A professional Roman military officer. Centurion rank are graduated. At the lowest level, he presided over a group called the century, consisting of eighty soldiers and twenty noncombatant auxillaries responsible for administrative and house-keeping chores. In the Republican army, these were reorganized into cohorts, each having six centurions, commanded by the most senior officer (the pilus prior) who commanded his own senior century as well as the entire cohort (six hundred men plus six centurions). Ten cohorts made a legion (six thousand men plus sixty officers, plus perhaps about one-hundred and twenty infantry) which, in turn, was commanded by the most senior officer, the primus pilus. From the size of this most senior contingent comes our figurative use of the term 'legion' to mean a 'multitude' or 'a powerful force.' Thus the demon's reply to Jesus when he asked for its name; "My name is Legion, for we are many" (Mk 5:9). When Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, one of his companion drew his sword in protest. Jesus told him to "put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?" (Mt 26:46-47). That was more angels than the soldiers that any Roman general could call upon at any one time!
CONCORDANCE (NIV):
Centurion:
Matt. 8:5 — When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help.
Matt. 8:8 — The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
Matt. 8:13 — Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that moment.
Matt. 27:54 — When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!"
Mk. 15:39 — And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!"
Mk. 15:44 — Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died.
Mk. 15:45 — When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph.
Lk. 7:2 — There a centurion's servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die.
Lk. 7:3 — The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant.
Lk. 7:6 — So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: "Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof.
Lk. 23:47 — The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was a righteous man."
Acts 10:1 — At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment.
Acts 10:22 — The men replied, "We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say."
Acts 22:25 — As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, "Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn't even been found guilty?"
Acts 22:26 — When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. "What are you going to do?" he asked. "This man is a Roman citizen."
Acts 23:17 — Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, "Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him."
Acts 23:18 — So he took him to the commander. The centurion said, "Paul, the prisoner, sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you."
Acts 23:23 — Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, "Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at nine tonight.
Acts 24:23 — He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard but to give him some freedom and permit his friends to take care of his needs.
Acts 27:1 — When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment.
Acts 27:6 — There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy and put us on board.
Acts 27:11 — But the ccenturion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship.
Acts 27:31 — Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, "Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved."
Acts 27:43 — But the centurion wanted to spare Paul's life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land.
Legion:
Matt. 26:53 — Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
Mk. 5:9 — Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" "My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many." ( NIV)
Mk. 5:15 — When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
Lk. 8:30 — Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" "Legion," he replied, because many demons had gone into him.
©ALBERITH
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