Beth-El Baptist Church

01/18/2009

Greg Tomlinson


Was the Centurion at the cross a believer??


As a result of the language of Matthew 27:50-54, many believe that the centurion who witnessed the crucifixion, the darkness, the earthquakes, and the opening of the graves believed.


  1. What did it mean to be called the “son of God”?

Mark 15:43-46 John 5:16-20; 20:30-38


In the Jewish culture, around which the centurion lived, the use of “the son of God” was clearly identified as a validation of the divinity of Jesus Christ. The Jews nearly stoned Jesus because of His claim to be the Son of God, “making himself equal with God”.


  1. What did it mean to “fear”?

Proverbs 1:7 Jonah 1:9-16


To fear is often used to describe a great reverence for. It is the first necessary step toward faith in that a person must “fear” God in order to submit themselves to Him and acknowledge their sins against God.


In all likelihood, the centurion became a believer due to his recognition of who Jesus is (divine) and the reverence with which he held toward Jesus.


  1. What does Jesus mean by “is it not written in your law, I said, ye are gods?

Psalm 82:1-8


Since God stands in the congregation of the mighty, a reference to the people of Israel, and he judges amongst the gods (plural), this is a form of parallelism in which the phrases are equated. Thus, 'gods' is a reference to the 'congregation of the might' (Israel). The Psalms then points out the unjustness of 'ye' or 'you'. Since it is plural, it must be associated with a prior disclosed plural noun. While Elohim (God) is plural, it is always associated with singular nouns. This means that referring pronouns would be singular not plural. The only plural noun is 'gods' which is “the congregation of the mighty”. Does this mean that they will become gods as Yahweh is a God? No. Notice that they 'shall die like men' and their judgment is corrupt. Therefore, they are 'gods' in that they are to rule as God would rule, according to the very word of God.


  1. What does it mean that the dead arise (Mat 27:50-54)?

Luke 16:20-31 John 11:39-45


The is is an activity that occurred after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It most likely consisted of people who believed and awaited the coming Messiah (thus called saints) rose from the dead to proclaim and validate the authenticity of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Like Lazarus, the saints who arose most likely died and were buried again later. It is possible that they were simply taken by God as Enoch was taken by God (Gen 5:24).