Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

CENTURION*

Commander of 100 men in the Roman army. There were generally six centurions in each cohort and ten cohorts in a legion. Each legion had six 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 ten 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.

1. 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.

2. The centurion in charge of the squad that executed Jesus declared, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” (Mk 15:39, rsv) and “Certainly this man was innocent!” (Lk 23:47). The apocryphal Acts of Pilate, probably dating from the fourth century, named the believing centurion as Longinus. He has been regarded as a saint in Roman Catholic tradition. A marble statue depicting his dramatic confession, sculpted by the 17th-century baroque artist Giovanni Bernini, is located in St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

3. A centurion in Caesarea named Cornelius was converted to Christ through the testimony of the apostle Peter, whose reluctance to share the gospel with Gentiles had been broken down by a vision from God (Acts 10).

4. A centurion in Acts 22:25-26 helped save the apostle Paul from a scourging when he reminded his tribune that the accused was a Roman citizen.

5. Another centurion helped save Paul from a Jewish plot to murder him (Acts 23:17-22).

6. A centurion named Julius was assigned to guard Paul on his journey from Caesarea to Rome (Acts 27:1). When their ship broke up in a storm, Julius prevented the soldiers from killing all the prisoners on board, including Paul (vv 42-43).