Luke 23:47 · Bible study
Luke 23:47 Commentary: The Centurion's Confession of Christ's Righteousness
Greek · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does Luke record the centurion saying 'righteous' rather than 'Son of God'? This study explores the Greek, context, and Luke's theme of Jesus' innocence.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A Roman centurion, witnessing the events of the crucifixion, declares Jesus a righteous man and glorifies God, providing final human vindication of Jesus’ innocence.
- Key words: δίκαιος (dikaios, “righteous/just”); ὄντως (ontōs, “certainly/really”); ἐδόξαζεν (edoxazen, imperfect “he was glorifying”, continuous action).
- Main debate: Why Luke records “righteous” instead of “Son of God”; the centurion’s level of faith (full conversion vs. moral agreement).
- Theological theme: Jesus as the Righteous Sufferer; the inclusion of Gentiles in the recognition of Christ; divine vindication through human testimony.
- Best use: Sermons on the cross, witnesses to Christ, the universal appeal of the Gospel, or Luke’s emphasis on Jesus’ innocence.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
When the centurion saw what had happened, he gave glory to God, saying, “Surely this was a righteous man.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
When the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous man.”
KJV King James Version 1769
Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And the centurion having seen what was done, did glorify God, saying, `Really this man was righteous;'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Now the centurion, seeing what took place, glorified God, saying, In very deed this man was just.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Now, the centurion, seeing what was done, glorified God, saying: Indeed this was a just man.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y como el centurión vió lo que había acontecido, dió gloria á Dios, diciendo: Verdaderamente este hombre era justo.
E o centurião, vendo o o que tinha acontecido, deu glória a Deus, dizendo: Verdadeiramente este homem era justo.
Le centenier, voyant ce qui était arrivé, glorifia Dieu, et dit: Certainement, cet homme était juste.
Da aber der Hauptmann sah, was da geschah, pries er Gott und sprach: Fürwahr, dieser ist ein frommer Mensch gewesen!
Als nu de hoofdman over honderd zag, wat er geschied was, verheerlijkte hij God, en zeide: Waarlijk, deze Mens was rechtvaardig.
E il centurione, veduto ciò che era accaduto, glorificava Iddio dicendo: Veramente, quest’uomo era giusto.
A widząc setnik, co się działo, chwalił Boga, mówiąc: Zaprawdę człowiek to był sprawiedliwy.
Сотник же, видев происходившее, прославил Бога и сказал: истинно человек этот был праведник.
百夫長 看見 所成的事，就歸榮耀與 神，說：「這 真 是 個義人！」
And when the captain saw what was done, he gave praise to God, saying, Without doubt this was an upright man.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Luke 23:47
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that the centurion’s declaration marks a pivotal moment of recognition. Luke alone records the officer’s words as “Certainly this was a righteous man” (δίκαιος, dikaios), while Matthew and Mark report “Son of God” (Matt 27:54; Mark 15:39).
The Greek verb ἐδόξαζεν (edoxazen, imperfect tense, “he was glorifying”) suggests an ongoing, heartfelt response, not a momentary shout. Wesley explains that the centurion’s statement “implies an approbation of all he had done and taught.” Gill adds that the centurion “concluded this from those unusual appearances, and which he considered as tokens of divine resentment.” The adverb ὄντως (ontōs, “certainly”) underscores the reality of the verdict: this is no pretended righteousness, but the genuine article. Barnes notes that the centurion “saw what was done”, the darkness, the earthquake, the torn veil, and glorified God. Although Luke does not repeat the exact words from Matthew and Mark, the Cambridge Bible observes that the substance is compatible: the centurion’s confession of a “righteous man” could have been drawn forth by “the silent majesty and holiness of the Sufferer.”
