A Centurion’s Faith

Preached by Dr. Greg Sloop at the Kannapolis Church of God in the Sunday AM service on March 23, 2025.

Centurion. Commander of 100 men in the Roman army. There were generally 6 centurions in each cohort and 10 cohorts in a legion. Each legion had 6 tribunes to whom its centurions were subordinate. In Acts 22:26, for example, a centurion appealed to his tribune for a decision concerning the apostle Paul. A centurion’s authority was actually quite extensive because he was the working officer who had direct contact with the men. He went to the field with them and made spontaneous decisions according to each situation.

The office of centurion was normally the highest one within reach of the ordinary soldier. Centurions often rose from the ranks because of their experience and knowledge. After one became a centurion, further promotion could come by transfer to positions of increasing responsibility, the highest being senior centurion over the first of 10 cohorts in a legion. Thus a centurion might move about extensively throughout the Roman empire.

A centurion had many duties besides maintaining discipline among the ranks. He had to oversee executions for capital offenses (Mt 27:54; Mk 15:39, 44, 45; Lk 23:47). He was responsible for his troops at all times, whether they were Roman citizens or recruited mercenary soldiers. The position of centurion was prestigious and high paying; those who reached that rank usually made a career of it.

Six centurions are mentioned in the NT, at least two of whom seem to have become followers of Christ:

In our Scripture for today, we will discuss the one mentioned in Luke 7. A centurion at Capernaum pleaded for the life of his dying servant because he believed that diseases would obey Jesus just as his soldiers obeyed him (Mt 8:5–13; Lk 7:2–10). In spite of his high-ranking position, he was a humble man, willing to admit his inadequacy and helplessness. He cared deeply for his servant’s welfare. Jesus marveled at that example of faith and healed the sick man.

Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel, “Centurion,” in Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 421–422.