Centurion
“Commander of one hundred”
Summary
A Roman military officer commanding approximately one hundred soldiers, notable in the New Testament for several favorable appearances, including the centurion at Capernaum commended for his faith and the one at the crucifixion who testified to Christ's divine sonship.
☩Roman Military Position
The centurion (Greek hekatontarches, Latin centurio) commanded a centuria of approximately 100 men within a Roman legion. A legion at full strength included 60 centurions of varying ranks according to their position in battle. Though sometimes mocked for their rough appearance, centurions were the 'backbone of the army,' promoted for good conduct and responsible for drilling, inspecting, and commanding their men.
☩The Centurion of Capernaum
The centurion of Capernaum (Matthew 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10), perhaps in Herod's service, demonstrated remarkable faith by telling Jesus, 'Speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.' He understood that just as his commands set military forces in motion, so Christ's word could command healing forces. Jesus declared He had not found such great faith even in Israel, seeing in this Gentile the firstfruits of a redeemed world.
☩The Centurion at the Crucifixion
The centurion supervising Christ's crucifixion paid an unexpected tribute to His greatness, recorded in all three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 27:54; Mark 15:39; Luke 23:47). While Matthew and Mark record 'Truly this was the Son of God,' Luke explains what a Roman might mean by this: 'Certainly this was a righteous man.' The expression may have been prompted by Jesus' final cry addressing the 'Father.'
☩Other Notable Centurions
Cornelius, the centurion of the Italian cohort at Caesarea, became the first Gentile convert through Peter's preaching (Acts 10). Julius, centurion of the Augustan band, treated Paul courteously during his voyage to Rome and saved his life when soldiers wanted to kill prisoners (Acts 27:1, 3, 43). It is a 'propriety in the New Testament' that centurions are so often favorably noticed—truthful straightforwardness made them open to conviction.
Related Verses25 mentions
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Centurion," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. II (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Centurion," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).