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.

People's New Testament

27:54 The centurion. The Roman officer in charge of the execution.

Truly this was the Son of God. Rather, a son of a god. He was a heathen soldier, believing in many gods, and the scenes of the cross had convinced him that Jesus was more than man.

Wesley's Notes

27:54 The centurion - The officer who commanded the guard; and they that were with him feared, saying, Truly this was the Son of God - Referring to the words of the chief priests and scribes, Mt 27:43: He said, I am the Son of God.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

54. Now when the centurion-the military superintendent of the execution.

and they that were with him watching Jesus, saw the earthquake-or felt it and witnessed its effects.

and those things that were done-reflecting upon the entire transaction.

they feared greatly-convinced of the presence of a Divine Hand.

saying, Truly this was the Son of God-There cannot be a reasonable doubt that this expression was used in the Jewish sense, and that it points to the claim which Jesus made to be the Son of God, and on which His condemnation expressly turned. The meaning, then, clearly is that He must have been what He professed to be; in other words, that He was no impostor. There was no medium between those two. See, on the similar testimony of the penitent thief-"This man hath done nothing amiss"-[1378]Luke 23. 41.

The Galilean Women (Mt 27:55, 56).

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

27:51-56 The rending of the veil signified that Christ, by his death, opened a 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 duly 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 will not yield, that will not melt, where Jesus Christ is plainly set forth crucified. The graves were opened, and many bodies of saints which slept, arose. To whom they appeared, in what manner, and how they disappeared, we are not told; and we must not desire to be wise above 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 testimonies 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 him 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 so 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.