Centu'rion (ἑκατοντάρχης and ἑκατόνταρχος, a translation of the Latin centurio, which also occurs in the Graecized form κεντυρίων, Mr 15:39,44-45), a Roman military officer in command of a hundred mnen, as the title implies. The number under him, however, was not always uniform, being enlarged or lessened according to circumstances (see Smith's Dict. of Class. Antiq. s.v.). Cornelius, the first Gentile convert to Christianity, held this rank (Ac 10:1,22). SEE CORNELIUS. Other centurions are mentioned in Mt 8:5,8,13; Lu 7:2,6; Ac 21:32; Ac 22:25-26; Ac 23:17,23; Ac 24:23; Ac 27:1,6,11,31,43; Ac 28:16. SEE ARMY. The centurion at our Savior's cross (Mt 27:54; Lu 23:47) is said to have been named Longinus (see the treatises on this point by Goetze and by Möller, Obss.philol. Rost. 1696, p.4 sq.). SEE CAPTAIN.
The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature was edited by John McClintock and James Strong. It contains nearly 50,000 articles pertaining to Biblical and other religious literature, people, creeds, etc. It is a fantastic research tool for broad Christian study.
John McClintock was born October 27, 1814 in Philadelphia to Irish immigrants, John and Martha McClintock. He began as a clerk in his father's store, and then became a bookkeeper in the Methodist Book Concern in New York. Here he converted to Methodism and considered joining the ministry. McClintock entered the University of Pennsylvania in 1832 and graduated with high honors three years later. Subsequently, he was awarded a doctorate of divinity degree from the same institution in 1848.WikipediaRead More