Centurion at the Cross:: A Journal of One Man’s Journey to the Cross and His Interaction with Christ— a Forty-Day Devotion

By John B. Carter

If you look into Scriptures, you will see main characters who are supported by a chorus of minor characters. John took up the challenge of examining one of those minor characters - the Centurion at the Cross. As part of that challenge, John also developed devotional thoughts - giving the reader opportunities for reflection. What drives decisions and what motivates people is essentially the same throughout human history. As you take a look into the life and times of the Centurion at the cross, the challenge is for you, the reader, to examine your thoughts and emotions regarding this Christ.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Dec 15, 2020
• ISBN: 9781664205604

John B. Carter

John Carter is a father, husband, retired Army Officer. Above all else, he is a Christian. Through his younger years, in times of awkwardness and trails, he relied on his faith. Through strife and sometimes bitter heartache, he clung to his faith. Through years of military service, it was his faith that continued to sustain him as he went through life. He holds an undergraduate degree in Religion and a Masers of Arts in Pastoral Care. He is active in his church; he and his wife now reside in Alabama.

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ISBN: 978-1-6642-0561-1 (sc)

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2020917576

WestBow Press rev. date: 11/28/2020

Scripture taken from the New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005

by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International

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Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

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CONTENTS

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1   GO

CHAPTER 2   ON MISSION

CHAPTER 3   IT IS FINISHED; NOW IT BEGINS

CONCLUSION

EPILOGUE

ADDITIONAL NOTES

PREFACE

So it is said that if you know others and know yourself,

you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do

not know others but know yourself, you will win one

and lose one; if you do not know others and do not know

yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle.

—Sun Tzu, The Art of War.¹

Wisdom makes a person stronger than ten leaders in a city.

—Ecclesiastes 7:19 New Century Version

I have often wondered what brings individuals to the point when they make decisions that would alter the course of their current history. As I have gone throughout this world, listened to news-broadcasts, and seen history in the making in such places as Sarajevo, Baghdad, and Kabul, individuals at every echelon of leadership made critical decisions. Some affected local villages, others affected their nation. Sometimes these decisions end in tragedy. Other times, these decisions bring about healing and new beginnings. I have seen soldiers risk life and limb for one another. I have witnessed individuals sacrifice comfort of life in order to support causes more noble than their own. Why are people so moved to conduct such selfless acts? What brings an individual to make that kind of choice?

From personal observation, I have concluded there are four fundamental elements that come together to form the bases of human decisions: emotions, human experience, time, and faith. Addressing emotions, psychologists differ on exactly how many basic emotions there are. Some say twenty, while others seemingly agree there are ten. Looking at the most fundamental of emotions, one can adjust the list to seven basic human emotions: anger, fear, disgust, contempt, happiness, sadness, and surprise.² These emotions have remained basically unchanged throughout the human experience.

The bedrock of the human experience is knowledge. Knowledge has its foundation in education and a person’s willingness to learn from life’s mistakes and successes within one’s own environment. From time to time, that environment changes. As one adapts to those changes, one is given an opportunity to expand one’s knowledge. The environment and interaction with others within that environment also help shape our decisions and future actions.

Time is another key factor in building human decisions. The restriction of time may force an immediate decision in response to an imminent threat. In other situations, time seemingly allows individuals to build a full analysis of possible outcomes before executing a given action.

If an individual types the word faith into a search engine on the internet, one might find hundreds of thousands of entries.³ One of the first entries an individual might find is a definition that simply states, complete trust or confidence in someone or something.⁴ However, I would wager faith is that which gives motivation; it is a conviction. From a personal standpoint, it is the cement that binds the bricks of trust together. The writer of Hebrews takes it even further: Faith means being sure of the things we hope for and knowing that something is real even if we do not see it (Hebrews 12:1 New Century Version). So with regards to decision-making, it takes some degree of all four, the blending and mixing of various amounts of faith, time, human experiences, and emotions. They come together to create a footing on which the foundation of the human decision-making process can be established.

The aspect of human understanding is found in the depths of learning. Whether learning comes from life’s circumstances or through formal schooling, one must add wisdom gained from life experiences to round out the decision-making process. Often cultures will determine what form education takes and to whom it is given. In addition, it is the living through daily activities that either challenges or confirms our education. From that confirmation, or challenge, what we learn builds our knowledge.

