What Does Luke 23:47 Mean in the King James?
Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The condemned man’s execution becomes the moment a witness gives God weight and names him aligned with what is right.
THE MEANING
A sentence against you does not settle whether you are aligned with God. The centurion sees what has happened, gives God weight, and calls Jesus righteous. Even here, execution does not erase what is true.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
A public condemnation proves that the condemned person is out of alignment with God.
THE ROOT
ἐδόξασεν
edoxasen
GROWS FROM
δοξ-
dox-
Weight, honor, reputation; to glorify is to give weight.
“glorified” in this verse is edoxasen. The verb belongs to the δοξ- family of δόξα (doxa, “weight, glory”). The centurion does more than express admiration: he gives God weight by recognizing what the scene reveals.
ALSO GROWS
doxa: Weight, glory, reputation
δόξα
This is the noun behind the verb; the centurion’s response gives God weight.
doxazō: Glorify, honor, give weight
δοξάζω
This is the verb used here: the centurion’s recognition becomes public honor to God.
δίκαιος
dikaios
GROWS FROM
δίκη (dikē) / δικ- (dik-)
Justice, rightness; being aligned with what is right.
“righteous” in this verse is dikaios. The centurion’s word names Jesus as aligned with what is right, even as the execution declares him condemned. The same word family connects this person’s character with the alignment called dikaiosynē.
ALSO GROWS
dikaiosynē: Righteousness, justice; alignment
δικαιοσύνη
The noun names the quality the centurion recognizes in Jesus.
dikaioō: Justify, declare or show as right
δικαιόω
This branch makes the tension in the scene visible: the centurion recognizes rightness where the sentence appears to deny it.
THE PATTERN
When what is seen reveals God’s character, the witness gives God weight.
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?THE THREAD
But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.Both verses pair seeing with δοξάζω (doxazō, “glorify, give weight”). In Luke, the centurion names Jesus righteous; in Matthew, the crowd gives God weight after seeing what has happened.
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