Miracles of Jesus - Centurion's Servant

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Luke 7:2–3 NASB95

2 And a centurion’s slave, who was highly regarded by him, was sick and about to die. 3 When he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders asking Him to come and save the life of his slave.

Matthew 8:5–6 NASB95

5 And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him, 6 and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.”

This verse starts off with tension, unease, people getting in their feelings because a centurion shows up and begs Jesus for help.

Because Jesus came into this world from the lineage of Abraham, so He is a Jew, God’s covenant people of the Old Testament

and his disciples are Jews, and most of the people he is around are Jews

but this centurion is a non-Jew, a Gentile. The Jews looked down on Gentiles - because they don’t have a special covenant with God, they’re pagans

and not only is this centurion a Gentile, he is an officer in the Roman army. The same army that is occupying the land of the Jews. He represents everything that is anti-Jew.

So when he showed up, there had to been tension, unease, and people getting in their feelings

the looks and whispers, “what’s he doing here?” with anger/fear

This officer is aware of how the Jews feel about him, but he is desperate, and he comes to Jesus . . . ignoring the stares, the whispers, and the hostility

and he tells Jesus all about his troubles, “my servant is paralyzed and is in agony”

Sometimes you have to ignore people and focus on Jesus

some people don’t want to come to church, too afraid of the possible stares and whispers . . .

they don’t know me

I don’t have the right clothes

I’m from a different race

I’m from a different social class

I’ve got some things in my past that might come up

I’ve got things in my present they already know about

and there will be stares and whispers . . . . I encourage you to be like this centurion: ignore people and focus on Jesus

and you won’t be the first to have to ignore the reactions of people

at the beginning of this same chapter, a leper came before Jesus

he had more than stares and whispers - his disease was so bad that I am sure that he had people scooting back, but he ignored people, and focused on Jesus

please notice that the centurion doesn’t need healing, but his servant does - we have another intercession type situation

Mary and Martha interceded for Lazarus

Friends for paralyzed man

Mother of Jesus for the host family at the wedding party

unnamed people - deaf and mute

and now this Roman officer

Don’t forget that you can and should go to God on other people’s behalf

Lazarus was too sick to go to Jesus on his own

the host family at the wedding party didn’t know what Jesus could do

the deaf and mute man could not understand what Jesus could do

and this paralyzed servant, like the other paralyzed man can’t make it to Jesus

they’re are people too messed up spiritually, or physically, or socially, or emotionally to get to Jesus . . . but hope is not lost because YOU can intercede (go and implore Jesus for them)

every miracle does not have to be for you - we might see the power of God more, if we would do more praying for others

Matthew 8:7–8 NASB95

7 Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 But the centurion said, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.

Jesus doesn’t hesitate, and agrees to come and heal this centurion’s servant

But the centurion understands the situation, “Lord I am not worthy for you to come under my roof”

First he thought enough of Jesus to him, Lord (though he is an officer)

this centurion would have been aware of the fact that most Jews disliked Gentiles so much that they would not go into a Gentile’s home . . . they would wait outside

so it’s asking a lot for a Jewish teacher/rabbi to come to your home

He also probably understands that even if Jesus doesn’t care about that type of stuff, coming to his house would bring trouble for Jesus

So he comes up with an alternate plan, just say the word and my servant will be healed

Matthew 8:9 NASB95

9 “For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”

in explanation, the centurion makes a comparison between him and Jesus, that’s why he uses the word also

for I am also a man under authority

as a roman

This centurion officer is over 100 soldiers and he understands authority, he said

I say go and people go

I say come and people comes

I say do this and people do it

authority - right to command obedience, state of control

Roman Authority

the emperor of Roman had full authority, and he delegated that full authority to others

so in the Roman army you had to treat a word from your superior officer like you would a command from the emperor himself

notice that he did not say that I am man of authority, but under authority, with soldiers under me

Matthew 8:10 NASB95

10 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.

Jesus marveled (was amazed) . . . made him go “Wow!”

this is great faith! I haven’t seen this level of faith in any Jew

What made it so great?

He believed that Jesus not only had access to healing power, but that he had authority over healing power