What happened to the soldiers who killed Jesus?

What happened to the soldiers who

Killed jesus?

Europe Edition

Europe Edition

What happened to the soldiers who killed Jesus?

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ost of us haven’t experienced combat and so can’t really understand what soldiers go through in the line of duty. To always live with the reality of death, and to know you are an agent of The life of death—even for a just cause—is a difficult thing. The life of a a soldier is soldier is not an easy life. It not an isn’t now, and it wasn’t two thousand years ago. Yet, even easy life. soldiers hardened by the heat

of battles and the struggles of military service can receive the hope and peace of God’s salvation.

Let’s look at this salvation in the life of one soldier—the centurion in charge of the crucifixion of God offers all of Jesus Christ. Crucifixion was a method of execution where us peace, hope criminals were nailed to a and security— cross of wood and then left to die. Yet it is through this through the cruel execution that God death of His offers all of us peace, hope and security—through the Son, Jesus. death of His Son, Jesus.

[2] WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SOLDIERS WHO KILLED JESUS?

A centurion’s life

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oldiers are committed to putting their orders before comfort, and their comrades before themselves. It is a lifestyle of discipline, structure and teamwork. This was the same for centurions.

A centurion was a Roman officer in command of a hundred men. In the Roman army, the office of centurion was the highest rank a soldier could achieve.

Just as in the military today, centurions were promoted as they moved on to higher positions of responsibility. It was a position of great honour. A soldier’s promotion to centurion was almost A soldier’s always based on his good conduct and ability. promotion to Centurions would centurion was always lead the charge into battle. And away from almost always the battlefield, centurions based on his kept good discipline in the ranks, provided security and good conduct protection, led police action and ability. in occupied areas and oversaw executions.

A CENTURION’S LIFE [3]

Centurions were professional soldiers keeping the law of Rome in occupied Israel, and were therefore not necessarily on friendly terms with the Jews they encountered. The hated Roman conquerors were brutal in their approach to any and all problems.

Centurions were notable not just for their daring courage, but also for their intelligence and loyalty. It has been said that centurions were the finest men in the Roman army.

Centurions were notable not just for their daring courage, but also for their intelligence and loyalty.

[4] WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SOLDIERS WHO KILLED JESUS?

The centurion at the cross Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” . . . And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!” —Matthew 27:45-54 “Truly this was the Son of God!” What a statement!

These were not fearful words from a frightened

The centurion and those with him . . . feared greatly, saying “Truly this was the Son of God!” Matthew 27:54 (emphasis added)

THE CENTURION AT THE CROSS [5]

new recruit. This was the conclusion of a seasoned This soldier veteran who had been had probably watching men die horrible deaths for years. seen many The centurion was crucifixions. commanded to execute Jesus under the rule of the Yet there was Roman Governor, Pontius something Pilate. Yet in his statement, the centurion disagrees with different about the authorities that Jesus this execution. deserved death, and instead agrees that Jesus is indeed God. Why? We must remember that this soldier had probably seen many crucifixions. Yet there was something different about this execution. What did he see? There are several events from the arrest, trial and crucifixion of Jesus that convinced the centurion.

[6] WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SOLDIERS WHO KILLED JESUS?

What the centurion saw

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o what exactly did the centurion see?

What was it that made him honour the man he put to death?

Firstly, there was Jesus’ response to His horrific treatment at the hands of the Roman soldiers and His own countrymen: [When he was arrested by a mob], Jesus said to the multitudes, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me. But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.”

Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.

—Matthew 26:55-56

When [the governor’s soldiers] had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified. —Matthew 27:29-31

WHAT THE CENTURION SAW [7]

Then there was Jesus’ mercy towards the mob and the soldiers, including the centurion. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34). As they sat down to gamble (Matt. 27:35-36) for His few possessions and watch Him die, Jesus prayed for their forgiveness, not His own escape. That is amazing!

Finally the centurion saw creation’s response to the Creator’s death. Witnesses “saw the earthquake and the things that had happened” (Matt. 27:54). They saw the sun go dark, they felt “Father, the power of the earth moving forgive them.” under their feet—and they saw these supernatural events Luke 23:34 suddenly end when Jesus gave a loud shout and died.

This centurion was understandably shocked by the events that surrounded the death of Christ. He had never seen such things before; he and his troops “feared greatly” (Matt. 27:54). The centurion and his group of battle-hardened soldiers had learned to cope with fear, but now they experienced real fear. They had reason to be terrified, because there was nothing ordinary about the events they were experiencing.

No ordinary execution: The darkness, the earthquake and the shout from Christ convinced the soldiers that this was no ordinary execution.

The events terrified them and made them realise they were seeing God die. What a realisation! They [8] WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SOLDIERS WHO KILLED JESUS?

had put to death God’s Son! No ordinary power: They did not come to this conclusion because of some ‘explanation’. Their conclusion came only from seeing the power of God on display in Jesus’ responses and in nature (the earthquake and dark sky).

No ordinary confession: The centurion’s confession tells us something important: Jesus is revealed as our Saviour and God most clearly in His death.

Matthew Henry, a well-known Bible teacher, wrote that we should respond like the centurion did: “Let us, with an eye of faith, [see] Christ and Him crucified, and be [moved by] that great love with which He loved us.” Why? Because what we see on the cross is Their conclusion the perfect Son of God dying a terrible death for us. The came only death He died we deserve from seeing the because we reject and ignore power of God our Creator (which is what sin is). When Jesus hung on on display in the cross, He was receiving Jesus’ responses all God’s anger towards us for how we have lived, so and in nature. that He might bring us to God. Let us give ourselves willingly to Him.

WHAT THE CENTURION SAW [9]

What next?

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he people who witnessed the death and resurrection of Christ saw more than words can ever express. They heard things that we can only imagine. But what they saw, we can also ‘see’ in the Bible. Though we may not have seen Jesus physically, we can see Him through the pages of God’s Word, finding solid ground for believing in Him as God’s Son. The book of Romans explains it this way: “So then faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). This means that we find strong reason for trusting Christ by reading the accounts in the Bible of His life and death. We He was don’t need to have been there at the time to be certain of receiving all what He did.

God’s anger The way we live, ignoring our Creator and living without towards us for Him, deserves His right how we have anger and judgement. That judgement can only result in lived, so that our death. But on the cross, He might bring Jesus, the perfect Son of us to God. God, took on all the anger of God for us, freeing us from [10] WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SOLDIERS WHO KILLED JESUS?

judgement. When we trust Him, we give our lives to Him So faith and belong to Him forever. comes from All who are saved are saved because of the death of hearing, and Jesus on the cross, including hearing by the battle-weary soldiers like the centurion. The cross is the word of Christ. power of God to save all who —Romans 10:17 trust Him. (emphasis added) The ground is always level at the foot of the cross. It is where poor and rich, old and young, good and bad, and—yes—generals and centurions find level ground to kneel before the Christ who died for them—and for us.

Truly He is the Son of God!

WHAT NEXT? [11]

 Looking Deeper The Looking Deeper series offers great Bible teaching for Christians. Whether you are a new Christian or a mature believer, we have a range of short Bible studies on many crucial topics and questions.

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