The Centurion at the Cross

In this session, we are going to read about Jesus on the cross, and the impact it had on a man whose name we do not know – he is simply called, “the centurion.”

Centurion was a rank in the Roman army that had command of a hundred soldiers. A centurion was normally an experienced officer who had led men in combat; a tough, battle-hardened commander who knew how to handle a crisis. Centurions were known to be professional, courageous, desensitized to suffering and death.

But one Friday afternoon, a centurion stood at the foot of a cross and watched Jesus die. And in that moment, everything changed. Try to imagine that scene at Golgotha: the sounds of hammering nails and cries of pain; the horrible crucifixion; the crowd mocking Jesus; the religious leaders talking trash; and the thieves on either side of Jesus insulting Him.

And standing in the middle of all this chaos, overseeing the execution, is a Roman centurion. And he’s watching. He’s listening. He’s processing what he witnesses. How is it that he seems to be the only one who can see Jesus for who He really is?

Please find Mark 15:21-41.