus' sovereignty even in death, emphasizing His active role in His own sacrifice rather than being a passive victim.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The centurion's confession, "Truly this man was the Son of God," at the foot of the cross in Mark 15:39 serves as a profound Christ-centered fulfillment, revealing the ultimate purpose of Jesus' life and death. This declaration, coming from a Gentile, foreshadows the breaking down of the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile through Christ's sacrifice, a central theme in the New Testament, as articulated by Paul in Ephesians 2:14-16. The centurion's recognition of Jesus' divine Sonship at the moment of His deepest humiliation underscores that the cross is not merely a symbol of suffering, but the very place where God's ultimate power and love are most fully displayed, leading to salvation for all who believe, Jew or Gentile (Romans 1:16). Jesus' voluntary surrender of His spirit, observed by the centurion, is the ultimate act of obedience to the Father's will, securing atonement for sin and opening the way to God, a truth powerfully declared in Hebrews 9:12. Thus, this pivotal moment at the cross confirms Jesus' identity as the promised Messiah and the universal Savior, whose death brings life and reconciliation to all who confess Him as Lord (Romans 10:9-10).