When Jerusalem was destroyed in 70AD, a wave of cruelty was unleashed by the Romans upon the Jewish rebels. The Jewish historian, Josephus, says that because of their “hatred and wrath” toward the Jews, the Roman soldiers would crucify their victims, “one way, and then another” just for fun. Commenting on the place where the executions took place – 500 per day – he said, “there was not enough room for crosses, and not enough crosses for bodies.”

It’s not difficult to understand then how desensitized Roman soldiers had become to crucifixion, and this is why the statement made by the centurion at the moment of Jesus’ death is so remarkable.

You can imagine him as a young soldier, taking part in his first crucifixion. There would be the initial horror of what he was witnessing but in time, he would, like his fellow soldiers, become more and more hardened with each one he took part in.

On the day he is assigned to oversee the crucifixion of Jesus he, and the men under his command, are merely doing their duty. He has witnessed many executions like this before – this is just another – so why should the death of an insignificant Jewish rabbi affect him?

But it does, and profoundly so.

“Truly this man was the Son of God!” he cries and don’t miss the reason why he said this. It was because he “saw the way Jesus died.” There is something different about this man’s death and the centurion, recognizing this, reflects on what part God has in it all.

At Easter it’s very easy for us to become desensitized to the message of the cross and the death of Jesus.

“How is the death of Jesus any different to the deaths of other religious leaders?” we may ask.

Because the Bible says it paid the penalty for our sin – no other religious leader claims to have done this – and we need to think deeply about this, and how we’re going to respond to it.

What does Jesus’ death say to you?

Today’s Bible reading: Mark 15:33-34