Centurion

Centurions in the Bible

The Centurion of Capernaum

A centurion in Capernaum asks Jesus to heal his sick servant. He says he is not worthy to have Jesus come to his house and asks him only to speak the word. Jesus declares, "I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel," and the servant is healed in that same hour. The account appears in Matthew 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10. In Luke, the centurion sends Jewish elders and friends to make the request on his behalf. The elders report that he loves the Jewish nation and has built them a synagogue.

The Centurion at the Cross

When Jesus breathes his last, the centurion standing nearby makes a confession. In Mark 15:39 he says, "Truly this man was the Son of God," and in Luke 23:47, "Certainly this was a righteous man" (compare Matthew 27:54). Pontius Pilate confirms with the centurion that Jesus is dead before releasing the body (Mark 15:44-45).

Centurions in Acts

Cornelius of Caesarea is a centurion of "the band called the Italian band." He hears the gospel from Peter, receives the Holy Spirit, and is baptized (Acts 10). Several centurions also appear when Paul is arrested and held in custody (Acts 22:25-26; 23:17; 24:23). Julius, a centurion of "Augustus' band," treats Paul kindly (Acts 27:1-3), and during the shipwreck he saves Paul's life by preventing the soldiers from killing the prisoners (Acts 27:43).

Background

The century (Latin centuria), the basic unit of the Roman army, nominally consisted of one hundred men. During the imperial period, however, it is thought to have numbered around eighty in practice. The officer who led it was the centurio, or centurion. The Greek New Testament generally uses hekatontarchēs, meaning "leader of a hundred," while the Gospel of Mark uses kentyriōn, a transliteration of the Latin term.

In Jesus' day Capernaum belonged to Galilee, which was ruled by Herod Antipas. Scholars therefore differ on whether the centurion there belonged to the regular Roman army or to the tetrarch's forces.

In the Old Testament, the Korean term rendered "centurion" (the KJV's "rulers" or "captains of hundreds") translates a word for a leader placed over one hundred Israelites and is distinct from the Roman officer. One example is the rulers of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens whom Moses appointed on the advice of Jethro (Exodus 18:21).

Significance in the Bible as a Whole

The centurions of the New Testament are generally portrayed favorably. They appear as Gentiles, outsiders to Israel, who display faith. Immediately after the centurion's story, Matthew places the saying that many shall come from the east and west and sit down in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 8:11). The episode of Cornelius is read as the point at which the mission to the Gentiles was formally opened. For this reason the centurions are often mentioned alongside the Syrophoenician woman, another Gentile whose faith was commended.

Interpretation and Issues

• Matthew writes that the centurion came in person, while Luke says he sent others. Some interpreters harmonize the accounts by holding that the words of the messengers are recorded as the centurion's own. Others see the difference as arising from the distinct emphases of each Gospel. Opinions also differ on whether this is the same event as the story of the royal official in John 4:46-54.
• The Greek of Mark 15:39 lacks the definite article. Accordingly, some interpret the confession as an exclamation of astonishment by a pagan soldier, while others regard it as the full confession of faith toward which the entire Gospel is directed.
• The name "Longinus" for the centurion at the cross comes from later apocryphal writings and tradition. The biblical text does not give his name.

In the Korean Church

The Capernaum centurion's words, "speak the word only," are frequently cited in sermons as a model of humility and of faith that trusts in the word. The prayer said before Communion in the Catholic Mass ("Lord, I am not worthy to receive you within me, but only say the word…") also derives from Matthew 8:8.