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.
Ver. 54. Truly this was the Son of God] i.e. A divine man, a demigod, as these heathens reputed those in whom they beheld and admired anything above the ordinary nature of men, and their expectation, a Natural conscience cannot but stoop and do homage to the image of God stamped upon his people; as being "afraid of that name of God whereby they are called," Deuteronomy 28:10. There are those who think that these soldiers, our Saviour's executioners, were truly converted by the miracles they had seen, according to what Christ had prayed for them, Luke 23:34. And it may very well be; like as Paul was converted upon St Stephen's prayer; as Justin Martyr and others were, by beholding the piety and patience of the primitive Christians, and as James Silvester, executioner at the martyrdom of Simon Laloe, at Dijon. He seeing the great faith and constancy of that heavenly martyr, was so compuncted with repentance (saith Mr Fox), and fell into such despair of himself, that they had much ado to fasten any comfort on him, with all the promises of the Gospel; till at length he recovered, repented, and with all his family moved to the Church of Geneva. Christians have showed as glorious power (and have as good success) in the faith of martyrdom, as in the faith of miracles; working wonders thereby upon those that have sought and sucked their blood.
a υιος sine articulo, id est iustus heros. Beza.