The consensus is that Luke’s wording serves his theme of Jesus’s innocence. From the trial before Pilate to the thief’s testimony (Luke 23:41), the third Gospel repeatedly vindicates Jesus as the Righteous One. The centurion, a Gentile and a Roman officer, becomes the final human witness to that truth at the cross.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The centurion saw the supernatural events around Jesus’s death, glorified God, and declared that Jesus was a righteous man – a statement that affirms Jesus’ innocence and vindicates him before a pagan witness.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Why Luke uses 'righteous' instead of 'Son of God' | All traditions affirm that Luke intentionally chose 'righteous' to align with his theme of Jesus' innocence. | Some (e.g., Reformed, Gill) see it as the centurion's inference from supernatural signs; others (e.g., Wesley) emphasize it as approval of Jesus' teaching and actions. |
| The centurion's faith | Christians agree his confession is significant and positive. | Some traditions view it as saving faith (he glorified God, confessed Jesus); others see it as a preliminary recognition, not yet full discipleship. |
| Relation to Matthew 27:54 and Mark 15:39 | The three accounts describe the same event with complementary emphases. | Whether Luke's version softens the confession (avoiding 'Son of God' for a Gentile audience) or whether 'righteous' is equivalent in meaning remains an open question. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The centurion commanded a quaternion of soldiers, a unit of four men assigned to the crucifixion detail. Roman centurions appear several times in Luke’s Gospel and Acts, often in a positive light: the centurion who pleaded for his servant’s healing (Luke 7), Cornelius (Acts 10), and Julius (Acts 27). Luke’s readers, many of them Gentile converts, would have been encouraged by these figures who bridged the imperial and Christian worlds.
The setting is the sixth to the ninth hour (noon to three in the afternoon) on Passover, the most solemn festival of the Jewish year. Three supernatural signs accompany Jesus’s death: an unaccountable darkness over the whole land, the tearing of the temple veil, and (implied by the centurion’s reaction) an earthquake. Matthew Henry calls these “prodigies” that magnify Christ’s dying. The darkness signals judgment; the rent veil opens access to God for all nations. For the centurion, a pagan accustomed to omens and natural wonders, these events demanded an explanation. He had also heard Jesus pray to “Father” twice (Luke 23:34, 46), words that must have struck a Roman officer as unprecedented from a condemned criminal.
Luke’s choice of “righteous” (δίκαιος) rather than “Son of God” fits his larger narrative. Throughout his Gospel, Luke highlights Jesus as the Righteous One, a title later used by Stephen (Acts 7:52) and by Peter (Acts 3:14). While Matthew and Mark may focus on the centurion’s confession of Jesus’s divine sonship, Luke homes in on Jesus’s moral innocence, perhaps to reinforce the verdicts of Pilate and Herod that Jesus had done nothing worthy of death. The centurion, an unexpected judge from the occupying army, pronounces the final human acquittal.
Textual Notes
The four major Greek manuscripts (Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, Alexandrinus, and Bezae) all read δίκαιος (righteous) in Luke 23:47. The parallel passages in Matthew and Mark show “Son of God,” but no textual variant at this point in Luke is noted in the apparatus of the UBS 5th edition or in the commentary sources consulted. The text is stable.
Reception History
From the early church onward, the centurion at the cross has been held up as a model of conversion for the Gentile world. Second-century writers such as Irenaeus saw his confession as a prophecy of the faith of the nations. In the medieval period, the figure was often named Longinus in apocryphal tradition, and his spear became a relic of the Passion. Reformation-era commentators like Calvin and Luther pointed to the centurion as evidence that God can draw faith from the most unlikely hearts. Wesley’s Notes (18th century) underscore the moral weight of the word “righteous,” while Gill (also 18th century) stresses the supernatural signs as the grounds of his confession. In modern Lukan scholarship, the centurion is frequently interpreted as a literary foil, contrasting the Jewish leaders’ rejection with Gentile recognition, reinforcing Luke’s message that salvation is for all people.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- A man who saw, The centurion witnessed the darkness, the earthquake, and the way Jesus died. Observing was the first step toward confession.
- A man who glorified God, His response was not fear or anger, but praise. The imperfect verb shows a sustained, deepening recognition of God at work.
- A man who spoke, He dared to say what others would not: “Certainly this was a righteous man.” His words became part of the apostolic witness.
Five-point outline
- Context of the confession: The darkness, the torn veil, and Jesus’s final cry set the stage for the centurion’s change of heart.
