The centurion’s servant healed
Matthew:8:5-13 5: And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6: And saying, Lord, my servant lies at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.7: And Jesus said unto him, I will come and heal him. 8: The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9: For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my servant, Do this, and he does it. 10: When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 11: And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 12: But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 13: And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go your way; and as you have believed, so be it done unto you. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
Luke:7:1-10 1: Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum. 2: And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die. 3: And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant. 4: And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this: 5: For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue. 6: Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not yourself: for I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof: 7: Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto you: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. 8: For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my servant, Do this, and he does it. 9: When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 10: And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.
So who was this centurion? He’s described as a hekatontarchos, the Greek equivalent to the Latin centurio. He cannot have been part of the Roman army, however, since there were no Roman forces in Galilee at the time; instead, he probably belonged to the royal troops of Herod Antipas. Rulers appointed by Rome (as was the case with Antipas) were expected to maintain an army and to provide Rome with military support when necessary. Jews were exempted from service in the army, and Antipas probably used mainly non-Jewish soldiers as his father Herod I had done. The use of Roman titles suggests that Antipas organized his troops in the Roman way.
A centurion was in charge of eighty men (not 100, as the name would lead us to expect). In many ways, centurions were the real professionals of the army. Most owed their position not to family connections but to their military skill. Centurions enjoyed a certain status and reasonably good pay. Besides a level of command on the battlefield, they engaged in a wide range of other activities: general policing, customs work, and the supervision of capital penalties (Mark 15:39). The troops of Antipas seem to have been garrisoned within towns. Although centurions are presented positively in the New Testament, contemporary scholarship makes it clear that most were disliked by ordinary folk, who regarded them as cruel, violent, and self-serving.
Acts:27:1-3, 42-43 1: And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus’ band. 2: And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. 3: And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself.
We do not know the centurion’s nationality. He was clearly not Jewish, either by birth or conversion. Luke’s account suggests that he had some sympathies for the Jewish faith. The note that he “built our synagogue” may suggest he acted as a benefactor to the Jewish community in Capernaum. 42: And the soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape. 43: But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:
Mark:15:39: And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.
Now Matthew and Luke give the story in a little different way. Matthew says the centurion came to him.
Matthew 8:5: And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,
But Luke gives far more details about the centurion. In fact, he says that the centurion actually did not come to Jesus at all but sent people in his place.
Luke:7:1-10 1: Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum. 2: And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die. 3: And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant. 4: And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this: 5: For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue. 6: Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him,
First, the centurion sends some of the elders of the Jews. He realizes that he is not a Jew, and that his servant is not a Jew either, so he knew he may not be able to get through to Jesus. I am sure he had heard of the Phonetician woman being called a dog. He knew that he was in the same state. He also knew that the Jews usually hated the troops that were there to bring order. So he thought a mediator would help.
These Jews said that the centurion had built the synagogue. The synagogue in Capernaum was one of the best built synagogues in Israel. It was built of marble, and not the stones of the area as the homes of the town were. So he had spent a lot of money on the synagogue. This centurion was very sympathetic to the Jews. The Jews told Jesus that the centurion loved their nation. This was very unusual for an outsider to love and give to the Jews in such a manner.
Secondly, Luke tells us that he sent servants to tell Jesus to convey his message to him. The centurion was a man of means as well as one of authority.
Now we are told of the servant’s illness. Matthew tells us what the man was sick of, and Luke tells us that the man is dying. Luke also tells us that the servant was dear to the centurion. This was a very loved servant.
Matthew 8:6: And saying, Lord, my servant lies at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
Luke 7:2: And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die
Palsy is a medical term which refers to various types of paralysis, often accompanied by weakness and the loss of feeling and uncontrolled body movements such as shaking. So clearly, this man was dying of a terrible disease. The centurion knew his time was short, so he sent for Jesus. His love for his servant compelled the centurion to send for Jesus.
Now lets look at the centurion’s words about himself.
Matthew 8:8: The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9: For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my servant, Do this, and he does it.
Luke 7:6: Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not yourself: for I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof: 7: Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto you: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. 8: For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my servant, Do this, and he does it.
The centurion has several statements about himself which are very noteworthy about this story.
First, that he was unworthy for Jesus to come under his roof. He was not asking Jesus to come to his house, but to heal his servant. This shows something very important. The fact he says he is unworthy, is not spoken about his servant. Therefore his servant must have been a Jew. He was appealing to Jesus as a Jew, to have compassion on his servant, even though he might hate the centurion as a non-Jew, and a centurion. He did not call himself and his servant unworthy. Luke says that he relays the message that he was unworthy even to come to Jesus with the request. When we first look at the story, it looks like he was a proud man and therefore did not come himself, but here we see another thing. He thought so little of himself as a man, that the centurion would not go to Jesus himself, but asked friends to go to persuade Jesus. The servants also could have been Jews, so he thought that sending them would help. Notice, he did not send soldiers, even though he mentions being over them here.
