Roman Centurions in the Bible: What Christians Should Know
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In case you missed the trend, Christians and non-Christians alike–specifically men–are said to think about the Roman Empire multiple times a day. As a history nerd and Christian, this is true for me. It's fascinating to consider the continuing prevalence of the Roman Empire's influence, especially since Christ came to earth during the height of Rome's rule. It was because of Roman roads, Roman philosophy, and even Roman persecution of Christians that the Gospel spread so quickly in the early Church.
Furthermore, Romans played key roles in spreading Christianity, from within the military to politics. Emperor Constantine’s conversion is a fascinating example of this. In Scripture, the Roman military, and most notably Roman centurions, play a unique role in the death and resurrection of Christ.
In ancient Rome, the position of a Roman Centurion was a prestigious title. Within a Roman legion (5,000-6,0000 soldiers), a Roman Centurion was in command of 100 soldiers. As outlined by Bible Study Tools, “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.”
Where Does the Bible Mention Roman Centurions?
Roman centurions appear from time to time in Matthew’s Gospel account and in Acts. Before we discuss their appearances in detail, let’s consider some historical context.
Historically, ancient Romans and Jews did not get along well. The Romans had an empire to maintain, control, and expand, and this often involved subjugating the Jewish people to harsh taxes and laws. During the span of Roman rule, people of various ethnic groups, religions, and tribes lost a large amount of their way of life and freedom. The Romans set leaders such as Herod the Great, who was an Edomite (of the tribe of Esau) to rule over the Jewish people. To place a non-Jewish king over Israel was a great insult. Furthermore, Jews who couldn’t pay their taxes either had property stolen by Rome or even family members (especially children) who were enslaved. In order to maintain the so-called “Pax Romana,” aka the Roman Peace, the Romans had to rule with an iron fist.
The Jewish people had been under occupation by various empires for centuries, so subjugation to a foreign empire was really nothing new. When Israel split in two with Samaria to the north and Judah to the south, Assyria soon invaded and conquered Samaria between 722 and 720 B.C. After the rise of the Babylonian Empire, Judah was then conquered in 686 B.C. After Babylon came the Persian Empire, which lasted until 332 B.C. when Alexander the Great conquered and expanded the known world. After Alexander’s death in 323 B.C., Israel still remained under the Greeks. It wasn’t until the Maccabean Revolt that the Jewish people became a sovereign state for a period of time until the Roman Empire conquered them.
So after years of being conquered by enemies, Israel finally had a sense of peace only for a new enemy to arise and take over. This Roman enemy had an intimidating army, intense tax laws, and forcefully demanded tribute and allegiance to Caesar and his governing rulers.
Needless to say, Rome put its foot down to maintain their conquered territories, and under this harsh rule, the Jewish people would eventually revolt in 70 A.D. This First Jewish Revolt ended in a Jewish defeat and the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple.
And yet, it was Christ, the Messiah of Jewish heritage, who spoke kindly to Roman rulers, and made it clear that they, too, could be redeemed.
What Does the Bible Say about the Roman Centurion with a Servant?
We have a few examples of Jesus' interactions with Roman centurions in the Gospel accounts. The most notable one is the Roman Centurion with his servant (Mark 7:1-10). As previously mentioned, Centurions held high positions in the Roman military and commanded respect and honor. So for a Centurion to approach an ostensibly ordinary Jewish man for healing says much about this Centurion.
- It shows his humility to put his pride and status as a Roman Centurion aside for his servant whom he loved and cared for.
- It shows that he has heard or even seen the miracles of Christ, and this has impacted him enough that he has developed faith in Jesus.
As Mike Leake of Crosswalk.com states, “This is rather astonishing because up to this point in the narrative Jesus has not healed anyone from a distance. But this centurion seemed to know and believe that Jesus could accomplish whatever he desired.
It is also interesting to note that the centurion approaches Jesus as one who is under Jesus’ authority rather than the other way around. It is this posture, driven by the centurion’s faith, that leads to the healing of his servant. The healing happens not because he is worthy, due to his position, but the healing happens because of the goodness of Jesus.”
