Matthew 27:54
Encyclopedia
Matthew 27:54 is the fifty-fourth verse of the twenty-seventh chapter of the Gospel of Matthew
in the New Testament
. This verse follows immediately after the death of Jesus and describes the reaction of the Roman
soldiers present.
The original Koine Greek
, according to Westcott and Hort
, reads:
In the King James Version of the Bible it is translated as:
The modern World English Bible
translates the passage as:
For a collection of other versions see BibRef Matthew 27:54
This verse is based on Mark 15:39, though the author of Matthew makes some modifications. Mention is added of the earthquake, which is not part of Mark's crucifixion narrative. In this verse the earthquake seems to be the prime motivator of the centurion's fear. At the location on Golgotha it would have been impossible to see the damage to the Temple or the rising of the dead. Matthew also adds mention of the soldiers' great fear, and addition that also appears at Matthew 17:6, at a similar demonstration of Jesus' miraculous powers. Matthew also increases the number of people from a single centurion to include his soldiers as well. A multitude of soldiers has been interpreted as foreshadowing of the masses of gentiles who would soon join the Jesus movement. France also notes that an increase of numbers is also legally important, as a single witness would not be enough before a court to verify what had occurred.
The soldiers were early mentioned as keeping watch over the crucifixion at Matthew 5:36. This verse highlights their leader, and centurion. It is the second time a centurion appears in Matthew, the previous time being the healing the Centurion's servant
in Matthew 8. The soldiers had been present for the torture and mockery of Jesus, such as the King of the Jews
sign at Matthew 27:37. The proclamation in this verse thus shows that they now realize the error of their ways.
Son of God
is a central term in the New Testament and in modern Christianity, and one that has recurred in Matthew's gospel. In Matthew 3:17
he was proclaimed such by God at his baptism, and the call is repeated at 17:5. Jesus has also been called such by demons, Satan, himself, and his disciples. This verse is important as it is the first time any person outside Jesus' own circle refers to him as such.
There are alternate understandings of this verse, beyond the conversion of the gentiles to Christianity. One alternative is that this is a cry of defeat rather than of conversion. The evil gentiles are overcome and defeated rather than won over. The verse might not thus represent the opening up of the mission to non-Jews. The Roman soldiers were pagans, which can also imply a different understanding of the title "Son of God." The original Greek does not contain an article, so this verse can be read equally as referring to "the Son of God" or "a Son of God." In Roman mythology
gods frequently interacted with the world and had many semidevine children. Thus the soldiers might not be understanding Jesus in the modern Christian sense, but in a Roman religious sense.
"Son of god," or divi filius
, was also one of the standard titles used by the Roman emperor
s. A title that would have been well known by the original readers of the gospel. Thus this verse can also be read as an attack on the cult of the emperor
, and thus on the Empire itself. The phrasing in this verse corresponds more closely to official Roman usage than do most of the proclamations of Jesus' divine origins elsewhere in Matthew.
Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...
in the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
. This verse follows immediately after the death of Jesus and describes the reaction of the Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
soldiers present.
The original Koine Greek
Koine Greek
Koine Greek is the universal dialect of the Greek language spoken throughout post-Classical antiquity , developing from the Attic dialect, with admixture of elements especially from Ionic....
, according to Westcott and Hort
The New Testament in the Original Greek
The New Testament in the Original Greek is the name of a Greek language version of the New Testament published in 1881. It is also known as the Westcott and Hort text, after its editors Brooke Foss Westcott and Fenton John Anthony Hort...
, reads:
- ο δε εκατονταρχος και οι μετ αυτου τηρουντες τον ιησουν ιδοντες τον σεισμον
- και τα γινομενα εφοβηθησαν σφοδρα λεγοντες αληθως θεου υιος ην ουτος
In the King James Version of the Bible it is translated as:
- 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.
The modern World English Bible
World English Bible
The World English Bible is a public domain translation of the Bible that is currently in draft form. Work on the World English Bible began in 1997 and was known as the American Standard Version 1997...
translates the passage as:
- Now the centurion, and those who were with him watching Jesus,
- when they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done,
- feared exceedingly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God."
