SEV Biblia, Chapter 27:54
Y el centurin, y los que estaban con l guardando a Jess, visto el terremoto, y las cosas que habían sido hechas, temieron en gran manera, diciendo: Verdaderamente Hijo de Dios era ste.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 27:54
Verse 54. The centurion] The Roman officer who superintended the execution, called centurio, from centum, a hundred, because he had the command of one hundred men. Truly this was the Son of God.] An innocent, holy, and Divine person; and God thus shows his disapprobation of this bloody tragedy. It is not likely that this centurion had any knowledge of the expectation of the Jews relative to the Messiah, and did not use the words in this sense. A son of God, as the Romans used the term, would signify no more than a very eminent or Divine person; a hero.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 54. Now, when the centurion , etc.] That was over the band of soldiers, that mocked Christ in Pilates hall, and who was particularly over the guard of soldiers, set about the cross of Christ: and they that were with him, watching Jesus : the soldiers that were with him, who were set to watch the cross of Christ, lest he should come down, or any should take him down from thence; (see Gill on Matthew 27:36). Saw the earthquake, and those things that were done ; as besides that, the darkening of the sun, the rending of the rocks, and particularly heard with what a loud voice Christ spoke, and then at once expired: they feared greatly ; not with a true godly fear, but with a fear of punishment; lest divine vengeance should light on them, for their concern in this matter: saying, truly this was the Son of God ; which they concluded, not from any mediatorial performances, which they were utter strangers to, but from effects of divine power; and which to them showed him to be a divine person, what he said he was, and the Jews charged him with blasphemy, on account of, and condemned him for, as these soldiers might have seen and heard.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 51-56 - The rending of the veil signified that Christ, by his death, opened way to God. We have an open way through Christ to the throne of grace or mercy-seat now, and to the throne of glory hereafter. When we dul consider Christ's death, our hard and rocky hearts should be rent; the heart, and not the garments. That heart is harder than a rock that wil not yield, that will not melt, where Jesus Christ is plainly set fort crucified. The graves were opened, and many bodies of saints whic slept, arose. To whom they appeared, in what manner, and how the disappeared, we are not told; and we must not desire to be wise abov what is written. The dreadful appearances of God in his providence sometimes work strangely for the conviction and awakening of sinners This was expressed in the terror that fell upon the centurion and the Roman soldiers. We may reflect with comfort on the abundant testimonie given to the character of Jesus; and, seeking to give no just cause of offence, we may leave it to the Lord to clear our characters, if we live to Him. Let us, with an eye of faith, behold Christ and his crucified, and be affected with that great love wherewith he loved us But his friends could give no more than a look; they beheld him, but could not help him. Never were the horrid nature and effects of sin s tremendously displayed, as on that day when the beloved Son of the Father hung upon the cross, suffering for sin, the Just for the unjust that he might bring us to God. Let us yield ourselves willingly to his service.
Greek Textus Receptus
ο 3588 T-NSM δε 1161 CONJ εκατονταρχος 1543 N-NSM και 2532 CONJ οι 3588 T-NPM μετ 3326 PREP αυτου 846 P-GSM τηρουντες 5083 5723 V-PAP-NPM τον 3588 T-ASM ιησουν 2424 N-ASM ιδοντες 1492 5631 V-2AAP-NPM τον 3588 T-ASM σεισμον 4578 N-ASM και 2532 CONJ τα 3588 T-APN γενομενα 1096 5637 V-2ADP-APN εφοβηθησαν 5399 5675 V-AOI-3P σφοδρα 4970 ADV λεγοντες 3004 5723 V-PAP-NPM αληθως 230 ADV θεου 2316 N-GSM υιος 5207 N-NSM ην 2258 5713 V-IXI-3S ουτος 3778 D-NSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
54. The Son of God. But there is no article. The words must not be construed as a recognition of Christ's divine sonship. They were uttered by a pagan soldier in his own sense of a demigod or hero. Yet they may have taken color from the fact that the soldiers had heard from the chief priests and others that Christ had claimed to be God's son.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
27:54 {Truly this was the Son of God} (aleqws qeou huios en houtos). There is no article with God or Son in the Greek so that it means "God's Son," either "the Son of God" or "a Son of God." There is no way to tell. Evidently the centurion (hekatontarcos here, ruler of a hundred, Latin word _kenturi"n_ in #Mr 15:39) was deeply moved by the portents which he had witnessed. He had heard the several flings at Jesus for claiming to be the Son of God and may even have heard of his claim before the Sanhedrin and Pilate. How much he meant by his words we do not know, but probably he meant more than merely "a righteous man" (#Lu 23:47). Petronius is the name given this centurion by tradition. If he was won now to trust in Christ, he came as a pagan and, like the robber who believed, was saved as Jesus hung upon the Cross. All who are ever saved in truth are saved because of the death of Jesus on the Cross. So the Cross began to do its work at once.
