5 Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, 6 saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.”
7 And Jesus said to 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 only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘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 marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! 11 And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour. Matthew 8: 5-13 NKJV
Matthew 8: 5-13 NKJV
When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum. 2 There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. 3 The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” Luke 7: 1-5
A centurion came to Him - A centurion is an officer in the Roman army who is over 100 men. Luke 7 gives us more insight to this, that he came by way of intermediaries, Jewish elders, who are making his request for him. That itself is fascinating, but I think I will not go so deep into that part until I get to Luke 7. I think within the context of the two passages, and even very clearly in Matthew 8: 10-13, it is safe to say for certain that this man is a gentile, but also quite probably a Jewish proselyte, like Rahab and Ruth.
Centurion (1543)(Hekatontarches from hekaton = one hundred + archo = to command) means a commander of a hundred soldiers. They were noncommissioned officers who had worked his way up through the ranks. These veteran soldiers maintained discipline and commanded great respect, and were paid 15 times an ordinary soldier’s wage. They were highly motivated, competent soldiers, and generally decent persons. Polybius says "that the centurions were chosen by merit, and so were men remarkable not so much for their daring courage as for their deliberation, constancy, and strength of mind." They were chosen as good leaders, of steady and prudent mind, not prone to take the offensive to start fighting wantonly, but able when overwhelmed and hard-pressed to stand fast and die at their posts. Most of the centurions in the NT are presented in a favorable light - Matt. 8:5; Matt. 8:8; Matt. 8:13; Matt. 27:54; Lk. 7:2; Lk. 7:6; Lk. 23:47; Acts 10:1; Acts 10:22; Acts 21:32; Acts 22:25; Acts 22:26; Acts 23:17; Acts 23:23; Acts 24:23; Acts 27:1; Acts 27:6; Acts 27:11; Acts 27:31; Acts 27:43. MacArthur writes that "Along with the centurion in charge of Jesus’ crucifixion, and Cornelius (Acts 10:44–48), he (THE CENTURION IN OUR PRESENT PASSAGE) became a believer in Jesus Christ." - Precept Austin
30By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days. 31By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies in peace, did not perish with those who were disobedient. Hebrews 11: 30-31
My servant is lying at home paralyzed - This would be his slave, and the compassion is beautiful, for under Roman law he is in no way required to provide health care. In fact, a bed ridden servant would be a loss, a burden, and slave owners held their lives in their hands. He has not come to cut his losses, but because he has seen that Christ has the power of God, he has come asking for his friend to be healed. This transcends earthly, human wisdom, which makes available to the centurion a way out, which is pragmatically, to kill his servant or send him away, feed the lions with his corpse. If there is nothing after this life, and if there is no God, then men are not made or fashioned in the image of anything, but this does not seem to be the centurion's ideology. His slave is precious to him. He also addresses Jesus as Lord, which is very telling, as it affirms His sovereignty.
Servant (child, boy, girl)(3816)(pais English - pedo- as in pediatrics, pedobaptism) is translated most often as servant (Lk 1:54, 69; Lk 15:26; Mt. 14:2) but can also refer to young children. BDAG adds this word describes "one who is committed in total obedience to another." The NET Note says that pais is "often used of a slave who was regarded with some degree of affection, possibly a personal servant"As noted above Luke's version uses doulos. It is possible that Matthew's use of the specific word pais is a clue that the servant was a young boy. Slaves in the ancient world, though they may be highly skilled craftsmen or even physicians existed to serve their masters alone. They had no rights as persons, and their lives had little value to society. Cicero once apologized for having a twinge of regret when a slave of his suffered a painful death. IVP Background Commentary gives us an interesting context - "During their twenty or so years of service in the Roman army, soldiers were not permitted to marry. Many had illegal local concubines, an arrangement that the army overlooked and the concubines found profitable. But centurions, who could be moved around more frequently, would be less likely than ordinary soldiers to have such relationships; they often married only after retirement. By ancient definitions, however, a household could include servants, and household servants and masters sometimes grew very close—especially if they made up the entire family unit." - Precept Austin
…6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.… Matthew 5: 6-8
Dreadfully tormented - So he has empathy and sympathy, and not in such a way as it demands someone feel the way someone else feels, or pretend to as many do today, even putting so much on the want and feeling as to see them as the source of truth. His servant is sick to the point of paralysis, and people could sympathize with that and maybe drop a denarius in the bucket towards a cure or the finding of some relief, but this man loves his servant and is grieved, so in the order of sincere empathy, he has seen a man who can command leprosy to be gone, yet as a gentile he is considered an outsider to His circles. Now it's lovely that the man's condition can cause you to feel sympathy, to shed a tear, and then move you to feel pity, and for some that is righteousness, and even their definition of love, "I felt, am nostalgic, I cried, so of course I love them." It's like a participation trophy. The centurion is a man of action however, and so he takes his sympathy, empathy and whatever else, and here provides us with a glorious example of prayer, coming into the presence of the King. The centurion can't heal his servant, Caesar can't, neither can the Jewish elders, but he goes to them to go to Christ, Who is in actuality our emissary before the Father, standing at His righthand. Love has taken up the other man's burden, provided feet to carry it to the great physician, found a way to overcome what he sees as an obstacle, his gentile heritage, his own uncleanness.
1Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.… Galatians 6: 1-3
12This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14You are My friends if you do what I command you.… John 15: 12-14
I will come and heal him - What? You would come to my house? So it was Jewish tradition that taught that you could not enter the home of a gentile. God's law did not teach this, but rather that you were called to be set apart, not eat what they eat, not given to drunkeness, and not worship their gods, which were no gods at all, only idols. We were all called out from the gentiles, from false religion, from darkness into His glorious light. Now Jesus's disciples' mouths must have dropped to the ground, for they had resentment towards Rome, and remember Roman law required them to carry a Roman soldier's equipment for a mile, but they also looked down upon gentiles in general.
And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. Luke 7: 6-7A
I am not worthy - This man is telling the gospel truth, but oddly, the Pharisees, scribes, Sadducees, and elders did not feel this way, not even the disciples yet. People who grow up in church, especially Roman Catholic and the modern evangelical church miss this completely. They think they're worthy not just in Christ Jesus alone, but even before Him, in their own works, feelings, emotions, sympathy. How is that different from the worldling who thinks they're a good person because they sympathize with people, make a broad, inclusive gate for others, and jump on every social "justice" and "virtue" signaling bandwagon? Why did Jesus have to come, to die? Am I so great that he sought me out, like a talent scout, looking for the best people, the most worthy? Did He need me on His team? That's the way we often act, and it's often the lens through which we look at others.
9What then? Are we any better? Not at all. For we have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin. 10As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one. 11There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.… Romans 3: 9-11
…18I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’ 20So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.… Luke 15: 18-20
The centurion said, "Lord, I am not worthy (hikanos) for You to come under my roof - Observe the admission by the centurion I am not worthy ("I do not deserve") which is identical to the Greek phrase used by John the Baptist in Mt 3:11+ when he declared "I am not fit (hikanos)," which is intriguing for of course we know Jesus said about John the Baptist! (see Lk 7:28+). Of course the centurion was not speaking of social status for he was more highly placed in society than Jesus. Note that this is the second time the centurion addresses Jesus as Lord (kurios)(Mt 8:6, 8). Jesus had already heard the Jewish elders' assessment of this centurion declaring "He is worthy (axios) for You to grant this to him." (Lk 7:4+). In one sense this is the centurion recognizing the greatness of Jesus. The centurion himself is overwhelmed by Jesus' readiness to come and heal and expresses his sense of unworthiness to be a recipient of such gracious compassion. Somehow this Gentile man has gotten a sense of the majestic authority and power and love of this Jewish Man Jesus Who without hesitation "leaps over" the cultural obstacles that stood between most of the Jews and the Gentiles and was willing come to a Gentile's home. The centurion could have simply said "I am not worthy," but he specifically adds the phrase for Jesus to come under my roof. Why did he add that phrase? What is he saying? I agree with several commentators who feel that the centurion wanted to spare Jesus the social awkwardness of a Jewish Man entering a Gentile home. Hendriksen says it this way "Who is he (CENTURION) to cause this kind Master to commit an act that would put him in conflict with the time-honored custom of His own people, according to which a Jew does not enter the house of a Gentile lest he be defiled (John 18:28; Acts 10:28; 11:2, 3)? Let Jesus therefore not enter the house nor even approach too closely but let him simply speak the word of healing. That is all that will be necessary to bring about a complete cure." As Guzik says "In his concern for both his servant and for Jesus, this centurion was an others-centered person." - Precept Austin
Go, come, and do this - He is acknowledging a type of sovereignty that earthly rulers, doctors, famous people, influencers, billionaires, don't have. He does it by comparison with earthly authority within spheres, and Christ is in a separate sphere, where He can tell disease to go away, bread and fish to multiply, water turn to wine, lame to walk, blind to see. This centurion is not the highest up in Roman military titles, yet he is one of the greatest examples of a leader, for he is also a servant as he states, "under authority", but he is also a servant by choice, here serving his servant, and acknowledging Jesus as Lord. He calls Jesus, Lord, and then defines it; it is profound. He is only asking for a word from Jesus, and this is layers deeper than the centurion knows, but wow, he knows that Christ doesn't need to go there and do some dance, some incantation, roll the bones. He doesn't need to be present at all, but if He speaks then the atoms and the molecules have no choice but to obey.
