Jesus, when He had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom;
and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
And came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake,
and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
Matthew 27:50-54
Those words were spoken by an unbelieving Roman Centurion. He was there at Jesus’ final moments,
He witnessed Jesus’ death. Maybe it was the Earthquake?
In Matthew 27:45 toward the end of the Crucifixion, the sky was dark from the 6th hour to the 9th hour
And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour
It seems likely he did not see the other things the saints rise from the dead and appear to people.
He knew who Jesus said He was before the crucifixion, but still was not convinced.
God’s word never comes back empty. It accomplishes what God sets it forth to do.
Jesus said He was the Son of God and the Centurion realized it after he had directed the crucifixion.
it takes much for us to realize who Jesus is. Jesus Himself has to show us.
Many of the others there witnessed the same events.
The others who were there with the Centurion also realized Jesus was who He said he was.
And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done,
smote their breasts, and returned. Luke 23:48
This Centurion had likely seen or even directed many crucifixions.
He had never seen such a display of natural events that couldn’t be explained in human terms.
Jesus calls who He calls and it was a great blessing for that man to see the power of God.
That Centurion believed. As hard as his heart was to direct crucifixions,
he believed when God opened his eyes.
We might wonder why God opens the eyes of some and not others.
It will help to remember God sees all hearts and He knows all intentions.
Jesus desires that all men come to the truth. Some reject it. We might not see the rejection or understand it, but God sees it and He is not fooled by good deeds or impressiveness.
Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;
but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven. Matthew 7:21
When Jesus walked on this Earth, there were many who followed Him. There were some who wanted to see what all the interest was about, the healings, the miracles, the signs and wonders they heard of.
Some wanted the excitement. Some wanted Jesus.
Some wanted to honor the God of All Creation.
Some wanted to see the commotion.
God weighs hearts.
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts. Proverbs 21:2
God measures the heart, ponders its contents.
Those whose hearts are not toward Him will never see. He sees and decides but it is not His choice.
The choice of salvation remains theirs. If they respond to His Holy Spirit that moves over all the Earth,
nothing can stop them from coming to Him.
If they respond negatively to His Holy Spirit,
they will not receive the gift of sight to see who Jesus really is.
And He said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. Luke 16:15
He also said:
And He said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
And when He was alone, they that were about Him with the twelve asked of Him the parable.
And He said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God:
but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand;
lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. Mark 4:9-12
This explains why all are welcome but not all will come. All are invited but some will refuse.
Whether now or later, all will know: Truly this was the Son of God.