In brief
The centurion at the cross is the Roman officer who was there with the soldiers guarding Jesus at his crucifixion in Jerusalem. Matthew, Mark and Luke report his reaction to the death of Jesus: seeing how he breathed his last, he declared that truly this man was the Son of God. Luke adds that he praised God. The Bible does not give his name. What we keep is that a Gentile, a direct witness of the cross, recognized who Jesus was.
What does the name The Centurion at the Cross mean?
The Bible does not give this officer's name; later traditions assigned him one, with no support in the text. The word centurion refers to an officer of the Roman army who commanded about a hundred soldiers (Mark 15:39).
The story of The Centurion at the Cross
The guard at Golgotha
Matthew 27:35-44After crucifying Jesus, the soldiers divide his garments by casting lots, then sit down and keep watch over him. Matthew will specify that the centurion was there with those guarding Jesus. This Roman officer therefore witnesses the whole scene: the insults of passersby, the mockery of the religious leaders and the hours of the crucified man's suffering.
Darkness and the cry
Mark 15:33-38From the sixth hour to the ninth, darkness covers the whole land. At the ninth hour, Jesus cries out with a loud voice, calling on his God. Some think he is calling Elijah. Then Jesus utters a loud cry and breathes his last. The curtain of the temple is torn in two, from top to bottom.
Standing facing Jesus
Mark 15:39Mark notes that the centurion stood facing Jesus. Seeing that he had breathed his last in this way, he said that truly this man was the Son of God. The officer who guarded the condemned man thus confesses him as Son of God, just after the religious leaders had mocked him by challenging him to come down from the cross.
Filled with fear
Matthew 27:51-54Matthew reports that the earth shook, the rocks split and tombs were opened. The centurion and those guarding Jesus with him, seeing the earthquake and what had just happened, were filled with awe. Together they said that truly this was the Son of God.
He praised God
Luke 23:46-47Luke records the last words of Jesus, in which he commits his spirit into the Father's hands. The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said that certainly this man was innocent. The one crucified between two criminals is declared righteous by the very officer who stood near the cross.
Witness before Pilate
Mark 15:42-45In the evening, Joseph of Arimathea asks for the body of Jesus. Pilate, surprised that he is already dead, summons the centurion and questions him. Having confirmed it from him, he grants the body to Joseph. The officer's testimony thus confirms the reality of the death of Jesus, before his burial and resurrection.
Test your knowledge
What The Centurion at the Cross teaches us
- The cross reveals who Jesus is, even to those who seemed furthest from God.
- Looking at the death of Jesus leads to confessing that he is the Son of God.
- God can raise up unexpected witnesses to the truth, even among the soldiers assigned to the execution.
- The death of Jesus is real, attested by witnesses, and our salvation rests on it.
Key verses
The centurion's confession, placed right after the death of Jesus and the tearing of the temple curtain: a Gentile proclaims that the crucified man is the Son of God.
Luke stresses that the centurion praised God and declared Jesus righteous, that is, innocent of the charges that had led him to the cross.
The Gospels were written so that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing we may have life in his name. The centurion is one witness to it.
Bible verses to meditate on
Sermons about The Centurion at the Cross
Frequently asked questions
Who was the centurion at the cross?
He was the Roman officer at Golgotha with the soldiers who guarded Jesus. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke report that at the death of Jesus he recognized him as the Son of God and as righteous. The Bible does not give his name and says nothing of his life before or after this event.
What does the word centurion mean?
A centurion was an officer of the Roman army who commanded about a hundred soldiers. Several centurions appear in the New Testament, such as the one in Capernaum or Cornelius in Caesarea. The one at the cross is another man, whose name the Bible does not give.
Where can I find the story of the centurion at the cross in the Bible?
His reaction is reported in three Gospels: Matthew 27:54, Mark 15:39 and Luke 23:47. Mark 15:44-45 adds that Pilate questioned him to make sure Jesus was dead. Reading the full accounts of the crucifixion shows what he saw before he spoke.