Deacon Michael Schlaack of St. Mary Magldalen’s Orthodox Church further elaborates on this point:
“The simple faith of the Centurion must have taken Jesus by surprise, for the Gospel says that He ‘marveled’ at the Centurion’s confession. It is fascinating to ponder the significance of this statement. Jesus should expect this level of faith from the God’s covenant people. After all, they had ‘Moses and prophets,’ the Law and the prophecies to help guide them in their understanding of God’s messiah. They had spent centuries waiting for the return of the Son of David, who would overthrow the Roman occupiers and restore Israel to its former glory. Yet when they actually came face to face with the incarnate God, they refused to believe in Him.
The Centurion, on the other hand, was a Gentile and did not have the same understanding and tradition of the messianic prophecies known by the Jews. He did not come to Jesus demanding a ‘sign’ of His divine power, as so often occurred with the Jewish leaders. Instead, the Centurion came to Jesus on faith, driven by his love for his servant and a desire to see that servant healed. The officer’s humility was clearly understood when he stated: ‘Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof’ (Matt. 5:8).”
This is the inspiring story of the Centurion and his servant. How about the Roman Centurion at the foot of the cross?
The Bible's Account of the Roman Centurion Who Declared Jesus Was God’s Son
As all believers know, the Crucifixion is a pivotal moment in the life of Christ. At this moment in history, Christ gives up his Spirit to God the Father, thus completing the ultimate sacrifice for sin.
As seen in chapter 27 of Matthew’s Gospel account, we see Christ give up his Spirit (v. 50), the veil tearing in two (v. 51), and the tombs of the dead opening and ancient believers appearing to many (v. 52). In the moment of Christ's death, the Centurion says, “Truly this man was the Son of God.” (v. 53).
There has been a lot of speculation among scholars as to who this Centurion is. Some have said he may have been the Centurion with the servant, but others believe this to be unlikely given the faith already shown by the Centurion with his servant. Others have said it was Cornelius the Centurion in Acts 10, given his faithfulness and proclamation of God after he was given a vision and eventually visited by the Apostle Peter. In the Orthodox Church, this unknown Centurion was named St. Longinus (It is common if a saint dies without a name to give one to him). It is also believed that Longinus was one of the guards at the tomb and witnessed the resurrection of Christ, and became a Christian along with the other guards.
Whoever this Centurion was, we know how his words about Christ ring true. His proclamation of faith was especially significant because he was a Roman gentile who had a high military ranking. A Roman soldier with such a high ranking would be loyal not just to higher authorities in the military, but to the Roman Emperor himself, who thought of himself as a god in human form. As a result, the Centurion's claim that Christ was the Son of God was not only a bold claim but a vulnerable one, given that recognizing any authority other than the Romans or the gods was an act of defiance and betrayal. By this point, the harshest of punishments in Rome were reserved for those who ignited revolts, stole from the temples, or defied the Emperor.
To make such a bold claim and put faith in Jesus was hugely consequential for a Roman during this time in history. This proclamation spoken by the Centurion at the cross shows his bravery in acknowledging and speaking the truth of who Christ was.
What Can We Learn from the Bible Stories about Roman Centurions Today?
These Roman centurions had status, wealth, security, and authority at their fingertips. They were praised by the military and feared by the commoners. For men in these positions to believe, trust, and follow Christ speaks volumes about their character and how they were willing to risk so much for Christ.
We see this today when certain people in power and influence proclaim Christ. In many countries around the world today, proclaiming Christ comes with backlash, if not outright persecution. Jesus said that if He was persecuted, those who believe in Him should expect persecution also (John 15:20). Yet, Christ-followers throughout the ages have held to their faith in spite of trials and persecutions.
To summarize the story of the Centurions and their faith, it costs almost nothing when you are praised and honored by your people, your job, and your government, but it is an inspiring act of faith to count the cost and choose Christ over the values of the world.
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