Topical Encyclopedia
A centurion was a professional officer in the Roman army, commanding a unit known as a "century," which typically consisted of approximately 80 to 100 soldiers. The role of a centurion was crucial in maintaining discipline and order within the Roman military structure. Centurions were known for their leadership skills, bravery, and ability to enforce Roman law and order.
Biblical References:1.
The Centurion of Capernaum: One of the most notable centurions mentioned in the New Testament is the centurion of Capernaum, who approached Jesus seeking healing for his servant. This account is found in
Matthew 8:5-13 and
Luke 7:1-10. The centurion demonstrated remarkable faith, acknowledging Jesus' authority by saying, "Lord, I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed" (
Matthew 8:8). Jesus commended his faith, saying, "Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith" (
Matthew 8:10).
2.
The Centurion at the Crucifixion: Another centurion is mentioned at the crucifixion of Jesus. This centurion witnessed the events surrounding Jesus' death and declared, "Truly this was the Son of God!" (
Matthew 27:54). His acknowledgment of Jesus' divine nature highlights the impact of the crucifixion on those present, including Roman soldiers.
3.
Cornelius, the Centurion: Cornelius is a centurion mentioned in
Acts 10. He is described as a devout man who feared God, gave generously to the poor, and prayed regularly. Cornelius received a vision instructing him to send for the Apostle Peter. This encounter led to Peter's realization that the Gospel was for Gentiles as well as Jews.
Acts 10:34-35 records Peter's words: "I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism, but welcomes those from every nation who fear Him and do what is right" .
4.
The Centurion Who Saved Paul: In
Acts 27, a centurion named Julius is responsible for escorting Paul to Rome. During a perilous sea voyage, Julius showed kindness to Paul and ultimately saved his life when the soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent their escape.
Acts 27:43 states, "But the centurion, wanting to spare Paul’s life, kept them from carrying out their plan" .
Role and Characteristics:Centurions were often chosen for their experience and leadership abilities. They were expected to be men of valor, capable of maintaining discipline among their troops. The New Testament portrays centurions as individuals of integrity and faith, often open to the message of the Gospel. Their interactions with Jesus and the apostles demonstrate a recognition of divine authority and a willingness to act justly.
Cultural and Historical Context:In the Roman military hierarchy, centurions held significant authority and were responsible for training and leading their men in battle. They were often seen as the backbone of the Roman legions, ensuring the effectiveness and discipline of the army. The presence of centurions in the New Testament reflects the Roman occupation of Judea and the broader context of Roman influence in the region.
The accounts of centurions in the Bible provide insight into the interactions between Roman authority and the early Christian movement. These narratives highlight the universality of the Gospel message and the transformative power of faith, transcending cultural and national boundaries.
Easton's Bible Dictionary
A Roman officer in command of a hundred men (
Mark 15:39, 44, 45). Cornelius, the first Gentile convert, was a centurion (
Acts 10:1, 22). Other centurions are mentioned in
Matthew 8:5, 8, 13;
Luke 7:2, 6;
Acts 21:32;
22:25, 26;
23:17, 23;
24:23;
27:1, 6, 11, 31, 43;
28:16. A centurion watched the crucifixion of our Lord (
Matthew 27:54;
Luke 23:47), and when he saw the wonders attending it, exclaimed, "Truly this man was the Son of God." "The centurions mentioned in the New Testament are uniformly spoken of in terms of praise, whether in the Gospels or in the Acts. It is interesting to compare this with the statement of Polybius (vi. 24), that the centurions were chosen by merit, and so were men remarkable not so much for their daring courage as for their deliberation, constancy, and strength of mind.", Dr. Maclear's N. T. Hist.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
n.) A Roman military officer who commanded a company of one hundred men; a captain of a century.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
CENTURIONsen-tu'-ri-un: As the name implies, hekatontarches or hekatontarchos, kenturion, Latin centurio, was the commander of a hundred men, more or less, in a Roman legion. Matthew and Luke use the Greek word while Mark prefers the Latin form, as he does in the case of other words, seeing that he wrote primarily for Roman readers. The number of centurions in a legion was 60, that being at all epochs the number of centuries, although the number varied in the cohort or speira. The ordinary duties of the centurion were to drill his men, inspect their arms, food and clothing, and to command them in the camp and in the field. Centurions were sometimes employed on detached service the conditions of which in the provinces are somewhat obscure. Men like Cornelius and Julius (Acts 10:1;Acts 27:1) may have been separated from the legion to which they properly belonged for the discharge of special duties. They and other centurions mentioned in the Gospels and the Acts (Matthew 8:5Mark 15:39, 44, 45Luke 23:47) are represented by the sacred writers in a favorable light.
SeeAUGUSTAN BAND.