In addition to the four elements that build the substructure of the human decision-making process, an individual’s personality is another aspect that must be considered. According to Psychology Today, Personality refers to a person’s distinctive patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving. It derives from a mix of innate dispositions and inclinations along with environmental factors and experiences. Although personality can change over a lifetime, one’s core personality traits tend to remain relatively consistent during adulthood.⁵ One’s personality, therefore, can be a lens or filter through which an individual can receive impulses from his or her surroundings. So along with the blending of emotions, knowledge, time, faith, human experiences, and relationships, the element of human personality also can help establish the edifice in which human decisions are housed.

The two quotes I placed at the very beginning, one from the Art of War and the other from Ecclesiastes, suggest that in order for a leader to gain understanding and true wisdom, one must know one’s weaknesses and strengths. Learning from this understanding about oneself, one can become wise. However, such wisdom is partially complete. Understanding oneself is, indeed, wise; but if, for example, in battle one does not fully appreciate, understand, and respect his opponent the odds of winning a certain battle may not be in that one’s favor. So, knowledge, education, and an understanding of oneself and of one’s surroundings—taking a true and honest assessment of one’s limitations while observing one’s environment—become intertwined. From that foundation, one can than relate to human nature regardless of where he or she is.

Societies throughout history are based on how humans interact one with each other. Standards, norms, customs, and courtesies, as well as unwritten taboos, may change from culture to culture. Still, basic human understanding is the foundation on which those societies are built. The society in which individuals live, as well as relationships that are formed within a given culture, help shape that human experience. Therefore, everything we encounter develops our experiences.

Throughout my life, I have always enjoyed studying scriptures. As principal players present various truths about the character of God, there are those characters who may be mentioned briefly, receiving something of a supporting role. The truths they share lend to the overall understanding of the divine. But what of these individuals? Even though their contributions to scripture may be brief, they are no less important.

In looking at the event of the crucifixion of Christ, the reader sees myriad characters in the flurry of activity that goes on at the foot of the cross. One such individual who receives a momentary mention by the gospel writers is the Centurion at the cross. What brought the Centurion to confess the man hanging on a cross between two criminals was truly the Son of God? With the understanding that the basic human emotions, relationships, knowledge, experiences, and personalities help drive human decisions, what was it that led him to make that conclusion?

INTRODUCTION

While the readers of the Gospels follow events of the life of Christ and what eventually led him to the cross, what was it that brought the Centurion there? What brought him to Jerusalem? We see only a glimpse, a touchpoint in history, when we meet him at the cross of Christ. What experiences did he undergo prior to the event? Ultimately, what brings the Centurion to the point in saying, truly this man was the Son of God (Matthew 27:54, Christian Standard Version).

In order to fully appreciate the statement and understand the conclusion he made, a few questions should be considered: first, from the point of view of the Centurion, how did he get to the time and place where he ultimately collided with Christ at the cross? Was there a single point in time that brought him to that statement? Or was it a buildup through several events that drove him to that conclusion? Second, from the point of view of Christ, how do his actions and conservations he engaged in, both leading up to the cross and while hanging on the cross, combine to help influence the Centurion’s comments? The actual personal experiences of the Centurion may have been lost to time. However, using a suggested sequence of possible events and interactions, coupled with the culture and environment during the time of Christ, could help to bring into light the building blocks of the Centurion’s confession. Looking though his eyes and walking with him as he chronicles his journey, we get a glimpse of the possible untold story of this particular man. We see what it might have been like to receive orders to move from the familiar to that which is unfamiliar.

As one reads the Gospel narratives, one plainly sees the figure of Christ engaged in dialogue with those around him. Even while he hung on the cross, Christ gave comfort, reassurance, and forgiveness. With the Roman occupation of the land and established Roman garrison in Jerusalem, it would be simply a matter of time for Roman soldiers to encounter Christ. For example, as recorded in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus heals a Roman soldier’s servant. When Jesus spoke, crowds gathered; wherever Jesus went, crowds followed him. This would no less attract the attention of the Roman guard as crowd control would be of concern to Roman authorities. It would not be too much of a stretch to assume Roman soldiers on patrol would have heard the teachings of Christ.

The Centurion we find at the foot of Christ’s cross would have