I originally wrote the Senior Centurion Karis monologue as a role-play to use with my Centurion costume to present the Gospel. After one of my many church performances, a 12-year-old asked me: “If the Romans saw all the things Jesus did why didn’t they all become Christians?” I have pondered that question for years and now, I wrote this book to show the life of Jesus from the viewpoint of Roman centurions. I have added details about the Centurions not from Scripture to fully develop storylines. The incidents from Jesus’ life taken from Scripture are quoted directly from the World English Bible (WEB – Public Domain).
The Centurion stories are introduced by Senior Officer Karis Keynay Populous, commander of a Cohort (700-800 soldiers) of the Roman Army occupying Judea. During a meal with his six Centurions, he asks each one what he knows about Jesus. The six Centurions tell their stories taken from Scripture which is printed in italics to separate the story of Jesus from the fictional Centurion narrative.
1) Centurion Marcus in Bethlehem in 2 BC tells of Jesus’ birth.
2) Centurion Dimitri, Maximus’ older brother, in 2 BC saw Jesus presented in the Jewish Jerusalem Temple.
3) Centurion Lucius’ brother Cassius was at the Eastern Judean border in 1AD when the Magi arrived on their journey to Jerusalem.
4) Centurion Maximus in Jerusalem in 1 AD saw the arrival of the Magi and about 10 years later tells of 12-year-old Jesus in the Temple as seen by his brother-in-law Zachariah a Jewish priest.
5) Centurion Gaius’ servant was healed by Jesus.
6) Centurion Julius traveled among the Jews in Judea as a spy to uncover Zealot plots. He followed Jesus for three years (30-32 AD), witnessing: the Sermon on the Mount, Feeding 5,000, Woes to Scribes and Pharisees and the Raising Lazarus.
Senior Centurion Karis continues his story as he witnesses Jesus death, resurrection and then later hears Peter preaching in the Temple and becomes a believer in Christ and is then executed by Pilate. His scribe writes a Postscript to his life.
The Appendices included to amplify the stories are;
1) Magi, Three Wise Men
2) The Raising of Lazarus from the Grave
3) Crucifixion from Wikipedia in the Roman world.
4) Your Evangelism Strategy from; Always Be Ready to Give an Answer! A Former Atheist’s Personal Christian Evangelism Plan By Charlie Liebert
5) About the Author includes; Charlie Liebert’s: biography, careers, Christian testimony, and a list of books he’s written.
Introduction | 8 |
Senior Centurion Karis, Jerusalem 32 AD. | 10 |
Centurion Marcus, Bethlehem 2 BC | 13 |
The Birth of Jesus Christ. | 13 |
Birth in Bethlehem | 13 |
The Shepherds and Angels | 13 |
Centurion Dimitri, Jerusalem 2 BC | 15 |
Jesus Presented at the Temple | 5 |
Bethlehem to Jerusalem | 15 |
The Prophecy of Simeon | 15 |
The Prophecy of Anna | 16 |
Return to Nazareth | 16 |
Centurion Cassius, Judea Border 1 AD | 17 |
Magi at the Border | 17 |
Centurion Maximus, Jerusalem 1 – 10 AD | 17 |
Arrival of the Magi | 17 |
Prophecy of Jesus Birth | 18 |
Magi Find Jesus | 18 |
Herod Slaughters Infants | 18 |
The Boy Jesus in the Temple | 19 |
Centurion Gaius, Judea 31 AD | 21 |
Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant | 21 |
Centurion Julius Judea/Galilee 30-32 AD | 22 |
Sermon on the Mount. | 22 |
Jesus Ministers to Crowds. | 22 |
The Sermon on the Mount | 23 |
The Beatitudes | 23 |
Salt and Light | 23 |
Jesus Fulfills the Law | 24 |
Anger and Reconciliation | 24 |
Love Your Enemies | 25 |
The Lord’s Prayer | 25 |
The Authority of Jesus | 26 |
Jesus Feeds Five Thousand | 26 |
Woes to Scribes and Pharisees | 27 |
Hypocrisy | 28 |
Kingdom of Heaven | 28 |
Evangelism | 28 |
Oaths | 28 |
Tithing | 29 |
Holiness | 29 |
Sinfulness | 29 |
Self-Righteousness | 29 |
Lament over Jerusalem | 30 |
Raising of Lazarus | 30 |
Lazarus’ Death | 30 |
Jesus Comforts Martha and Mary. | 31 |
Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead | 32 |
The Plot to Kill Jesus | 33 |
Senior Centurion Karis, Jerusalem 32 AD. | 34 |
Peter in the Temple | 37 |
Centurion Karis becomes a Christian | 38 |
Postscript, Senior Centurion Karis’s Scribe | 40 |
The Stoning of Stephen. | 40 |
Stephen Arrested | 40 |
Stephen Addresses the Sanhedrin. | 41 |
The Stoning of Stephen | 44 |
Appendix 1 Magi, Three wise men | 46 |
Author’s Blog – The Magi. | 46 |
Scripture | 46 |
Who Were the Magi? | 46 |
Astronomy | 46 |
The Hebrew Calendar | 47 |
Sign in the Heavens. | 47 |
Appendix 2 Lazarus Raised | 49 |
Author’s Blog Lazarus, how God saves! | 49 |
Appendix 3 | 49 |
Crucifixion from Wikipedia | 51 |
What is Crucifixion? | 51 |
Ancient Rome | 51 |
History | 51 |
Society and Law | 52 |
Process | 53 |
Appendix 4 Your Evangelism Strategy | 53 |
Excerpt from: Always Be Ready to Give an Answer! A Former Atheist’s Personal Christian Evangelism Plan By Charlie Liebert | 53 |
Your Evangelism Strategy. | 53 |
Are they cold? | 53 |
Are they Lukewarm? | 53 |
Are they Hot? | 53 |
Offering the Gospel | 53 |
The BAD News | 53 |
The GOOD News | 53 |
The Future Hope | 53 |
ANSWERS For: “The Hope That Is In You.” | 53 |
Conclusion | 53 |
Appendix 5 – About the Author | 55 |
Charlie Liebert – Biography | 55 |
Charlie’s Many Different Careers | 62 |
Charlie’s Christian Testimony | 66 |
Books written by Charlie Liebert | 75 |
Christian Apologetics | 75 |
Christian Education | 76 |
Fiction | 76 |
Creative Historical Non-Fiction. Liebert History | 77 |
Short Stories. Published as eBooks Only | 78 |