…34“Ha! What do You want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” 35But Jesus rebuked the demon. “Be silent!” He said. “ Come out of him!” At this, the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without harming him. 36All the people were overcome with amazement and asked one another, “What is this message? With authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!”… Luke 4: 34-36
…90Your faithfulness continues through all generations; You established the earth, and it endures. 91Your ordinances stand to this day, for all things are servants to You. 92If Your law had not been my delight, then I would have perished in my affliction.… Psalm 119: 90-92
I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel - Among those that carry the oracles, who have the Abrahamic lineage, the law, the prophets, the temple, the priests and the Jewish traditions, He had not seen such beautiful, simple, and humble faith as this. A gentile is used to teach the approach, unentitled, unassuming, willing to be rejected, but asking for mercy. Jesus "marveled" at this man's faith. The Jewish elders in Luke 7 say, "this man is worthy", why? Because "he loves our nation and has built our synagogue", but the centurion says, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come in to my home." Not worthy.
…4Then Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his own household is a prophet without honor.” 5So He could not perform any miracles there, except to lay His hands on a few of the sick and heal them. 6And He was amazed at their unbelief. And He went around from village to village, teaching the people.… Mark 6: 4-6
…11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”… Matthew 9: 11-13
Many will come from east and west - The Jews saw it differently, that they would be with the Messiah, but all else would be cast out. Jesus and His apostles will continue to correct their bad doctrine. But Israel was called to be a light to all nations, and this teaching goes all the way back to Abraham.
…28A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical. 29No, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God. Romans 2: 28-29
…2I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.” 4So Abram departed, as the LORD had directed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.… Genesis 12: 2-4
…17I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will possess the gates of their enemies. 18And through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” 19Abraham went back to his servants, and they got up and set out together for Beersheba. And Abraham settled in Beersheba.… Genesis 22: 17-19
…9Judah is a young lion—my son, you return from the prey. Like a lion he crouches and lies down; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him? 10The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the allegiance of the nations is his. 11He ties his donkey to the vine, his colt to the choicest branch. He washes his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes.… Genesis 49: 9-11
But the sons of the kingdom - Heritage would not save them, just like fruit not of the Spirit would not help those who falsely came in Jesus's name. "But I can trace my lineage all the way back to Abraham."
4Jesus answered, “See to it that no one deceives you. 5For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come.… Matthew 24: 4-6
…21Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’… Matthew 7: 21-23
There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth - Many churches today will not speak of hell and God's just wrath against sin, yet they come in Jesus's name, and He spoke of hell more than any other figure in the Bible. "Love, love, love,' they say, yet the Scriptures say, 'Holy, Holy, Holy", and I am sorry, but I don't believe you when you say you love me but refuse to give me the whole counsel of God. You may love something but it is not me.
…40And the King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’ 41Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink,… Matthew 25: 40-42
…3In their greed, these false teachers will exploit you with deceptive words. The longstanding verdict against them remains in force, and their destruction does not sleep. 4For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them deep into hell, placing them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; 5if He did not spare the ancient world when He brought the flood on its ungodly people, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, among the eight;…
6if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction, reducing them to ashes as an example of what is coming on the ungodly; 7and if He rescued Lot, a righteous man distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless 8(for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)—…
9if all this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment. 10Such punishment is specially reserved for those who indulge the corrupt desires of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and self-willed, they are unafraid to slander glorious beings. 11Yet not even angels, though greater in strength and power, dare to bring such slanderous charges against them before the Lord.… 2 Peter 2: 3-11
…12These men are hidden reefs in your love feasts, shamelessly feasting with you but shepherding only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried along by the wind; fruitless trees in autumn, twice dead after being uprooted. 13They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever. 14Enoch, the seventh from Adam, also prophesied about them: “Behold, the Lord is coming with myriads of His holy ones… Jude 1: 12-14
And his servant was healed that same hour - That's some special authority.
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