For a collection of other versions see BibRef Matthew 27:54
This verse is based on Mark 15:39, though the author of Matthew makes some modifications. Mention is added of the earthquake, which is not part of Mark's crucifixion narrative. In this verse the earthquake seems to be the prime motivator of the centurion's fear. At the location on Golgotha it would have been impossible to see the damage to the Temple or the rising of the dead. Matthew also adds mention of the soldiers' great fear, and addition that also appears at Matthew 17:6, at a similar demonstration of Jesus' miraculous powers. Matthew also increases the number of people from a single centurion to include his soldiers as well. A multitude of soldiers has been interpreted as foreshadowing of the masses of gentiles who would soon join the Jesus movement. France also notes that an increase of numbers is also legally important, as a single witness would not be enough before a court to verify what had occurred.
The soldiers were early mentioned as keeping watch over the crucifixion at Matthew 5:36. This verse highlights their leader, and centurion. It is the second time a centurion appears in Matthew, the previous time being the healing the Centurion's servant
Healing the Centurion's servant
Healing the Centurion's servant is one of the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.According to the Gospels, a Roman Centurion asked Jesus for help because his boy servant was ill. Jesus offered to go to the Centurion's house to perform the healing, but the Centurion suggested that...
in Matthew 8. The soldiers had been present for the torture and mockery of Jesus, such as the King of the Jews
King of the Jews
-History:Ruler of historic Jewish kingdoms and client states:* Kingdom of Israel * Kingdom of Judah * Hasmonean dynasty * Herodian Dynasty Others:...
sign at Matthew 27:37. The proclamation in this verse thus shows that they now realize the error of their ways.
Son of God
Son of God
"Son of God" is a phrase which according to most Christian denominations, Trinitarian in belief, refers to the relationship between Jesus and God, specifically as "God the Son"...
is a central term in the New Testament and in modern Christianity, and one that has recurred in Matthew's gospel. In Matthew 3:17
Matthew 3:17
Matthew 3:17 is the seventeenth, and final, verse of the third chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. Jesus has just been baptized by John the Baptist and in this verse God announces that Jesus is his son....
he was proclaimed such by God at his baptism, and the call is repeated at 17:5. Jesus has also been called such by demons, Satan, himself, and his disciples. This verse is important as it is the first time any person outside Jesus' own circle refers to him as such.
There are alternate understandings of this verse, beyond the conversion of the gentiles to Christianity. One alternative is that this is a cry of defeat rather than of conversion. The evil gentiles are overcome and defeated rather than won over. The verse might not thus represent the opening up of the mission to non-Jews. The Roman soldiers were pagans, which can also imply a different understanding of the title "Son of God." The original Greek does not contain an article, so this verse can be read equally as referring to "the Son of God" or "a Son of God." In Roman mythology
Roman mythology
Roman mythology is the body of traditional stories pertaining to ancient Rome's legendary origins and religious system, as represented in the literature and visual arts of the Romans...
gods frequently interacted with the world and had many semidevine children. Thus the soldiers might not be understanding Jesus in the modern Christian sense, but in a Roman religious sense.
"Son of god," or divi filius
Divi Filius
Divi filius is a Latin phrase meaning "son of a god", and was a title much used by the adopted son of Julius Caesar, his great-nephew Octavian, the future Emperor Augustus.-Octavian as son of a Roman god:...
, was also one of the standard titles used by the Roman emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
s. A title that would have been well known by the original readers of the gospel. Thus this verse can also be read as an attack on the cult of the emperor
Imperial cult
An imperial cult is a form of state religion in which an emperor, or a dynasty of emperors , are worshipped as messiahs, demigods or deities. "Cult" here is used to mean "worship", not in the modern pejorative sense...
, and thus on the Empire itself. The phrasing in this verse corresponds more closely to official Roman usage than do most of the proclamations of Jesus' divine origins elsewhere in Matthew.