Markus 15:39-41

15:39 Now when the centurion, ¹  who stood in front of him, saw how he died, ²  he said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!” 15:40 There were also women, watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, ³  and Salome. 15:41 When he was in Galilee, they had followed him and given him support. ⁴  Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem ⁵  were there too.

[15:39]  ¹ sn A centurion was a noncommissioned officer in the Roman army or one of the auxiliary territorial armies, commanding a centuria of (nominally) 100 men. The responsibilities of centurions were broadly similar to modern junior officers, but there was a wide gap in social status between them and officers, and relatively few were promoted beyond the rank of senior centurion. The Roman troops stationed in Judea were auxiliaries, who would normally be rewarded with Roman citizenship after 25 years of service. Some of the centurions may have served originally in the Roman legions (regular army) and thus gained their citizenship at enlistment. Others may have inherited it, like Paul.

[15:39]  ² tn Grk “the way he breathed his last”; or “the way he expired”; or “that he thus breathed no more.”

[15:40]  ³ sn In Matt 27:56 the name Joses is written as Joseph.

[15:41]  ⁴ tn Grk “and ministered to him.”

[15:41]  sn Cf. Luke 8:3.

[15:41]  ⁵ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.