- Who the centurion was: A hardened Roman officer, a Gentile, an enforcer of executions. He represents the outsider who sees what insiders miss.
- What he saw: He saw “what was done”, the whole sequence of events, not just one sign. The cumulative evidence convinced him.
- How he responded: He glorified God. His confession was not intellectual assent but worship.
- Why Luke records it: Luke stresses Jesus’s innocence throughout his Gospel. The centurion’s verdict vindicates Jesus before the entire world.
Illustration hooks
- An atheist journalist who covers a church service after a natural disaster and, seeing the congregation’s peace, later admits “there’s something real here.”
- A jury foreperson who, after days of testimony, changes the verdict because of one piece of evidence they hadn’t considered before.
- A grandparent at a deathbed who says to the family, “He was a good man, look at how he faced the end.”
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why doesn’t the centurion use the same words as in Matthew and Mark? Is Luke contradicting the other Gospels?
- If the centurion was convinced Jesus was righteous, why didn’t he immediately become a follower? What did his confession mean for him?
- How can we recognize God’s work through events that seem dark or confusing, like the centurion did?
Leading a Discussion
Opening framing: This study explores the moment when a Roman military officer, standing at the foot of the cross, became an unexpected witness to Jesus’s innocence. Luke’s version of his words, “righteous” rather than “Son of God”, invites us to consider how the Gospel speaks to people from every background.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What exactly does the centurion say in Luke 23:47? How does it differ from the parallel accounts in Matthew 27:54 and Mark 15:39?
- Observation: What events did the centurion see before he spoke? (Refer to verses 44, 46.) How do these events shape his confession?
- Interpretation: Why do you think Luke uses the word “righteous” (δίκαιος) instead of “Son of God”? How does this word connect with other statements about Jesus in Luke’s Gospel (e.g., Luke 23:41, Acts 3:14)?
- Interpretation: The centurion “glorified God.” What does this tell us about his inner state? Is he simply stating an opinion, or is he responding in worship?
- Interpretation: In a Roman context, “righteous” would mean a man who kept the civil law and was morally upright. How might a pagan soldier’s understanding of righteousness differ from a Jewish understanding?
- Application: When have you been surprised by someone’s recognition of Jesus or of a truth about him? How can we be more aware of God’s work in unexpected places and people?
- Application: The centurion’s confession came after witnessing suffering. How can the way Christians endure hardship become a witness to those around them?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Matthew 9:8 | But when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such authority to men. |
| Matthew 27:54 | Now the centurion and those who were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were done, were terrified, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!” |
| Mark 15:39 | When the centurion, who stood by opposite him, saw that he cried out like this and breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” |
| Luke 23:41 | And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” |
| John 19:7 | The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes focuses on the crowd's gesture of beating their breasts as a sign of alarm and fear. They had witnessed the earthquake, darkness, and Jesus's suffering, and they recognized both God's judgment and the rulers' guilt, fearing even greater divine displeasure.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge commentary notes Luke's pattern of featuring good centurions and his characteristic phrase "he glorified God." The centurion called Jesus a righteous man, likely moved by His silent dignity, and may have later said "Son of God" because he heard Jesus pray to His Father and sensed Pilate's awe.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights that a Gentile centurion, a foreign enemy, was the first to declare Christ’s righteousness openly after the crucifixion. His words “of a surety this man was just” show a clear confession that Jesus was innocent and truly righteous, not merely spared from condemnation.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill points out that the centurion interpreted the eclipse, earthquake, and torn rocks as signs of God’s anger over an unjust death. From those tokens of divine resentment, he concluded that Jesus had suffered wrongfully and declared him a righteous man.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry draws attention to two distinct prodigies that magnified Christ's death: the three-hour darkness at noon, which he notes was not three days like Egypt's plague, and the temple veil tearing open. For Henry, the torn veil signified that the ceremonial law and all barriers to God were taken away, so believers may now approach with boldness.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley sees the centurion's declaration as much more than a passing opinion. For him, calling Jesus a righteous man carries God's full approval of everything Christ did and taught. It signals divine endorsement of his entire ministry.