Now the centurion recognizes that Jesus was a man under authority just as he was. He realizes the importance of speaking a word.
Jesus spoke of this being under authority in John.
John:5:19-24 19: Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do: for what things soever he does, these also doeth the Son likewise. 20: For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all things that himself does: and he will show him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. 21: For as the Father raises up the dead, and quickens them; even so the Son quickens whom he will. 22: For the Father judges no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: 23: That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honors not the Son honors not the Father which has sent him.24: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that hears my word, and believes on him that sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
John:8:28-31 28: Then said Jesus unto them, When you have lifted up the Son of man, then shall you know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father has taught me, I speak these things. :29: And he that sent me is with me: the Father has not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. 30: As he spoke these words, many believed on him. 31: Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32: And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
This centurion understood that Jesus would only do the Father’s command. That is why he sent the Jews. He knew the Jesus had a place with God, but he did not. Therefore he was approaching Jesus to do the work for a Jew, and not for himself. But he knew just as his order would be followed, Jesus’ would also.
Jesus answer was great.
Matthew 8:10-13 10: When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 11: And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 12: But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 13: And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go your way; and as you have believed, so be it done unto you. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
Luke 7:9: When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 10: And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.
Jesus told this centurion that his faith was greater than all of the Jews. He only uses the term great faith twice, and both for Gentiles. Here he tells of the centurion having great faith, and he also tells us the woman he called a dog had great faith.
Matthew:15:27-28 27: And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. 28: Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
The faith of this centurion was great because he took Jesus at his word. Our faith is great also when we take God at his Word.
The widow’s son at Nain
Just after this Jesus raises a son from the dead. What Jesus said in John about being under authority, continues into this story, because there Jesus said that he would raise the dead because the Father does.
John:5:19-21 19: Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do: for what things soever he does, these also doeth the Son likewise. 20: For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all things that himself does: and he will show him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. 21: For as the Father raises up the dead, and quickens them; even so the Son quickens whom he will.
Luke:7:11-17 11: And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. 12: Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. 13: And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. 14: And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto you, Arise. 15: And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. 16: And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God has visited his people. 17: And this rumor of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about.
Nain is an Arab village in northern Israel. Located in the Lower Galilee, 14 kilometers (8.7 mi) south of Nazareth.
So Jesus is walking through this village with his disciples and a large crowd of people. He meets a funeral at the city gate. As soon as death was certain, the deceased’s eyes were closed; the corpse was washed, and then wrapped and bound. The body was wrapped and bound in strips of cloth. Thus prepared, male relatives and friends would carry the corpse in a procession toward the place of burial, accompanied by friends, neighbors, and relatives. Jewish funeral processions made their way from the family home to the family tomb. Members of the immediate family placed the body in the tomb while friends and relatives waited outside.
The story tells us two things.
First, the son was an only child, therefore his mother would now be without a means of support.
Second, the son was well known, because there was a large crowd in the procession.
Jesus first of all speaks to the woman, and tells her to stop weeping. He was moved with compassion, and told her to stop weeping. Notice that the people did not laugh him to scorn as the ones did when he said this to Jairus. This shows us that the people were not paid mourners, but friends who were mourning because of their love of the woman and her son.
Jesus then stops the procession when the two crowds meet. One crowd is a believing crowd, the other is a mourning crowd. Jesus went to the bier, and touched the man. There were very strict rules about touching a dead man in the law.
Numbers:19:11-13 11: He that touches the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days. 12: He shall purify himself with it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean: but if he purify not himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean. 13: Whosoever touches the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifies not himself, defiles the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him.
Jesus did what most would not have done. He not only stops a procession, but does the unthinkable. He touches a dead man. But he was being moved by the Holy Spirit. When we are moved by the Holy Spirit to do the unthinkable, results happen.
The second thing Jesus did was he spoke to the young man who was dead…just as he spoke to Lazarus who was dead.
And he said, Young man, I say unto you, Arise.
Jesus was speaking in faith. Notice two things here. First the man was young. Jesus was not speaking to an old man whose body had gone down over years, and therefore died, but a young man in his prime that had died suddenly. Second, he told him to arise. Jesus spoke his faith.
Now see what happens. The young man sat up and began to speak. Why would Luke have said that he began to speak as well as just sitting up, but did not say what the young man said? Perhaps the reason he put this in was the young man could not speak before. This could have been why the crowd marveled so. Remember in the lesson about the deaf and dumb man, they marveled because he cast the demon out of him without asking the name of the demon. They thought someone could not be delivered who could not speak. Perhaps this was the same thing, they marveled because this man could not speak.
These stories not only show that Jesus had authority given to him from the father so he spoke to the centurion, but he also was able to speak to a dead man and see him live. Jesus has now given us that same authority to use. We are people under authority, so we can speak God’s word with power.
Matthew:28:18-20 18: And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19: Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Goode Christian: learning how to be a good Christian in today's world. 