Today's Bible reading is the 15th chapter of the Book of Mark. You can read it here at Bible Gateway: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2015&version=NASB

Today's chapter of Mark includes the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus. Although not found in Mark's gospel, in Luke's we read that when Jesus was being crucified He said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." Mark does record the crucifixion and before its completion, the severe mistreatment and mocking that Jesus was subjected to. Such amazing words they would have been to anyone with a softened heart and such amazing words they are to the believer today; "Father, forgive them". Of course, in a sense, they knew exactly what they were doing. With great hatred and disdain for Jesus of Nazareth, the religious leaders were seeking His death and the Roman soldiers were carrying out His "sentence".

From the text it appears that the Roman Centurion, the one in charge of the soldiers, would not only supervise the crucifixion but also act as the "medical examiner" if you will. When Joseph of Arimathea comes to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus, it is the centurion that Pilate consults with to confirm Jesus' death. And during the crucifixion itself we find the centurion "standing right in front of" Jesus. It seems clear that one of the reasons he is doing so is so that he can declare when death has occurred. I have no doubt that this centurion had witnessed many men die by crucifixion. Our text today tells us that when the centurion "saw the way He breathed His last", he declared of Jesus, "Truly this man was the Son of God!" What was so different? What was unique about the way He had breathed His last? As already indicated, I believe this centurion had witnessed many men breath their last breath as their life was taken from them. The difference? I suppose it may have been that he had never seen a man willingly give his life, willingly breath His last as Jesus had. That's all the difference in the world.