Ulan wrote: ↑Tue Feb 07, 2023 12:08 pm
I agree. However, I also like to point out that the centurion's statement confirming the status of "this man" comes in the very moment he observes this "ex-spiriting":
" 39 Now when the centurion who stood facing him
saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!”" (NRSV).
As if, in this moment, he saw something that convinced him of that fact.
To add to this:
27 And with him they crucified two bandits, one on his right and one on his left. 29 Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, ‘Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 save yourself, and come down from the cross!’ 31 In the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking him among themselves and saying, ‘He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we may see and believe.’ Those who were crucified with him also taunted him.
The Death of Jesus
33 When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 At three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ 35 When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, ‘Listen, he is calling for Elijah.’ 36 And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, ‘Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.’ 37 Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, ‘Truly this man was God’s Son!’
However, Matthew's interpretation is interesting.
45 Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabaktanei?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 47 And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, said, “This man is calling for Elijah.” 48 And immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink. 49 But the rest of them said, “Let us see if Elijah comes to save Him.” 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and gave up His spirit. 51 And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. 52 Also the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many. 54 Now as for the centurion and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the other things that were happening, they became extremely frightened and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
Firstly, v50 seems to be a typical Matthean clarification, indicating that indeed he read Mark v36 to mean that the Spirit exited Jesus. But then with v54 Matthew has the centurion, along with others, become convinced that he was God's Son based on obvious signs that would have been apparent to anyone around.
So in Mark the people also want to see the Christ leave the cross, but do not pay attention to see that this actually happens in the form of the Spirit, yet the centurion does see it happen by paying close attention and seeing something that everyone else missed. Yet in Matthew the centurion is convinced by obvious events that, rightfully, should have convinced everyone around, including the Jews. So Matthew's version of it makes a bit less sense.
