British Museum

Life in the Roman Legion special exhibition is fascinating. It was a harsh life that required hours of hard training and singular devotion to the Emperor. Punishments were brutal for any violations or disobedience. Still for many it was a way out of poverty and a way to earn citizenship.

The exhibit is constructed around the life of one man following his entry into the marines (the lowliest and least valued of the services), and his climb from one rank to another over the years. 

I only took one photo from the exhibit: showing the hierarchy of ranks in the Roman army. It brought to mind the story of Jesus healing the Centurion’s servant in the Gospel of Matthew 8:5-13:

“ When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?” For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt.8.5,Matt.8.6,Matt.8.8,Matt.8.7,Matt.8.9,Matt.8.10,Matt.8.11,Matt.8.12,Matt.8.13&version=NIV

The centurion was such a powerful man in those times. This chart showed his status. To realize he was so powerful in one sense but so helpless in another, then to see him humble himself for the sake of his servant really made this whole passage come home to me.

Roman officers were brutal in their discicpline of the troops, and could administer flogging, or even death for disobedience. Their servants were purchased slaves or sometimes captives from a battle. For this Centurion to care so much about his servant that he breaks all the social customs of the time to reach out to Jesus for healing, well, that is just amazing! It adds so much more to my understanding of this passage.

British Museum has so much to see it is impossible to even scratch the surface in one visit. I clocked almost 5 miles of walking that day. At one point I sat in the cafe to have a coffee and biscuit (cookie) and rest my feet, and visited with a couple from Spain. I dusted off my rusty Spanish and had a nice chat with them.

Another British man sat down with us. He was on a Day tour group looking at the displays related to the Holy Bible. I had an interesting conversation with him about the End Times. I love it when the Lord connects me with other born again believers!