Friday, February 16, 2024
“And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,…” (Matthew 8:5 KJV).
What are “centurions?”
The King James Bible refers to “centurions” some 27 times—always in the New Testament (never the Old Testament), and usually as individuals (occasionally in the plural). Before we study the word itself, we need to quickly survey all the references.
Today’s Scripture and its context allude to the first solitary centurion, whose ill servant Christ cured. “And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,…. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed…. And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour” (Matthew 8:5,8,13). The parallel account is Luke 7:2,6: “And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die…. Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:….”
At Christ’s cross, we find the second individual centurion. “Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God” (Matthew 27:54). “And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God” (Mark 15:39). “Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man” (Luke 23:47).
When Christ’s body required burial, there is a third distinct centurion. “And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph” (Mark 15:44,45).
There are more “centurion” verses for us to read….
333 Words of Grace 