Knowing The Word in Luke 7:1-10

Jesus Heals a Centurion's Servant

7:1 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2 Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. 3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” 6 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. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. 8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; 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 turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.

Comments

Being one himself, Luke is the gospel writer most interested in the Gentiles. The story of the centurion is about a Gentile who became interested in Jesus but sent intermediaries to him instead of going directly to him. This story likely encouraged early Gentile Christians, who had not seen Jesus themselves but had received the gospel through Jewish messengers, that they were on equal footing in the church.

Every centurion mentioned in the New Testament is a man of character. A centurion was a Roman officer who commanded 100 soldiers. This story shows this centurion to be humane, wealthy, and pious. He was concerned because his servant, near death, was dear to him. He sent Jewish elders to Jesus, thinking they would be more acceptable than he, a Gentile. This is no ordinary centurion. He loved the people and nation he has helped conquer. He even built them a synagogue where they could worship their God. Why would he do that? We suspect the God of the Jews made much more sense to him than the multiple, capricious gods of the Romans.

As Jesus approached his home, the centurion, knowing that pious Jews would not enter the home of a Gentile, sent friends to tell Jesus not to enter his house but simply offer words for healing. (He must not yet have heard that Jesus held no biases.) Jesus marveled at the centurion’s understanding and faith. Jesus neither went into the home nor said a word. The centurion and his company simply found the servant healed.

Application

The word “Gentile” simply means non-Jew. Throughout Luke’s Gospel we see that ethnicity simply does not matter to Jesus. Race does not matter to Jesus. Education does not matter to Jesus. Socio-economic standing does not matter to Jesus. People matter to Jesus. Why do you think Christians down the centuries have made much out of these things that do not matter to Jesus? What have you made to matter in your life that does not matter to Jesus?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, you see each of us as a child of God made in his image—in your image! Let your Spirit work in me to remove from my thinking and my behaving those things that matter not to you and should not matter to me. Replace them with right and godly thinking, that I may value what you value and love what you love.