Lexical Summary hekatontarchés or hekatontarchos: Centurion Original Word: ἑκατοντάρχης or ἑκατοντάρχος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance centurion. Or hekatontarchos hek-at-on'-tar-khos; from hekaton and archo; the captain of one hundred men -- centurion. see GREEK hekaton see GREEK archo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom hekaton and archó Definition a centurion, a captain of one hundred men NASB Translation centurion (16), centurion's (1), centurions (3). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1543: ἑκατοντάρχηςἑκατοντάρχης, Ἑκατοντάρχου, ὁ (ἑκατόν and ἄρχω; on the terminations ἀρχῆς and ἀρχός see the full exposition in Winers Grammar, 61 (60); cf. Buttmann, 73 (64); Bornemann, Schol. ad Luc., p. 151f; (Tdf. Proleg., p. 117; WHs Appendix, p. 156f)), a centurion: Matthew 8:(5 and 8 Tdf.), 13 G L T Tr WH; (Matthew 27:54 T); Luke 7:(2 (?)), 6 T WH; (Luke 23:47 T Tr WH); Acts 10:1, 22; Acts 21:32 L T Tr WH; (Acts 22:26 L T WH); ἑκατόνταρχοςἑκατόνταρχος, Ἑκατοντάρχου, ὁ, equivalent to ἑκατοντάρχης, which see: Matthew 8:5, 8 (in 5, 8, Tdf. ἑκατοντάρχης), STRONGS NT 1543a: ἐκβαίνωἐκβαίνω: 2 aorist ἐξεβην; (from Homer down); to go out: Hebrews 11:15 L T Tr WH. In the Roman army a centurion commanded roughly one hundred soldiers within a legion or auxiliary cohort. He was usually a veteran promoted for valor, administrative skill, and loyalty to Rome. Centurions were paid several times a legionary’s wage and were easily recognized by their transverse crests and vine-wood staffs of discipline. In the provinces they often functioned as local police chiefs, customs inspectors, and envoys for governors. Their combination of military authority, social standing, and relative freedom of movement explains their frequent appearance in the Gospels and Acts. New Testament Distribution The word appears twenty-one times in the Greek New Testament, concentrated in the narratives of Jesus’ Galilean ministry, His crucifixion, and the missionary journeys recorded by Luke. Three are in Matthew, two in Luke’s Gospel, one in Luke’s Passion account, and fifteen in Acts. Every instance portrays a Gentile officer who either responds positively to divine revelation or serves as an instrument of God’s providential protection for His people. Centurions and Jesus’ Ministry 1. Matthew 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10 present the centurion of Capernaum, whose humble appeal for a servant’s healing elicits one of Jesus’ highest commendations: “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.” (Matthew 8:10). The officer’s grasp of delegated authority furnishes a living parable of Christ’s sovereign word over sickness and distance, foreshadowing the inclusion of Gentiles in the messianic banquet (Matthew 8:11). 2. At the Crucifixion a centurion stationed by the cross declares, “Surely this was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54; cf. Luke 23:47). His testimony supplies a Roman legal witness to Jesus’ righteous character and divine identity at the climactic moment of redemption. Centurions in Acts Acts portrays at least five distinct centurions, each advancing the gospel in surprising ways. • Cornelius of Caesarea (Acts 10:1-48; 11:11; 15:7-9 implied). As “a devout man … who prayed to God continually,” Cornelius becomes the first recorded Gentile convert, receiving the Holy Spirit prior to baptism. His vision and Peter’s subsequent sermon establish the principle that “God shows no favoritism” (Acts 10:34) and that faith, not ethnicity, grants access to the new covenant. • The unnamed centurion who rescues Paul from flogging (Acts 22:25-26) functions as an agent of Roman justice, compelling the tribune to reckon with Paul’s citizenship. • Two centurions convey Paul safely from Jerusalem to Caesarea at night (Acts 23:17-24, 31-32), illustrating God’s providence through secular authority as promised in Acts 9:15-16. • Julius of the Augustan Cohort (Acts 27:1-44; 28:16) treats Paul