The Centurion in Capernaum

I think I would like several of the Roman centurions who appear in the New Testament, they are a remarkable group.  R.C. Foster tells us in his Studies in the Life of Christ that “they bear witness to a high degree of valor, good judgment, and honesty as part of this second line of officers in the Roman army.”  The most famous among the centurions we read of in scriptures is surely Cornelius in Caesarea, the first Gentile to be baptized and enter the kingdom; there is no doubt in my mind that I would like him.  We also call to mind the centurion who oversaw the crucifixion on the day of Jesus’ death and, at the close of that horrible and tragic day, accepted all the claims that Jesus had made as truth, knowing that surely, “truly this was the Son of God!”  Paul knew several centurions. Consider Captain Lysias, who rescued Paul from the mob in Jerusalem and managed to send him safely to the governor in Caesarea, and the centurion in charge of Paul on his journey to Rome – both showed strong character and a great degree of fair judgment on the part of Paul.  It is noteworthy for us to know that, among the many accounts we read in the history of Rome – of the soldiers who ruled with greed and oppression and riotous living ,– there were those fair and upright men who saw the light and judged with sincere hearts what they saw before them in the gospel of Christ.  

The centurion in Capernaum occupies a place of great prominence almost as high and recognizable as Cornelius. It is this centurion that Matthew and Luke introduce us to.  He is a powerful, lovely, and kind man who is part of the Roman occupation in Galilee and a friend to the faithful Jews there, and I would love to have met him.  

Recalling the expanse of the Roman Empire, we can easily understand that Rome did not have enough citizens to furnish armies to occupy all the vast stretch of countries that had been conquered and were now held as provinces of the Roman Empire.  Therefore, Rome found it necessary to enlist and draft the eligible men of the various countries they conquered into the Roman army; a practice still seen in the world today. This type of recruiting enabled Rome to secure the forces necessary to police and defend their great empire.  The Jews, however, presented a problem for Rome; Jewish men refused to serve in the Roman army, and therefore, policing in the provinces where Jews lived was a challenge. After years of trying, Rome finally gave up on this effort, and they did not enforce the draft in Palestine.  As a result, the police in Palestine were recruited mostly from Greece and Samaria, but the Romans ensured that the provinces were ultimately overseen by Roman army officials.  

It is Luke who tells us about the relationship the Jews have with one of the centurions who is stationed in Capernaum, a city that held the homes of Matthew, Zebedee, James, John, Peter, Andrew, and their families.  It is Luke, a Gentile himself, who tells us in Chapter 7:1-10 of the day this gentle warrior met our Lord.  He says, among other things, that “...a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die.  So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant. And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was deserving, ‘for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue.’”  I wonder if Peter thought about this centurion who had built the synagogue where Peter worshiped regularly when he entered the house of Cornelius in Caesarea years later.

We don’t know how the work that he oversaw in connection with the synagogue was funded.  He may have been wealthy in his own right, or it could be that he had tax money that he was able to devote to the synagogue, but whatever the case, the Jews felt he had shown tremendous kindness and generosity to them by building them a synagogue in Capernaum.  They counted him as a friend and cared for his situation.  

The synagogue in Capernaum has been unearthed – and though many of the buildings in Capernaum were built with black basalt – it was not; it was built with beautiful white limestone and is a most magnificent structure.  The pillars that supported the roof were beautifully carved in heart shapes.  It is thought that the stone used to build the synagogue was imported from a distance,  overseen by this Roman centurion. What an interesting man this is to know of.  

Roman centurions, as is true of most military members today, were loyal in their service.  These soldiers had the job of securing and ensuring order in these outlying and, at times, troublesome provinces of the empire.  Sometimes their work would even bring reward or notice to warrant advancement or honor in Rome. On the other hand, Foster also notes that in history  these soldiers faced opportunities to “waste their substance in riotous living”.  

Foster states, “An army of occupation in a conquered country is vulnerable to a great degree to temptations of greed, oppression, and riotous living.  This is true even today.  General MacArthur issued the most solemn warning to the American soldiers being stationed in Japan at the close of the Second World War.  He reminded them of what usually happens to an army of occupation.”

It is clear from our text, that this centurion is not among those who exercise folly and riotous living. Our text tells us, “Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, ‘Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. Therefore, I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.’ When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, ’I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!’ And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick”  (Luke 7:6-10).

As in all walks of life, there are those whose hearts demonstrate something other than the norm.  This centurion who was living in Capernaum seeks something besides what the world has to offer.  It seems from our text that he had overseen this garrison for many years – and this would have been an important location with the commercial influence this town had.  It appears he had been led through the years, through his association with the people of the synagogue there, to contemplate the belief that there is one God.  Living in Capernaum, it is clear he had already had contact with the gospel message and the signs and wonders of Jesus to have established a great faith (for Jesus tells us that).

In some manner, this one was persuaded, though he was not a proselyte I feel sure, as the text does not indicate that he had become a real part of the Jewish community there. It would not surprise me at all if he became one of the Gentile baptized believers, following the conversion of Cornelius.   

All these centurions remind us not to use our judgment to dismiss the true nature of anyone.  We often discard those who through birth, position, or power seem to us to be too self-reliant, disconnected, and disinterested in spiritual things.  The older I get the more I value the accounts in the scriptures that remind me that there is no one personality, no one birth, no one circumstance that drives a heart to see God.  I am grateful to these centurions, who were moved by their knowledge of our Lord; they are honest about their own culture and the truth demonstrated before them.  I think I would like this one who knew with an honest and sincere heart that nothing Rome offered compared to the power and authority of Christ; there was no physician, cure or god in Rome that was successful at doing what Christ had done in this city. I think I would like this one who approached the leaders of the synagogue - who had dismissed Jesus themselves, to tell them that he believed that Jesus had authority and power to heal.  I think I would like this one who humbly recognized power that far surpassed his own, coming to Jesus reluctantly and feeling unworthy to be in His presence.  I think I would like this one who kindly and persistently sought healing for a dear servant, from the only one who provided any hope to heal.  Isn’t it interesting how his faith far surpassed the Jewish leaders who petitioned for his cause?  

And so, my thoughts roam all around these men; these centurions that we are privileged to know, and I ponder about the opportunity that would be given to all of them in the years to come.  Would they hear the gospel preached by the Apostles?  Would the others know of Cornelius and his household?  Would they enter the kingdom that the Jews had only partially understood for so many years?  I sure hope so because I’d like to meet them all.