If the Centurion told a soldier to “Go” he would go. If he told him to “Come”, he would come. There would be no pause or questioning. The soldier would not think about it he would just do it. Failure to obey would result in swift and harsh punishment, witnessed by the whole unit.
But think about it. In front of the Centurion are a large number of strong men who could easily over-empower him. He’s got one wooden stick, and they’ve got hundreds of sharp, shiny metal swords. Why do they go where he tells them to. Why do the instantly and unquestioningly obey him in everything? It’s not because of his own power, it’s because he is a man under authority.
Marcus Tutt
From the book “Reaching For Healing”