T. Nicol.
Greek
2760. kenturion -- acenturion (a Roman army officer)... a
centurion (a Roman army officer). Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration:
kenturion Phonetic Spelling: (ken-too-ree'-ohn) Short Definition: a
...1543. hekatontarches -- acenturion, a captain of one hundred men
... acenturion, a captain of one hundred men. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: hekatontarches or hekatontarchos Phonetic Spelling: (hek-at-on-...
2457. Ioulios -- Julius, acenturion
... Julius, acenturion. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: Ioulios Phonetic
Spelling: (ee-oo'-lee-os) Short Definition: Julius Definition: Julius, a...
2883. Kornelios -- Cornelius, a Romancenturion
... Cornelius, a Romancenturion. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration:
Kornelios Phonetic Spelling: (kor-nay'-lee-os) Short Definition: Cornelius...
Library
TheCenturion at the Cross.
... THECENTURION AT THE CROSS. MATT.... Luke 23:47. "Now, when thecenturion saw what was
done, he glorified God, saying: Certainly this was a righteous man."....
TheCenturion
... The DESIRE of AGES Chapter 32 TheCenturion. [This chapter is based on
Matt.8:5-13; Luke 7:1-17.]... But He marveled at the faith of thecenturion who came...
TheCenturion
... V THECENTURION. Matthew viii.5-11. One of the most interesting... insignificant
once more. Thiscenturion was such a person. Jesus perhaps...
Healing theCenturion's Servant.
... HEALING THECENTURION'S SERVANT. Jesus entered into Capernaum, a city by the
Sea of Galilee, and while He was there a certainCenturion...
Healing of the HeathenCenturion's Slave at Capernaum. --The...
... GALILEE. Section 160. Healing of the HeathenCenturion's Slave at Capernaum.
"The Deputation of Elders."Faith of theCenturion. As...
Concerning theCenturion's Faith the Raising of the Widow's Son....
... In Which Tertullian Pursues His Argument. Jesus is the Christ of the Creator. Chapter
XVIII."Concerning theCenturion's Faith The Raising of the Widow's Son....
The WorthyCenturion.
... A TOUR IN GALILEE THE WORTHYCENTURION.... And a certaincenturion's servant,
who was dear unto him, was sick and at the point of death....
Healing theCenturion's Servant.
... Part Fifth. From Second Passover Until Third.(Time: One Year.) XLIII. Healing the
Centurion's Servant. (at Capernaum.) ^A Matthew 8:1, 5-13; ^C Luke 7:1-10....
An Explanation of the Circumstance that Matthew Tells us How the...
... Chapter XX."An Explanation of the Circumstance that Matthew Tells Us How theCenturion
Came to Jesus on Behalf of His Servant, While Luke's Statement is that...
On the Perfection of the Soul, as Drawn from the Comparison of the...
... II. Second Conference of Abbot Moses. Chapter V. On the perfection of the soul,
as drawn from the comparison of theCenturion in the gospel....
Thesaurus
Centurion (22 Occurrences)... A Roman officer in command of a hundred men (Mark 15:39, 44, 45). Cornelius, the
first Gentile convert, was a
centurion (Acts 10:1, 22).
...CENTURION.
...Centurion's (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version ConcordanceCenturion's (2 Occurrences). Luke 7:2 A certaincenturion's
servant, who was dear to him, was sick and at the point of death....
Cornelius (10 Occurrences)
... Acenturion whose history is narrated in Acts 10. He was a "devout man," and like
thecenturion of Capernaum, believed in the God of Israel.... (seeCENTURION.)....
Julius (5 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Thecenturion of the Augustan cohort, or the emperor's
body-guard, in whose charge Paul was sent prisoner to Rome (Acts 27:1, 3, 43)....
Surely (587 Occurrences)
... Matthew 27:54 Now thecenturion, and those who were with him watching Jesus, when
they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared exceedingly...
Crete (7 Occurrences)
... In the harbor of Myra, on the coast of Lycia, thecenturion in charge of Paul
transferred him from the Adramyttian ship which had brought them from Caesarea...
Capernaum (16 Occurrences)
... and foundations, and also the remains of what must have been a beautiful synagogue,
which it is conjectured may have been the one built by thecenturion (Luke 7...
Caesarea (20 Occurrences)
... Here Cornelius thecenturion was converted through the instrumentality of Peter
(Acts 10:1, 24), and thus for the first time the door of faith was opened to...
Band (150 Occurrences)
... T. Rees (3) The Augustan Band (speira Sebaste) to which Julius, the Romancenturion
who had charge of Paul as a prisoner on his voyage to Rome, belonged, was a...
Guarding (16 Occurrences)
... Matthew 27:54 Now thecenturion, and those who were with him watching Jesus, when
they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared exceedingly...
Resources
What was a Roman centurion? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the Swoon Theory? Did Jesus survive the crucifixion? | GotQuestions.orgWho was Cornelius in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgCenturion: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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