with “consideration” (27:3), grants liberty to visit friends, and ultimately spares the prisoners’ lives during the shipwreck. Luke’s detailed nautical narrative underscores the centurion’s respect for Paul’s prophetic word and the Lord’s promise that “God has graciously given you all who sail with you” (27:24). Character Traits Commended Across the narratives centurions embody several virtues: • Humility (Matthew 8:8; Luke 7:6–7). These qualities align with the pastoral qualifications later articulated for elders (1 Timothy 3) and serve as living reminders that God’s moral law is stamped on every human conscience (Romans 2:14-15). Theological Significance 1. Inclusion of the Nations: The centurions exemplify the Abrahamic promise that “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Their faith punctuates Luke’s two-volume work, from Jesus’ early Galilean miracles to Paul’s arrival in Rome, framing salvation history as moving inexorably toward Gentile incorporation. 2. Authority Under Authority: The Capernaum centurion’s insight—“For I myself am a man under authority” (Matthew 8:9)—provides doctrinal grounding for understanding Christ’s mission as one commissioned by the Father and wielding unchallengeable sovereignty. 3. Witnesses to Crucifixion and Resurrection Hope: The centurion’s confession at Golgotha bridges Roman authority and divine revelation, conferring historical credibility upon the Passion events and anticipating the universal proclamation of the gospel. 4. Providence through Secular Power: Luke repeatedly shows God using Roman officers to shield His servants, reinforcing Paul’s later teaching that “there is no authority except from God” (Romans 13:1). Practical Ministry Applications • Military and law-enforcement chaplaincy can draw on these passages to affirm that service in uniform is compatible with robust faith and even strategic for Kingdom advance. • The centurion narratives encourage believers to recognize God’s hand in governmental structures and to seek opportunities for gospel witness within vocational spheres of authority. • Faith leaders should cultivate the centurion’s blend of compassion and decisiveness, modeling Christlike leadership that leverages power for the good of others. Related Old Testament Parallels Gentile officers favorably disposed toward Israel—such as Naaman the Syrian commander (2 Kings 5) and Nebuzaradan the Babylonian captain (Jeremiah 39:11-12)—prefigure the New Testament centurions, demonstrating the continuity of God’s mission to bless the nations through Israel and ultimately through Messiah. Christological Implications Each centurion scene magnifies unique facets of Christ’s identity: sovereign healer, suffering Son of God, impartial Savior, prophetic deliverer. Together they reveal a Savior who commands both celestial and earthly hosts, yet invites the faith of individual soldiers. Ecclesiastical and Eschatological Notes Cornelius’ household becomes a proto-Gentile church, illustrating a household pattern of conversion and baptism influential in subsequent ecclesiology. The repeated mention of centurions at critical junctures anticipates the eschatological vision of “a great multitude … from every nation, tribe, people, and language” (Revelation 7:9), confirming that Roman imperial boundaries cannot hinder the advancement of Christ’s eternal kingdom. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 8:5 N-NMSGRK: προσῆλθεν αὐτῷ ἑκατόνταρχος παρακαλῶν αὐτὸν NAS: Capernaum, a centurion came KJV: unto him a centurion, beseeching INT: came to him a centurion imploring him Matthew 8:8 N-NMS Matthew 8:13 N-DMS Matthew 27:54 N-NMS Luke 7:2 N-GMS Luke 7:6 N-NMS Luke 23:47 N-NMS Acts 10:1 N-NMS Acts 10:22 N-NMS Acts 21:32 N-AMP Acts 22:25 N-AMS Acts 22:26 N-NMS Acts 23:17 N-GMP Acts 23:23 N-GMP Acts 24:23 N-DMS Acts 27:1 N-DMS Acts 27:6 N-NMS Acts 27:11 N-NMS Acts 27:31 N-DMS Acts 27:43 N-NMS Acts 28:16 Noun-NMS Strong's Greek 1543 |
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