Centurion: A Roman officer in command of a hundred men
(Mark 15:39,44,45) Cornelius,
the first Gentile convert, was a centurion
(Acts 10:1,22) Other
centurions are mentioned in
(Matthew 8:5,8,13; Luke 7:2,6; Acts 21:32; 22:25,26)
(Acts 23:17,23; 24:23; 27:1,6,11,31,43; 28:16) A centurion watched the
crucifixion of our Lord
(Matthew 27:54; Luke 23:47) and when he saw the
wonders attending it, exclaimed, "Truly this man was the Son of God."
"The centurions mentioned in the New Testament are uniformly spoken
of in terms of praise, whether in the Gospels or in the Acts. It is
interesting to compare this with the statement of Polybius (vi. 24)
that the centurions were chosen by merit, and so were men remarkable
not so much for their daring courage as for their deliberation,
constancy, and strength of mind.", Dr. Maclear's N. T. Hist.
